Red Bull KTM factory rider, Lucas Coenen has completely dominated the opposition with a solid victory in the opening race in France this afternoon. The Belgian teenager rode straight to the front and pulled a huge lead over everyone else. Two Frenchmen, Maxime Renaux and Tom Vialle finished second and third, in good solid rides.

The opening MX1 moto, it was Coenen who led early from Jonass, Vlaanderen, Renaux, Vialle, Lebeau, Ludwig, Seewer, Prost and Lopes. Horgmo was 13th, Benistant 14th, Bonacorsi 16th, and de Wolf in 22nd place.

After two laps the lead by Coenen was seven seconds over Jonass, with Vlaanderen 9.2 back, and Renaux 10 seconds off the pace. De Wolf remained in 22nd place and wasn’t making any progress.

Renaux moved into second place with Vialle in third, but they were 12 and 13 seconds off the pace of the flying Coenen. Vlaanderen had dropped out of the action and was back in 24th. Top ten on lap four was Coenen, Renaux, Vialle, Jonass, Seewer, Lebeau, Lopes, Ludwig, Soubeyras, Desprey. Horgmo was up to 11th, Benistant 12th and de Wolf 20th. Vlaanderen out of the race.

On lap six, Renaux struggled to get to Coenen, with the lead by the Belgian now 13 seconds, with Vialle another second back and Jonass 19 seconds off the leader. De Wolf finally making some progress and into 16th position.

Lap eight the lead by Coenen over Renaux was 15 seconds, with Vialle 18 seconds back and Jonass 22 seconds back. Seewer was next, then Lopes, riding well and Despre, Ludwig, Benistant, Bonacorsi, and Soubeyras the top ten.

As he did in the opening international of the season, Coenen really in a class of his own and looking very confident for Argentina in a couple of weeks’ time. Coenen wins it from Renaux and Vialle. De Wolf back in 37th place after a mishap.