Belgium is once again the Motocross of Nations champion. The Belgian team ended a thirteen-year drought by winning the 79th edition of the event held in Ernée, France, thereby claiming its 16th Chamberlain Trophy and tying with the United Kingdom as the second-most successful country in history, trailing only the United States and its 23 titles.
Belgium’s last victory came at Teutschenthal in 2013, when the team of Ken De Dycker, Jeremy Van Horebeek, and Clément Desalle brought their country back to the top. After several years of alternating between podium finishes and lackluster seasons, Belgium rediscovered the winning formula with a generation led by Lucas Coenen, Sacha Coenen, and Liam Everts.
Interestingly, none of the three won a race on Sunday. However, they made up for it with a flawless performance built on consistency. After a difficult Saturday, marked by crashes by Lucas and Sacha in the qualifiers, the team stepped up when it mattered most to seal a victory that was as solid as it was well-deserved.
Lucas Coenen | MXGP | 3-5
“I cannot thank these guys enough. It’s unbelievable. Last week I could barely do [ride] 10 minutes but we kept working and on Tuesday I managed to do one moto. I don’t know how I did it today, especially with [Cooper] Webb on my wheel and I was nervous for the second start. A big thanks to Joel [Roelants, Team Manager] and everyone behind the scenes. This is amazing. Belgium is back on top and I love it.”
Sacha Coenen | MX2 | 12-7
“It feels unreal to be up here with my brother and the whole team rode amazing today. I didn’t have the best first moto but the second was really good. I was quite happy enough. I really want to thank the whole team. It’s an incredible day.”
Liam Everts | OPEN | 4-4
“It’s unreal. I had no idea where we were on points, so I was just trying to keep pushing because I knew it was going to be really close. We had a mega day and I couldn’t have done it without Lucas and Sacha. To win this with Belgium after 13 years is something else, and with the history my dad and grandad have with this event, it makes it even more special. It’s been a long road, but we pulled it off together. I’m honestly lost for words – this feels amazing.”
