Team 9MM Energy Drink BUD Racing Kawasaki was in Spain this weekend, where the Women World Championship was back in action alongside the European 125. After his podiums in Germany and France Lucas Coenen got a third one there, always with a third overall, while Amandine Verstappen ends this GP in sixth position.
Lucas Coenen was smiling when he climbed on the podiums at Teutschenthal and Lacapelle Marival, but in Spain he didn’t seems so happy when he moves on the box at Intu Xanadu in the suburbs of Madrid! His first race was perfect, as he crossed the finish line in second position just 3/10th of a second behind the race winner, and before the second start everything was possible including a race win. Unfortunately after an early crash in moto two he had to push to come back eighth, enough to get a podium with a third overall; he is now fourth in the standings with four more rounds to go.
Second fastest rider in the timed practice period, Sacha had a crash in the first race and lost time to finish sixth. Fighting for the win against the championship leader in the second heat, Sacha was unfortunate when he landed in a hole after a big jump and immediately felt pain in his wrist; forced to retire, he had the first examinations on site and nothing seems really damaged.
The penultimate round of the WMX was also at the program in Spain; Amandine started the first moto eleventh before a strong ride up the leaderboard to sixth, with fourth in sight, at the finish. A difficult opening lap in race two left the Belgian down in fifteenth place but she rode with determination to secure seventh at the chequered flag, sufficient to earn sixth overall on the day to retain that position in the series standings. Next and final round this weekend in Arco di Trento.
Lucas Coenen: “I was happy to post a good result in the timed practice period, but I can’t explain why I missed a good start today. In the first race I was able to come back second really close to the winner, but in the second one the rider in front of me took suddenly the brakes and I had no place to go. I crashed, lost time and then came back eighth; not bad, but we could have done much better. Next week we move to Arco, I really like this track and expect good results there.”
Amandine Verstappen: “The track was wet during the free practice session, but when it gets drier I felt more and more comfortable. I was fifth for a long time in the timed practice period but couldn’t improve my lap time at the end so I had the seventh gate-pick which was OK here. My start wasn’t that good in the first race; I don’t know what I did but I was outside the top ten. I came back to sixth and was fighting for the fourth position with Papenmeier and Van der Vlist; I was happy with my rhythm as I had the fourth fastest lap time in the race. Another rider hit me at the start of the second moto and I was involved in a collective crash; I was last and came back seventh. Again I was happy with my riding.”
Sacha Coenen: “The track was great, very well prepared and in the timed practice period I got a second position. My first start was very bad, I came back fifth but then made a mistake; I regain the race in eighth and finish sixth, which was not too bad. My second start was not really good but I gained many positions during the first lap, and I was second when I jumped very far and had to stop with a painful wrist.”
