Ian Harrison (KTM): “We are incredibly proud of the Coenen brothers”

When MX2 World Championship leader Sacha Coenen crossed the finish line after his victory in the second race at Southwick and was celebrated by his team, he played it down: “I’ve broken my collarbone,” he said, asking the team to take off his helmet as he could no longer lift his right arm. A victory with a broken collarbone – it’s hard to believe and almost impossible to imagine. But motocross riders are cut from a different cloth than the average person can imagine. Jeffrey Herlings has even faced similar situations on several occasions.

Historical precedents: who has won with broken bones?

On 16 June 2019, Jeffrey Herlings crashed during the warm-up lap. Arminas Jasikonis was unable to swerve out of the way and ran over his foot. Herlings went on to win the race. It later transpired that his foot was broken. Another incident occurred on 18 July 2021 in Oss: Ivo Monticelli crashed into Herlings from behind, breaking his shoulder blade in the process. Herlings continued the race with a broken shoulder blade and won.

What we know about Sacha’s injury

It has not yet been officially confirmed whether Sacha actually suffered a broken collarbone at Southwick. Team manager Ian Harrison explained: “We are incredibly proud of Sacha. He secured a one-two finish today, which is a fantastic result. He had a crash and injured his shoulder in the process. He’ll undergo a more thorough examination tomorrow. I’m really impressed, because that was a superhero-like performance and a brilliant display from him.”

Who has made a comeback after a collarbone fracture, and how quickly?

Simon Längenfelder broke his collarbone on 5 May 2024 in Agueda, underwent surgery, and was back racing just one week later in Lugo, where he finished in the top 10. Max Nagl broke his collarbone on 5 June 2010 in Saint-Jean-d’Angély, underwent surgery and returned to the World Championship at his home Grand Prix two weeks later. The possibility of a comeback depends heavily on the type of fracture. If it is a clean fracture that can be fixed with plates, a swift recovery is possible with immediate surgery. However, Sacha is currently in the USA. This means he could lose valuable time should he require surgery.

Has Sacha Coenen jeopardised his chances of winning the MX2 title?

That is by no means certain. Firstly, the fracture itself has not been confirmed. Secondly, if it is a fracture that can be fixed surgically, there is theoretically a chance that he could race again this coming weekend at Foxhill.

Did Lucas Coenen jeopardise his MXGP title?

Even Lucas’s first crash in the first corner of the first 450cc race was no minor incident. In the second crash, which led to his retirement, his engine is said to have seized up, but this has not been officially confirmed (and probably won’t be). The video footage shows that his rear wheel was still spinning during the jump. TV co-presenter and motocross legend James Stewart explained the crash, based on the TV footage, as being caused by the engine seizing up. The fact is that Lucas was a bit off balance after the crash, but was then able to make his way back to the paddock under his own steam. Serious fractures can therefore almost certainly be ruled out. Bruises are notoriously persistent, but these lads are tough. The big question is whether he has suffered a concussion. This could become a problem, as the race doctor at Foxhill will certainly want to assess his condition for himself. If he detects any signs of a concussion, Lucas can forget about starting in England.

Ian Harrison on Lucas Coenen

“Lucas was already showing tremendous pace in practice, but then crashed in the first race and took a heavy knock. We took him and the bike back to the truck and checked the machine to make sure nothing was damaged. He then decided against starting in the second race. I can understand that, as he has his next Grand Prix coming up next weekend and he’s leading the World Championship. That’s why I fully understand this decision and am glad that the two of them came here at all. They definitely gave it their all. You can’t say they held back or took it easy. It was a great day with them.”