Jeffrey Herlings – Love Of Agueda

Jeffrey Herlings has a rich, albeit turbulent, history at the Agueda circuit for the MXGP of Portugal. The Honda HRC PETRONAS rider has claimed major career milestones here, including a historic, record-equalling 101st GP victory in 2023. However, the track has also brought challenges, such as a severe rib injury during a qualifying crash in 2025.

With his first visit there in 2010 seeing him score a second place overall behind Frenchman, Marvin Musquin, and ahead of German rider, Ken Roczen. Herlings 3-2 performance was impressive as his GP career was only weeks old.

In 2011 he finished first at Agueda, ending the day with 2-2 scores, but more than enough to lead home Frenchman Gautier Paulin and American Zach Osborne. A year later in 2012, he won again, this time getting the better of Tommy Searle and Jeremy Van Horebeek. Herlings finishing with 1-2 results, Searle 3-1 and Van Horebeek 2-6.

It seemed nobody could match the KTM factory rider, as he would again win in 2013, this time with 1-1 results and ahead of Dean Ferris from Australia and Spaniard, Jose Butron. As the wins in Portugal started stacking up, so too did his enjoyment of this circuit.

“I really enjoy racing here; it’s a good layout and allows me to find good lines and use my skills. Agueda has been kind to me, as I already have a lot of success here and it’s a really fun place to race.”

Agueda disappeared from the MXGP calendar for a handful of years and when it did return, Herlings had moved to the MXGP class, but after a torrid battle with the legendary Italian, Antonio Cairoli in 2017, he just missed out on victory. Cairoli going 2-1 and Herlings 1-2. Arminas Jasikonis was third with 3-3 scores.

In 2018 Herlings took victory number four and turned the tables on Cairoli, with the Italian second. Herlings finishing with 1-1 results and Cairoli 2-2, with Tim Gajser claiming 3-5 results for third overall.

Covid took Portugal off the calendar for a number of years, Herlings won again in the MXGP class in 2023, his 3-1 better than the 2-3 of Romain Febvre and 1-6 by Jorge Prado. His last two trips have seen him go ninth and ninth for “The Bullet”. The significant of this victory was the fact Herlings equalled the record of Stefan Everts for most wins in Grand Prix history.

"I've now caught up with Stefan,” Herlings said at the time. “And now I have to overtake him. I struggled with arm pump, but in the second race it was okay, and then you could see what I'm capable of. It was great to come here and win again. I'm not my old self yet, but I'm getting better every time."

2024 was of course the great mud race and more or less a gamble on who would win, it was Pauls Jonass, as Herlings DNFed the opening moto and then won the second. 2025 was by far Herlings worst results, claiming just 25 points after injuring himself on the Saturday, in the qualification race.

We all know, after his stunning victory last weekend, the Dutchman will be wanting to get victory number six and gain some more points back on series leader, Lucas Coenen, who is in fact, the last rider to win on a 450 at Agueda.