JH84

He is still one of the guys.

He is doing what he always does.. gets hurt and struggles to show his full potential..

Not lately 

He is still one of the fast guys but is also still racing his way back to 100%. He is progressing every week with some moments of the blazing speed he used to have. If it wasn’t for lappers in the 2nd moto he would have been all over Gajser for 2nd. 

Gajser straight up passed him in that second moto.

He,s been hurt to many times, anybody that rode a bike knows what that does to your confidence. The Herlings of 2018 is just distant thunder now, we are looking at the tail end of the storm. Still not bad for an elder statesman with a broken body. If he keeps healthy to Matterly for the MXON we might the see the bullet throw of the shackles on more time.

I watched the 2nd moto and his getting back to normal. Those guys are no joke in the Mx1 class.

He’s still one of the guys, he’s just not THAT guy.  He’s getting better since the start of the season, but will just be a contender, not the all out favorite he used to be.  One of the best MX riders on earth…. But not FMOTP any more.

Dude has all the talent one can have. He just can’t stay off the deck and his bones break easily. 
 

Having said that, I hope he finally has some injury free seasons. He is one to watch when he’s healthy. Perhaps we’ll get to see a battle at MXdN between him and Jett? 

That is correct but at the end he was right behind Gajser again. All if's and but's but if it weren't for lappers he would have battled Tim for 2nd. Comparing all the previous rounds the is slowly getting up to speed of the front runners. First rounds he was a mediocre guy and he is now a podium contender

I keep hearing that 'he is still getting back to 100%', and it might be true, but i cant remember when during his career it took Herlings months of racing to get back to 100%. It just looks different now. Hope i am wrong, but i get that impression.

That's right but he is never been injured for so long.....in 2022 no race ....and in 2023 he just starts to reach his old level again and then gets injured again....so in 2 years he may  have been really fit for 1 month 

But he gets better every race...... so be patiënt the old herlings will be back soon....

I don't think you're wrong. After 13-14 years of racing professional and being injured at least once or twice per year (even in his title years), I think it is insane that he is still a top 3 guy. Prado and Gajser are just peaking and are probably at their fastest ever while Herlings is at the end of his career. Dude had like 20 injuries since we went pro on top of that. If he finishes this season healthy as a top 3 guy, I think that's a big win for him and who knows whatever happens next year with Prado coming to the US. Maybe he takes advantage of that.

Even this season isn't over, often enough we have seen the top contenders getting injured, MXGP calendar is stacked and anything can happen.

Him and Lewis nailed it when they were talking about him and Seewer being able to take the exact same crash, and Jeffrey would get absolutely battered and Jeremy would hop up totally unscathed.

Such an unlucky dude. Still fast as fuck but definitely not the default pick for the win now.

Can u imagine if Herlings had the same crash as Jett this weekend? He would probably be in a wheelchair.

You guys realise he has been around for years now right?? Tremendous career overall...Father time catches up with everyone 

Yes time is passing by, but JH is just now fully recovering his strength and stamina lost from his last shut down.

He is currently way behind (6)1 and 243, but there is A LOT of racing left.

Although it will be very difficult for him to win the '24 MXGP title, do not count out the Bullet.

I see him very soon going on a winning streak.

Fully recovered on an old pro doesn't mean years are erased...could he still have moments in the Sun? Hopefully!

Dude, we are talking about the Bullet. He will be beating them all.

You obviously didn't see the race.

84 was flying at the end and was all over TG when they ran into a pack of lappers. Tim slipped around, JH got stopped by one.

He had 2nd for sure without the interference, but at MX, such is life.

The lappers allowed Herlings to get close to Gajser at the end but when Gajser passed him mid race it looked like Herlings just gave up. 

Won 1st moto. 2nd moto only 3 seconds behind Prado and Gajser

I belive that we will look at 24 as the year Herlings started to fade.

Last year it was the pre-season injury but it’s clear now that he’s not the rider he once were.

Yeah, he hurt his ribs at Sardinia but at this point it can’t take him half a season to get up to speed, he should be good enough to have top rider speed but then lack fitness. 
 

Looking at interviews, he looks glad just to be out there and don’t see him self as a title guy anymore. And that’s fine, but the fans should not expect the old Herlings out of him anymore just like Tomac seems to have passed his prime form and speed.

I guess time will tell, but I don’t agree with you. I think he is building this year after being out for so long and if he stays injury free, he will come out with a vengeance next year and be one of the top guy again. Maybe not as dominant as he once was, but in the title chase for sure. But that all depends if he can stay healthy which, statistically speaking, is very unlikely.

Even with hurting ribs he still smoked them in first moto. If there would be two, three rounds of rain in a row, Prado would not be THAT guy no more. Some spectators on Sunday was laughing when rain poured down before 1st moto, that it was Prado tears and it turned out to be true, once again.

Who is this father time, who does he ride for, is he faster than Deegan, or Jett?

He’s not smoking these guys anymore on his beloved sand and Germanys hard pack is more of a reflection of where he is these days. Even bullets expend their energy at some point. Glad I witnessed him in his prime, he’s the fastest guy I ever seen on a dirt bike during those years and can still mix it after all the injuries. Hope he stays healthy for MXON

It's an intangible that can't be learned or taught. The ability to bounce the right way, take the hit, and walk away relatively unscathed. It has to be completely genetic right? Why two riders can have similar crashes and one jumps back on his bike and the other is taken away on the mule. RC always just bounced the right way. It's looking like Jett is quite durable and tough, too. 

Wut?