It was an eventful outing to say the least for high-profile Belgian twins Lucas and Sacha Coenen at Southwick, with both showcasing class-leading speed while also encountering misfortune along the way. With a full-time move to America expected as early as 2027, what can we take from their latest Pro Motocross cameo?

Both brothers have been wreaking havoc in this year’s world championship, with Lucas holding a commanding 68-point lead in the premier class over Jeffrey Herlings (Honda HRC Petronas), while Sacha leads the MX2 standings by 14 points over Triumph Factory Racing’s Guillem Farres just beyond the halfway mark of the season.

In addition, they’ve now made two US appearances at Thunder Valley and Southwick. The latter saw both top their respective qualifying sessions in 450MX and 250MX, while Sacha swept the 250MX class with a perfect 1-1 score. Lucas, meanwhile, charged from last to fourth in moto one before a late-race crash brought an early end to his weekend.

And while it seems Lucas emerged largely unscathed in his spectacular, high-speed incident, it’s been reported that Sacha broke his right collarbone and already underwent surgery, with the 19-year-old now expected to attempt to line up for the MXGP of Great Britain this weekend at Foxhills.

Image: Octopi Media.

Sacha’s Southwick crash came with four minutes remaining in the second 250MX moto, while holding a lead of nearly 15 seconds over Cole Davies (Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing), who he had passed earlier in the race. He remounted to claim the victory, but skipped the podium celebrations after informing the team he suspected he had broken his collarbone.

That performance on Saturday largely summed him up in a nutshell – exciting, ultra-fast, dynamic, and often right on the limit, with no shortage of highlight reel moments. He’s explosive to say the least, and the challenge for both rider and team is harnessing that raw speed while minimising any unforced errors that can accompany it.

And depending on their plans for 2027, if the Coenen brothers make the move into Monster Energy Supercross, those moments will need to be reduced. The indoor discipline demands precision and punishes the smallest mistakes far more severely than motocross, meaning there is still work to be done in refining Sacha’s approach to racing.

From what we saw at both Thunder Valley – where Sacha also claimed victory in the second moto – and Southwick, it reinforced what was already becoming clear, that he is exceptionally fast and one of the most exciting young riders in the sport. At the same time, there are still areas of his game that require refinement if he is to build a career defined by sustained championship success.

Image: Octopi Media.

As for Lucas, his strategy appears slightly more measured than Sacha’s. Topping 450MX qualifying by more than a second at Southwick was impressive, while his charge through the field in moto one from a first-corner crash – carving past some of America’s top talent with apparent ease – further highlighted the speed he possesses. Especially in the sand.

That late-race exit was unfortunate, bringing an early end to his weekend and leaving us wondering what he might have been capable of with a clean start alongside the Lawrence brothers, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan, and Red Bull KTM teammate Jorge Prado.

Across his Thunder Valley and Southwick appearances, there is already plenty of evidence to suggest Lucas will be highly competitive in America – even if he’s transitioning directly into the 450 class. Together, he and Sacha appear well positioned to represent the future of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s North American program.

At just 19 years of age, there is still enormous potential to unlock. Both brothers are younger than Jett Lawrence and Deegan, underlining just how exciting their long-term prospects are as the sport’s next generation continues to emerge on a global scale.

Image: Octopi Media.

Based on what we’ve seen in MXGP over the past two seasons, especially – and reinforced by their AMA starts in 2026 – the Coenen brothers belong in the conversation when contemplating the sport’s future. If the expected move to America materializes, two genuine race-winning contenders will immediately be added to the mix.

Supercross will present an entirely different challenge, and some growing pains are almost inevitable, as has been the case for many international riders before them. History has also shown, however, that with time and refinement, sustained success is achievable – something exemplified by new 450SX champion Ken Roczen.

Both Thunder Valley and Southwick reinforced what many within the industry already knew – the Coenen brothers are a genuine force on the international stage. With both expressing a desire to race full-time in the Monster Energy SMX World Championship, US-based competition appears set to become even more captivating, potentially as soon as January next year.