Jeffrey Herlings and Lucas Coenen went at it for the overall win in moto two in Agueda setting a sensational pace with some aggressive but respectful racing that ended when Herlings put on the perfect block pass to seal the lead and his 117th GP win in his career!
But Herlings wasn’t happy at having to pass Lucas like that and said: “I don’t like the way I passed him. I am a rider who really hates to not ride clean but I think this was very, very slow speed and I barely touched him. I almost had no other place to pass him. Yesterday, I tried all moto and it was the same for the first 15 minutes, I had to go for that pass and I managed to check out and could cruise at my own tempo. Happy to get another win, 117 I guess, and fifth for Honda this season!”
Coenen warned there may be some payback for the move: “Consistency is key, I knew I won the qualifying moto and first moto so, my weekend was already good and I knew he wanted to win so bad, he gota take the risk. He tried to play it a bit dirty on me, slowing down like that. He knows I am a clean rider but if I have the opportunity I will also run it in on him!”
Watch the pass below:
On the championship Herlings conceded it will be tough after the mechanicals, he just wants to win races against Lucas before he goes Stateside: “He is 57 points in front but I lost 40-50 with my two DNF’s in Germany and Latvia, so it’s a bit unfair but that’s racing and it’s part of the sport. I just do my best, a lot of people are saying he is going to the US next year, if so I try to beat him as often as I can but it is not easy, I am on my way down, he is on his way up so it won’t get any easier but I will do my best!”
