Lucas Coenen delivered a statement ride at the MXGP of Sardegna, not only securing a perfect 1-1 scorecard, but withstanding relentless late pressure from Jeffrey Herlings in Moto 2 to seal the overall.
The Red Bull KTM rider showed both speed and composure across the weekend, bouncing back from a crash in Saturday’s qualifying race to put himself firmly in the fight on Sunday. In race one, Coenen quickly worked his way to the front and controlled proceedings to take the win, setting up a second moto showdown.
Race two is where the real story unfolded. Coenen again made a strong start and built an early advantage in the demanding Riola Sardo sand, but a late fall brought Herlings right onto his rear wheel. What followed was a tense final phase, as one of the greatest sand riders of all time piled on the pressure in search of the win.
Herlings, a multiple world champion and renowned for his dominance in deep sand, closed in rapidly and pushed Coenen to the limit in the closing laps. But despite the intensity and the stakes, the 19-year-old held firm, refusing to crack under pressure and maintaining his speed to the chequered flag.
The ability to absorb that level of pressure from a rider of Herlings’ calibre underlines just how impressive Coenen’s performance was, turning what could have been a costly mistake into a defining moment of the weekend.
With the double race win, Coenen now has five moto victories from eight this season and extends his lead at the top of the MXGP standings to 14 points.
Coenen said: “I made a gap in the second moto but it grabs you so quick! I went on my ear, and it took a lot of energy out of me. I said to myself ‘I cannot lose this one…’. I’m so pumped and we worked so good with the team. I’m really happy with the double race win.”
Images courtesy of KTM Images/JP Acevedo
