De Carli KTM factory rider Lucas Coenen has all it takes to become one of the best European riders to ever head to America and it is clear, the 17-year-old Belgian has one goal and that goal isn’t winning championships in Europe, but crossing the Atlantic and racing in the AMA supercross and AMA motocross championships.

He has a vision that has grown from hours and hours of watching videos of James Stewart, the rider who gave Coenen the desire to race at the highest level. Like former AMA champions, Chad Reed, Grant Langston and Ben Townley, the road to America was via the World motocross championships and amazingly, as a young boy, this talented teenager, didn’t even know that there was an FIM World motocross championship.

Instead, it was AMA supercross and names like James Stewart and Ryan Villopoto that caught his attention, so much so, that his vision of racing has been all about doing what his hero (James Stewart) did.

This is a fascinating story, as the 2024 MX2 World championship runner-up isn’t looking at huge success in Europe, just preparing himself for what is to come, in probably 2026, when he makes a boyhood dream come true.

We were fortunate enough to sit down with Lucas Coenen and listen to his passion for making the big change to America and it’s his focus, since he first put his leg over a motorcycle. For a 17-year-old kid, Lucas Coenen speaks so well, is so matured and has such a strong vision of his goals, I enjoyed the interview and hope you do too.

MXLarge: Let’s start with the Monster Energy motocross of Nations, because while you finished with an injury, it was sensational the way you were riding. Did you expect that going in?

Coenen: Yes, I mean, I expected that I was really fast, and I knew it was possible to battle with the 450s. Like, in the past, Ryan (Villopoto) did it (at Budds Creek in 2007), he won two races, and I thought it could be possible. If I got the holeshot, I thought it would be possible, but for me, I came from a little back, in 10th position. When I was battling with them, I passed Ken (Roczen), I passed Jeremy (Seewer), I passed a couple of other people, and I mean, that was already impressive and I was catching Prado and I was like, this guy is the MXGP World champion and I am behind him and catching him. Unfortunately, then I got a problem with the goggles and then I lost the good vision, and I was like, I will settle for fifth, but then a rut broke in front of me, and I didn’t see it and went over the bars and broke my collarbone. For the event, I have no big regrets and what I showed, I think people will remember. It was really cool to ride like that.

MXLarge: You have had so many fantastic rides in 2024, but to do it at the Nations, with all those legendary riders there and the racing at Matterley was just really exciting. I don’t know if you have watched it back, but for you to put on that performance, as you said, it is one of those performances where the whole motocross World is watching and taking note of who Lucas Coenen is. That must feel pretty nice.

Coenen: Yes, of course. I showed to the people that I was fighting out there, with the best people in the World, so that isn’t bad already and also on the Saturday, I think I put on a show for everybody. I was hoping the track was not flat on Sunday, but it was flatter than on Saturday. I was how is this going to be possible. I was a bit mad going into the first race and in beast mode. I saw Eli was in front and also Romain, and Prado, what do you want more (only Gajser, Tomac, Febvre and Prado were ahead when Coenen crashed).

MXLarge: The big talk leading into the Nations was the fact you wanted to ride the 450 at the Nations. Is that true and do you think you could have been better on the 450 around Matterley?

Coenen: I mean, I always wanted to race the 450, because I am more a 450 type of guy. For sure, I was looking forward to the 450, because of the starts, because 450 against 450 is equal and 250 against 450 is not easy. So, we rode the 250 because there was no other option.

MXLarge: You will go to MXGP in 2025, and I assume you ride both the 450 and 250 when practicing. Are you a lot quicker on the 450 already?

Coenen: I never actually rode the 450 and the 250 in the same training, but I do know, on the 450 I am two seconds quicker than on the 250. From the outside, I look slow on the 450, because I am rolling the corners, but then we look at the times and its like, wow, this is fast. Sometimes people look fast from the outside and the lap times are slow, but I am completely the other way around. I don’t’ push the corners, just roll them and then it doesn’t look like WOW, but its fast, you know.

