The 2018 MXGP World Champion Jeffrey Herlings made a late decision to attempt the Grand Prix in Sweden with a view towards extra race time and mileage as part of the recovery process from a fractured right ankle.

The Dutchman had been riding his KTM 450SX-F for a couple of weeks and made the call to use Uddevalla as a valuable chance for more conditioning.

Herlings earned a brilliant qualification heat victory on Saturday and then proceeded to lead most of the first MXGP moto until he tired with arm-pump and a small crash led to another rider hitting the prone KTM. He had to retire due to the damage.

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In the second moto he found a more effective rhythm to take a solid fourth.

Standing Construct KTMā€™s Glenn Coldenhoff continued his scorching run of form by going 1-2 in the motos with his 450 SX-F. It meant a third consecutive podium ā€“ and second victory ā€“ for the Dutchman.

“The problem was that I took the holeshot,” said Herlings. “Yesterday [on Saturday leading] was fine for 20 minutes but in the first moto I was really struggling with arm-pump.

“We made some changes to the bike to have the suspension a bit softer because I was not at my normal pace. I led for the first 20 and then couldn’t hold on so well and had a small tip-over. Another rider hit my bike and damaged it pretty bad so I couldn’t finish, which was a shame because I think I could have been fifth-sixth.

“In the second moto I didn’t get a holeshot: which was pretty good because I don’t feel comfortable leading yet. I was around eighth and worked my way up to fourth. Together with first yesterday it hasnā€™t been bad practice for less than two weeks on the bike.

“We can still work for a few more races until the ultimate goal in Assen.”

Just two rounds remain on the 2019 schedule and the penultimate meeting of the year will occur around the hard-pack of Afyonkarahisar for the Grand Prix of Turkey in two weeks time.

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