Could the Coenens Lose the Titles?

What happens if the Coenen brothers miss out on the World Cup title?

 Ralph Marzahn  July 29, 2026

Everything seemed to be decided long ago. Lucas Coenen and his twin brother Sacha are considered strong candidates for a move to the USA. There, they are expected to take the next steps in their careers from 2027 onwards and strengthen KTM in both the AMA Supercross and the Pro Motocross Championship.

Although this step has not yet been officially confirmed, hardly anyone in the paddock doubts that the brothers will be competing on the other side of the Atlantic in the future.

However, the developments of the past few weeks raise a question that can be discussed: Is now really the right time for a change?

Two title fights have completely changed.

Just a few weeks ago, there were strong indications that KTM would be moving to the USA with two newly crowned world champions.

Lucas Coenen dominated large parts of the MXGP season and had built up a comfortable lead in the World Championship. After his injury-related retirement in Loket, all of that is gone. Jeffrey Herlings has completely closed the gap and suddenly leads the standings by 49 points.

Nothing is decided in MX2 either. Despite losing the red plate, Sacha Coenen remains a title contender, but every Grand Prix demonstrates just how close the competition has become. A small mistake or a technical problem can change the course of an entire championship.

This is precisely what gives the discussion about the planned move to the USA a new dynamic.

Would KTM simply give up two title chances?

From a sporting perspective, a perfectly valid question arises. Why would KTM let two riders go who might be among the top title contenders in MXGP and MX2 again just a few months later?

Lucas Coenen, in particular, has shown that he already possesses the pace to win Grand Prix races regularly. Even if he narrowly misses out on the 2026 World Championship title, it would hardly weaken him. On the contrary, a lost title could even provide additional motivation for another season in Europe.

Sacha Coenen is also still developing. His speed is undeniable. Consistency and race intelligence often only develop with increasing experience. Another year in MX2 could be just the final step before he too makes it to the very top.

A look at the entire KTM squad

However, this consideration does not only concern the two Belgians.

Should Lucas and Sacha actually move to the USA at the same time, KTM will lose two of its biggest European talents in one fell swoop. Lucas, in particular, is already considered one of the riders with the potential to shape the face of MXGP for years to come.

Of course, KTM still has a strong up-and-coming talent pool, and with Maxime Renaux's potential move to DeCarli, the Italian branch of the KTM factory team, they have a top rider. Nevertheless, a gap is emerging that cannot be filled overnight.

On the other hand, the US factory team is exceptionally strong with riders like Eli Tomac and Julien Beaumer. Whether they actually need both brothers immediately is at least a legitimate question.

Contracts usually speak a different language.

However understandable these considerations may be, the reality in professional sports is usually different.

A move to the USA isn't decided just a few weeks before the end of the season. Such programs are often developed one or even two years in advance. Teams plan their driver lineups long-term, sponsors align their campaigns accordingly, and manufacturers adjust development, testing, and marketing to these decisions.

If there are already signed contracts, the outcome of the current World Cup is unlikely to change much.

Europe or America – both have their appeal.

The situation is also unclear for the brothers themselves.

Another year in Europe would give them the chance to make up for a potentially missed world championship title. At the same time, for many European riders, the move to the USA represents the next big career step. Supercross enjoys enormous global attention, the AMA Pro Motocross Championship is one of the sport's most prestigious series, and many manufacturers consider the American market to be of particular strategic importance.

So there are good arguments for both approaches.

The coming weeks could further fuel the discussion.

All these considerations have yet to progress beyond the discussion stage. There is no indication that KTM is actually reconsidering its plans or questioning decisions already made.

Nevertheless, the final stretch of the season could change the perspective on the planned move. Should Lucas Coenen actually lose the MXGP title or Sacha narrowly miss out in MX2, the question will likely be raised more loudly as to whether KTM should really send two riders with open world championship contracts to the USA immediately.

From a sporting perspective, another year in Europe would certainly be understandable. Whether this idea was ever a realistic option or remains merely an interesting thought experiment will probably only become clear in the coming months.