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But I would put money on the fact that if Herlings goes over to the US and doesn't win at Southwick the Euro guys will come back with, "Southwick isn't a real sand track, Herlings would beat anyone at Lomell, they've gotta come over and race at Lommel." or something along those lines.
People from either "side of the pond" will never agree while the two series are separate.
i think he'll do well, but i don't think he'll win simply because there is too many odds stacked against him..... and is it not fair to expect whoever beats him to have to return the favour at Lommel before a crown can truly being appointed?
'Something tells me he won't have such an advantage because its not the proper deep sand that really he excels in and the Yanks will have a field day about the 'euro sand specialist' not winning on US soil.'
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I would never bet against ken or jeffrey in an outdoor mx race- they are both extremely talented young riders. It will be awesome if jeffrey races southwick!!! Its good when a gp rider has the balls to ride out of his comfortzone, go to the states and ride unfamiliar equipment, on an unfamiliar track (with virtually no time to learn it) and in a different time zone, against different riders- and do an ama national (just like desalle, de dkyer, de reuver etc have done in recent years)
wonder what the reaction would be like if jeffrey did win? (from the us fans)
desalle got alot of good press when he raced unadilla last year and went 2-2 (on a borrowed bike!)- and rightly so, he rode great!!!!
Herlings will have the odds stacked against him if he races southwick- but i wouldnt be at all surprised to see him win at least one moto.
Hopefully somebody will be able to confirm soon what gp riders (if any) are racing at unadilla? i'd love to see cairoli, roczen or bobby there!!!! or desalle again
No way would Baggett or any US rider be within 30 seconds of Herlings in Beligum or Holland .. he is the fastest sand rider in the world imo, maybe the fastest I have ever seen and he is only 16, his speed is mind blowing the first lap in his quali heat was insane on Saturday, he won yesterday and was injured and crashed in both motos!
Herlings doesn't need to ride southwick to prove anything.. none of those guys can touch him in the World Championship in sand, if they think they can, come and prove it. He is the best in the World in sand.
But Southwick it is totally different, two v short practice sessions, humidity, hard base nothing like Lommel, I wouldn't say he would definitely win by any means, I think he could but it would be hard, Americans like all nations are at their fastest in their own country too and they only race foreigners in they own country so they should be able be on his pace there or faster, Everts didn't sound like he wanted him to go anyway, only 21 points behind Roczen the World title is still within his reach.
Anyways, I think Herlings would definitely be a contender to win Southwick if he comes over, just like Desalle was a contender at Unadilla.
I'm just saying the advantages the US guys have combined with the disadvantages Herlings will have should mean that they all have a chance at the win... Herlings has no guarentee of being faster there at all....but if Baggett, Barcia etc reciprocated and came to to say lierop for a Dutch national or GP Herlings would smoke them, because he would be in his comfort zone.
So to make this clear, according to Mccread:
Herlings comes to the American's "comfort zone" he has "a chance to win."
Any American riders come to Herling's "comfort zone", he will "smoke them."
That is Mccread's idea of "following and loving American motocross as much as any American fan."
I personally think that if Herlings comes to Southwick and encounters the heat, humidity, and the Green Buzzsaw, there is the distinct possibility he might melt into a little orange Dutch puddle that leaves his 16 year old eyes opened a little wider and his "I'm the fastest sand rider in the world" ego a little smaller.
None of this crap is about actual rider skills. As long as MX has existed, especially in the low countries, there have been certain riders who excel at sand riding. I don't know that it matters so much whether it's deep sand tracks or "tracks that aren't really sand tracks even if they are sandy."
Like K-DUB says, If I want to ride in the sand, I'll go to the beach.
http://www.vitalmx.com/forums/Moto-Related,20/Southwick,1214618
The way those guys flow round that track with such speed and for 40 mins - unbelievable. I never get bored of it.
3 laps on a track like Lommel and my arms would be like planks of wood.
Pit Row
I'd say that is true of all Motocross to a degree, because as fun as it is to watch on television its still no comparison to standing track side and watching/racing in person which Im sure you'd agree. The skill level and commitment at a National or GP is somewhat lost on TV and only experienced fans notice the small details that often make the difference.
If you ever rode a track like that you know how difficult it is to keep speed and momentum. Seeing guys like Herlings, Roczen, Cairoli, de Reuver, de Dijcker, Everts who how to ride it fly around there is just mind blowing.
There is no such thing as a perfect lap on tracks like Lommel and Lierop. They all make mistakes every lap which makes the racing very exciting.
Cairoli had a big lead early in moto 2, next lap around he was in third and had to fight his way back to first, which he did.
At the last lap of moto 2 Congalves and Bobryshev would be 2 and 3 on the podium. Congalves bike blew and Bobrishev was past by Nagl leaving the Honda guys with nothing.
Anything can happen at deep sand and it always will.
I hate to ride it but love to watch it.
Reading about the outcome, not so much.
Listened to Matthes' Lommel interviews on the way into work this way. Everts said he does not want Herlings to come to Southwick, but to instead keep his focus on the GP series he's competing in.
Cairoli said KTM won't send him to the US and does not want him doing any non-GP events until the series is over.
http://vepix.be/fotoalbum/thumbnails.php?album=83
Enjoy the pics.
About the US riders riding in sand. Well I'm sure they have enough tracks to practice on. It's not because they don't have a track like Lommel on their series calendar that they don't have practice tracks like that.
And now some want's to quote me and say, not a sandtrack on the calendar? And Southwick then? Well some facts.
Southwick is 1day, Lommel are 2.
AMA has a smooth track rule, GP's don't.
Southwick has some elevation, and it's knowed that sandbumps don't develp on a hill. They develp on a flat surface, wich is lommel, it's before the GP as flat as a pancake. And after it is it like a face of a puber full with giant pimples.
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