This weekend only the Coenen brothers were racing for team 9MM Energy Drink BUD Racing Kawasaki, at Maggiora (Italy) for the second round of the European 125 Championship. Sacha was twice on the virtual podium of the races but he was not really rewarded of his investment, while Lucas score his first European points.
Maggiora is an ‘old style’ track, with steep drops, back in the World Championship five years after a great MX of Nations. As soon as he went on track Sacha had a good feeling, and he posted the fastest lap time in the free practice session and the second one in the timed practice period. His first start was good in fourth, and he was in third position with three laps to go when he had an impressive crash on a big downhill. Shocked but not injured he was behind the gate for the second race, and got the holeshot! He lost a few positions in the confusion of the first corners but once more came back second and was ready to attack the leader when his rear wheel slipped! Back on track in eighth position after this crash Sacha finishes the race at this position, but proves again that he is a potential winner in this competitive class. Lucas didn’t felt as comfortable as his brother in the practice session, still suffering from his painful arm after the race incident in UK. Only twenty sixth behind the gate, which is not the best position to get a good start, Lucas was nineteenth at the beginning of the opening moto and came back eleventh to score his first points of the season. He will not have the opportunity to add some more points in race two, as another rider hit him after the second start; last of the race he came back at the worst position as twenty-one didn’t give you any point. Our riders will rest and train next weekend, and will be in different places on July 24th; our 125 kids will race the French championship in Rauville la Place, and our 250 rider will be in Oss (Netherlands) for the second round of the EMX250.
Sacha: “Practice sessions were OK with the pole position of my group in the free practice period and later the second position very close from the pole. My first start was good but I lost some positions in the first corners; I was back in third position when I had this big crash, but I could regroup for the second moto. I got another good start as I got the holeshot, but after two corners I was in third position; then I came back second, and was right behind the leader when my rear wheel slides. I crashed, struggle to be back on track and scores an eight position. The track was nice, very technical; I have the speed, the physical condition, all what you need to race for podiums.”
Lucas: “The first round in UK was not so good for me as another rider hit me, I had a lot of pain in my arm but after a test on the bike on Wednesday we saw that it was possible to race in Italy. Practice sessions were not so good for me, I rode stiff and was only thirteenth of my group so my gate pick was not good. My first start was not so bad but I was outside in the first corner, and then I was able to come back eleventh. My second start was better but another rider hit me and we crashed in the first corner; I was last, had another little crash and came back twenty-one. I need to be better in the timed practice session, to have a better gate pick as the start is one of the key of the race.”
