Jeffrey Herlings suffered a serious injury on Sunday during the GP of Germany in Teutschental. An examination in the hospital shows that he has broken a cervical vertebra after a fall. Further investigation will be carried out on Monday and it will become clear how serious the motocross racer from Oploo is. It must also become clear how long the driver from Oploo will be out of circulation.
You never know with Jeffrey Herlings, but the chance that he will win his sixth world title this season seems small. The neck injury sustained in Germany will most likely make his backlog against Spaniard Jorge Prado unbridgeable. It’s still looking like coffee grounds, but Herlings may even have to fear for the rest of the season
Unexpected plunge
Actually, nothing was wrong during the first round in Teutschental. Herlings took no major risks and took the lead sovereignly.
Completely unexpectedly, it went wrong just before the end. The driver from Brabant came with his front wheel in the track of a straggler while his rear wheel got stuck in its own track. A tumble into the sand followed, landing on his head.
Research
Herlings still finished, but was then taken to the emergency hospital on the GP site with an ice pack on his neck. After an investigation, it was decided to have him taken to the hospital in Eindhoven by his manager. Why is unclear, but that happened with a blanket over his head. The driver was first fitted with a neck brace.
In Eindhoven it became clear for the time being that Herlings has broken a cervical vertebra, but will be examined further on Monday. Then it must also become clear what consequences the injury has for the current season and the course of his career.