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The great ones don't wait in the small class, win or lose. Even if they say they wish they did later.
No. Likely just setting himself up for a better contract after the deal he just signed is up.
For example...?
The point is, lots of riders who have some success in the small class move up and don't have the same in 450s... there is nothing guaranteed there, and he is moving up to a really strong class.
And the list of riders who had great success in the premier class much more often had great success on the smaller classes also.
Not to say he can't do well of course. But chances are he's looking off a title and bonuses.
How about developing race craft enough to win a title? Learning to keep the rubber side down on a 250 before getting on the 450? How's he's going to fair on a faster, heavier 450 going up against the big dogs?
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"Developing race craft enough to win a title". LOL.
If it was either De Wolf or Coenen, both of them deserved to win it. It was only a deficit of 20 points, it's not like De Wolf smoked him with a lead of 100+ points.
I think the timing lines up for an open seat at Husqvarna…. And yeah, I think a brand switch to a non Austrian bike and move to AMA at the same time would be very difficult.
Like many others, surprised at his age, he doesn’t want the 250 title on the mantle before moving on. But everything I’ve read says this is his desire and decision.
He definatelly knows how to keep te rubber side down just look at how many race's/gp's he has won this season, crashes just happen on that level and those speeds they run at. Also what can he gain by staying in mx2 next season, he has proven this season there is simply no competition maybe De Wolf but all the rest they run behind like what 20/30 seconds every moto .... Its just a smart move to go 450 for him, there is more and better competition, a heavier bike what makes it fysical more demanding and challenging....
And it would also not be a good move from the teams standpiont to field 2 mx2 riders that are both going for a title, i mentioned before Sascha will be a big contender next year believe me so its in all perspective's a good shot by DeCarli team to move Lucas up to 450 to basicaly replace Prado's seat and having Sascha as there title contender for mx2. And also in the worst case scenario there will nothing be lost because with the age they both have and the years of experience on GP level everything more than a GP is just bonus if you look at it from the teams perspective...
Vital…
“This guy is too old! Why’s he still sand bagging the 250 class?!”
Also Vital…
“This kid’s too young! Why’s he moving to 450’s already!!!”
RC did 97-99, James 02-04. RV 06-08, RD 07-09.
RC, Stewart, RV, Dungey, Tomac, Jett - the most successful riders in the last 25 years - all with multiple seasons and multiple titles in the 250 class before moving up.
Reed is the only somewhat recent ride I can think of that couldn’t wait to get out of 125/250 class. He had already raced a year in mxgp before coming to the US though.
Reed went straight out of juniors into the 250 (now 450) class and won. He had a couple of years of winning on the big bike in Australia before going to the world championship.
It was only when trying to get into AMA SX that they made him do a year of the 125/250 class. His results the very next year against RC showed that prior year was a wasted imo. 2002 was his one and only year as a pro in the smaller cc class.
Just because a slow progression through the classes is the norm, doesn’t mean it’s the only way.
He is the only one who did that. Most everyone else other than Jett struggled and Lucas is 2 years younger than Jett was.
What is it with these Aussies? So impatient lol 😆
Clément Desalle also went from juniors straight to the MXGP (MX1) class in 2006. Wasn't even a top 10 guy though for like 3 seasons and then suddenly became a title contender from 2009 on.
Used to happen quite a bit years ago, in Australia at least. Wasn’t unusual to see 17yo’s riding 500s. While most of the local pros I knew rode both the 125 and 250 class straight out of juniors. The experience gained in those first pro years often led to success later.
Not sure when or why it’s changed. Rides getting harder to come by and teams/ sponsors wanting instant results I guess.
But if Lucas Coenen wants a crack in the big boy class and the team are prepared to give it to him, then all power to him. Hope it works out well.
I think the Coenen brothers are after a Lawrance scenario, Sasha MX2 champion and Lucas MXGP champion. Where Sasha lies far too often next to the motorcycle instead of sitting on it. Stupid decision Lucas should have gone for a world title in MX2, and then gone to the US to learn the SX. He is not much faster than the Wolf and if Langerfelder continues to grow and becomes less wild, he is also a title candidate. I think Lucas overestimates himself a bit, which was already visible in the initial refusal to ride the MX2 bike at MXON. Also strange for KTM to have 2 MXGP full factory riders at 2 different teams. If you want to save costs, bring it under a tent.
Pit Row
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