The Coenen Brothers’ Wild Southwick: Lucas Escapes Huge Crash as Sacha Wins With Broken Collarbone

Southwick delivered one of the most dramatic stories of the 2026 Pro Motocross season.

Belgian twin brothers Lucas and Sacha Coenen arrived at The Wick 338 as two of the most anticipated international riders on the starting line. Both qualified fastest in their respective classes. Both displayed the speed that has made them championship contenders in Europe. And both experienced just how quickly Southwick can turn a dominant afternoon into a fight for survival.

Lucas charged from the back of the 450 field before a frightening crash ended his race. Sacha swept both 250 motos—even after crashing late in Moto 2 and breaking his collarbone.

It was a day defined by speed, pain and a level of determination that left a lasting impression on American motocross.

Two Brothers, One American Dream

Lucas and Sacha Coenen are 19-year-old Belgian twins competing for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. Lucas races in the premier MXGP division aboard the KTM 450 SX-F, while Sacha competes in the MX2 category aboard the KTM 250 SX-F.

Their 2026 American campaign was organized around their FIM Motocross World Championship commitments, giving the brothers an opportunity to compete in select AMA Pro Motocross rounds while continuing their pursuit of world championships in Europe.

It was an opportunity they had wanted since childhood.

Both brothers grew up watching American motocross, studying its riders and imagining what it would be like to compete on the same tracks. Racer X Films documented that journey as the Coenens traveled from the Grand Prix paddock in Europe to make their American Pro Motocross debuts.

The brothers immediately proved that their American appearances were about much more than exposure.

At Thunder Valley, Lucas finished second overall in the 450 class with consistent 2-2 moto finishes. Sacha finished fourth overall after winning the second 250 moto of the afternoon.

By the time they reached Southwick, both riders had already established themselves as genuine threats against America’s best.

Fastest in Both Classes

The Coenens made their intentions clear during qualifying.

Lucas topped the combined 450 classification with a 1:53.903 lap, finishing more than one second ahead of Red Bull KTM teammate Jorge Prado. Sacha then set the fastest combined 250 time with a 1:56.691.

Two brothers. Two different classes. Two fastest qualifying times.

Southwick’s deep, deteriorating sand appeared perfectly suited to the aggressive riding style the twins had developed while competing on some of Europe’s most demanding circuits.

Lucas Charges From the Back

Lucas’ opening 450 moto nearly ended before it began.

The MXGP championship leader went down in the first turn and resumed near the back of the field. With the leaders already pulling away, Lucas immediately began one of the most impressive charges of the afternoon.

He broke into the top 10 in less than 10 minutes while running lap times reported to be as much as four seconds faster than the riders at the front.

Lucas continued moving forward, passed Dylan Ferrandis for fifth and caught KTM teammate Jorge Prado while fighting for fourth. After beginning the race near the tail end of the field, he had placed himself within reach of the lead group.

Then everything changed.

Lucas suffered a violent late-race crash while running fourth and was unable to finish the moto. Fortunately, he was able to walk away from the incident, but Lucas and the Red Bull KTM team made the decision to sit out Moto 2 as a precaution.

The team later inspected the motorcycle following the crash, but no mechanical cause was officially confirmed.

Despite the result, Lucas’ raw speed was impossible to ignore. He had topped qualifying and charged from nearly last to fourth on one of the most physically demanding tracks in American motocross.

Sacha Runs Away With Moto 1

While Lucas’ 450 race ended in disappointment, Sacha delivered a nearly flawless performance in the opening 250 moto.

Cole Davies narrowly secured the holeshot, but Sacha quickly took control of the lead. Once the Belgian rider had clear track ahead of him, he began separating himself from the entire field.

Within the opening 10 minutes, Sacha had already created a double-digit advantage. As the Southwick surface grew rougher and the remaining contenders fought for podium positions, the KTM rider continued extending his lead.

Sacha crossed the finish line 33.4 seconds ahead of Levi Kitchen.

It was the most dominant individual 250 moto of the 2026 season and the fifth-largest winning margin recorded in the class since 2012.

The opening moto was not simply a victory. It was a statement.

The Crash That Couldn’t Stop Him

Sacha faced a greater challenge in Moto 2.

Davies took the early lead while Sacha completed the opening lap in fourth. The KTM rider quickly advanced into second and began eliminating Davies’ advantage.

After an intense battle, Sacha carried his momentum around the Yamaha rider and took control of the race. Once in front, he began pulling away again.

With less than four minutes remaining, Sacha held a lead of more than 14 seconds. The 1-1 sweep appeared secure until he overjumped a section and crashed heavily.

The impact knocked off his goggles and left him visibly injured. By the time Sacha remounted, his advantage had fallen to just 2.8 seconds.

He still refused to surrender.

Riding without goggles and favoring his right shoulder, Sacha rebuilt part of the gap during the closing laps and crossed the finish line 3.8 seconds ahead of Davies.

He had won both motos and earned his first AMA Pro Motocross overall victory.

Winning With a Broken Collarbone

The severity of Sacha’s injury became clear immediately after the finish.

He was visibly protecting his right shoulder, could be heard saying that he believed he had broken his collarbone and was unable to participate in the podium ceremony.

Further medical examinations confirmed that Sacha had fractured his collarbone during the Moto 2 crash.

On July 13, he underwent successful surgery in the United States to repair the injury. Despite the operation, the MX2 championship leader has not completely ruled out attempting to compete at the upcoming MXGP of Great Britain at Foxhill, pending medical clearance.

The diagnosis made his final laps at Southwick even more remarkable.

Sacha had remounted after a major crash, raced without goggles, protected a rapidly disappearing lead and won the moto while dealing with a broken collarbone.

The victory completed a perfect 1-1 afternoon, gave him three consecutive AMA moto wins and made him the 96th different rider to earn a 250-class Pro Motocross overall victory.

He accomplished it in only his second American National appearance.

Two Brothers Leave Their Mark

The official results do not tell the entire story of the Coenen brothers’ afternoon.

Lucas left Southwick with a DNF, but his qualifying speed and charge through the 450 field showed that the MXGP leader possessed the pace to battle America’s best premier-class riders.

Sacha left with two moto victories, his first AMA overall win and a surgically repaired collarbone.

Their American races may have been scheduled as select wildcard appearances, but neither brother approached them like an exhibition. They came to compete, and at Southwick, both pushed themselves to the limit.

One brother walked away from a frightening crash.

The other crossed the finish line with a broken bone.

Both left no doubt that the Coenen name will remain central to the future of international motocross. 

(Photo courtesy of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing / KTM Images)