The season
so far
Rnd 1 Qatar 11th, Rnd 2 Indo 23rd,
Rnd 3 Argentina 18th, Rnd 4
Mexico 13th, Rnd 5 Trentino 16th,
Rnd 6 Valkenswaard 6th, Rnd 7
Latvia 16th, Rnd 8 Germany 2nd,
Rnd 9 France 4th, Rnd 10 Russia
6th, Rnd 10 & 11 DNS.you this year? Germany?
HL: Yeah, for sure. You know I won
there last year in EMX250 with 1-1 and
I was second this year [in MX2] but
this one was more emotional, and it
meant a lot more for sure. It was crazy;
after coming from the finish line when
we found out, to when we came out on
the podium, it was like my whole life
of racing, and everyone that said you
can’t do it and stuff like this flashed
over in my head...
That was something really special,
and to share it with Jeremy also [who
won the GP in what was a Suzuki
1-2]... we are really good friends so
that was awesome.
How difficult has this setback been with the
back injury you picked up in a German
Championship race? Was it a crash?
HL: Yeah, it was a crash, and it’s
frustrating, but now I’ve got my head
around it, chin up and just look on to
the next thing. That’s the only way you
can do it. I was really frustrated
because I didn’t want to talk to anyone;
it just felt like the same last year.
I was sixth overall at the Russian GP,
I was looking forward to Ottobiano in
Italy in the sand; I feel comfortable in
the sand. That was one of the GPs I
really wanted to do well in because
coming from Australia we don’t have
so much sand so I want to prove to
myself that I have learned the sand
and prove that I have worked hard in
the sand also. That’s a little personal
goal of mine, but crashes happen, it’s
part of the sport, but the team have
been awesome. I know a lot of teams
where they’ve forced the riders to race
when they have niggling injuries but it
was the team that said, “No. Your
health and safety is more important”.
And luckily I listened, because I
could’ve risked my career later on. Itwas compressed vertebra at T5 and T6.
You’ve missed the last two rounds in Italy
and here in Portugal. How will you tackle the
rest of the season?
HL: I just want to come back strong. I
know it’s not gonna be easy but I’m
gonna try to pick up where I left off
with consistent top 10s, but I will go to
Loket in the Czech Republic next with
not such a different mentality, just go
there knowing what I’m capable of.
And if you bring confidence back with
you it goes a long way. You see riders
get that one result and it changes
everything. It started with me in
Valkenswaard, and Germany was just
a top up of confidence.ON EMBRACING EURO LIFE
It seems that you’ve really thrown yourself
into the whole European experience. You’re not
scared to learn a new language or two. Are you
fluent in ‘Belgish’ yet? What about German?http://www.adbmag.com SEPTEMBER 2017 | 107