MXLarge: You are a very young man, and I find you very mature, for a young guy, even the way you speak and the way you race and the way you think about your career. When you were growing up, did you take things from some riders, to give you more confidence and give you that mature attitude? Did you look at old videos of Stefan Everts, or Joel Smets, your countrymen?

Coenen: No, I always looked at the US, riders like James Stewart or Ryan Villopoto. All those legends, I was looking at them. I don’t know why. When I started off, I was nine or 10, we just watched supercross and I didn’t even know there was a championship in Europe. Then I realized there was one, I thought, ok, then I started looking at both. I always loved watching supercross and when you see James (Stewart) riding, which was something special.

MXlarge: Was James your hero when you first started watching?

Coenen: Yes, he was and from all the guys, from then to now, he is the guy I really looked up to. He is for me, the man!!

MXLarge: You wouldn’t remember, but Grand Prix tracks back in the say were often very fast and since around 2004, Infront started trying to add elements of the circuit to make it more technical, to make riders grow in their technique. Do you feel like the track now give you some technical skills?

Coenen: I mean, I don’t know, some of the tracks we ride now are really sketchy, like Loket (as old school as it gets - editor). On that track, you need to be in good shape and full focus the whole race. If you lose one second of concentration, you are dead. You cannot make a mistake there. China was pretty flat and then you are just sprinting around, and, in that heat, you lose so much energy. Tracks like Lommel, I love Lommel or the other sand tracks, because you flow around that track. The tracks (in GP) are not bad, and Matterley this year, for me, it was perfect. In the warm-up, so many ruts, the speed is not that high, and it was so technical, then you can make a difference.

MXLarge: I watched the interview with Fletch at Matterley and you mentioned you are not worried about championships, in MX2, or MXGP. Is your only goal to be as good as you can possibly be going to America, a goal ahead of championships?

Coenen: Exactly. I have always only look at America and I have dreamt about it. I am not a rider who is going there, because others are going there, I have wanted to go there since I was a small kid. It isn’t a trend, the goal from me and my brother is the US. I say to my father and the teams, if I don’t get the title, I don’t get the title. Of course, I will work hard to get the title, but if it doesn’t come, I am not going to waste time on it. I just want to be the best I can possibly be, and I want to learn from people like Tim Gajser and Jeffrey Herlings.

MXLarge: Obviously we have seen it in the past with Ben Townley doing one year on the 450 and then going to America, or even Chad Reed rode in the 250 class and went to America to race the 125cc class. They both did well because of that when they arrived in America.

Coenen: I didn’t even know that until you told me. I just want to improve, and I showed a lot of things, even though I am just 17, but I want to learn more, like with Tim and Jeffrey, I can learn so much from those guys. If I can take two steps for myself, even if I can battle with them, it is going to help me a lot in the future. I will only be 18 next year. I am on my way and my way is straight, it isn’t left or right. I have one goal, and my goal is my goal.

MXLarge: You have spoken in the past about doing that one year in MXGP and then in 2026 going to race in America. Is that already a clear deal and would you go with Austria to America, or you have another team organized?

Coenen: I have no clue. The managers are doing their thing in America, and I am doing my thing, and that is to ride. I have racing in my head, and I know what to do to get the best possible.

MXLarge: But you definitely go in 2026?

Coenen: Normally, yes, but I am not saying yes or no.

MXLarge: Riding the 450, as we have seen many times, they are brutal machines and can catch you out. How do you mentally and physically prepare for that in 2025?

Coenen: I stay the same as I ride now. The last few races, I manage and with the 450 I need the experience, also from the team, with De Carli, because I always wanted to go there. They can bring me something extra. We can make a dream team next year. I want to win; they want to win.

MXLarge: Any plan to do some riding on supercross tracks before you go?

Coenen: Honestly, to go there, it costs a lot of money, and I just do my thing with my brother, I don’t need to go there yet. When we get the opportunity to go and live there, we will go, but I am not going to pay money to do that.

MXLarge: Do you have a goal for MXGP in 2025 a position you want, or just see how it goes?

Coenen: Just see how it goes. I want to try and be consistent. I know I have the speed, but being consistent is going to be the biggest key. Also, mentally and I know I am strong, but everyone in MXGP is strong and that will be a good thing.