The seventh round of the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship, the Grand Prix of France, was a rather positive stop for the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing team. Lucas Coenen ripped to the first moto win of his professional career, whilst Kay de Wolf made significant progress in that championship fight.
Although he was ranked in fourth in the overall classification, Lucas Coenen was arguably the star of the show in France. ’96’ was very strong in moto one, moving from outside of the top fifteen to seventh, and that was arguably a sign of things to come, as he was phenomenal in moto two. Coenen took a commanding holeshot in that stint and led every lap en route to the first victory of his MX2 career. It was a historic moment and one that confirmed his potential aboard the FC 250. Ninth is where he is sat in the championship standings.
On a weekend where so much changed in the dynamic of the MX2 battle, de Wolf posted solid results on a circuit that claimed so many. ’74’ was a firm fixture in the top three for most of moto one, before eventually crossing the finish line in fourth, and then followed that up with a similar ride in moto two en route to fifth. 4-5 scores put him fifth overall on the day and helped him maintain third in the title race. Crucially, however, he is just twelve points from the red plate now.
Roan van de Moosdijk was just behind his teammates in the overall classification – he was ranked in sixth at the end of the weekend. ’39’ led six laps of moto one, before crossing the finish in fifth. The second moto was the complete opposite for him, as he had to charge forwards from the very back of the pack to seventh at the finish line. 5-7 scores helped him move closer to fifth place in the standings; he is five points adrift of the position now.
Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing will take advantage of another weekend off now, as the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship will resume on June 04 in Latvia.
Lucas Coenen: “I knew that I had the speed after moto one, but I just could not show it in that race. I was really ready for the second one and took the holeshot. I built a gap and took the win, which was just unbelievable. We have had so many ups and downs this season. I have never been as happy as when I crossed the finish at the end of the second moto.“
Kay de Wolf: “It was a consistent weekend for us, but it would have been great to be on the podium. The most important thing is that we gained a lot of ground in the championship! There is a long way to go, so the goal is to focus on being there every week and maximising every opportunity.“
Roan van de Moosdijk: “I am happy with the progress that we have made. It was good to lead some laps in the first moto and we recovered well in the second moto, so there are a lot of positives to take from this round. I want to keep building on this and seeing the progress.“
Words: Husqvarna
Image: Full Spectrum
