Ken Roczen puts on a show in Australia: three races, three wins in Geelong. Barcia’s Suzuki debut sets off the fire alarm

No one could keep up with him. At the Australian Supercross in Geelong, Ken Roczen won all three 450-class races on his Suzuki, leaving only scraps for his rivals. It was a commanding performance, built on smooth riding that never once looked forced. Not even Christian Craig, the leading American rider in the field, could match his pace.

The contrast with his new teammate’s evening was stark. Justin Barcia, making his first appearance with the HEP Twisted Tea Suzuki team, endured a debut marked by smoke, a crash and a comeback, finishing ninth overall on the night.

The treble put Roczen in a great mood. At the end of the evening, the Suzuki rider spoke of a perfect feeling with both the bike and the track. "I really had a lot of fun today. I felt great all day and had a perfect connection with my bike and the track. Sometimes you get one of those days when everything just falls into place. That’s how it went for me tonight."

Craig finished second in all three races on his Honda, while another Honda rider, Jo Shimoda, completed the overall podium. Here are the 450-class top five, with their finishes in each race:

Barcia’s evening got off to a good start with a third-place finish in the first race. Then the clutch on his Suzuki began smoking heavily, triggering a fire alarm in the paddock. In the second race, the American crashed while running fourth, bending his handlebars and deploying his airbag. Despite everything, he lined up for the third race and finished fifth.

Shimoda, an HRC factory rider, made a positive 450-class debut, finishing third overall with three fourth-place results. The Japanese rider spent the evening working on his Honda’s setup. He had the suspension adjusted for the final race, but felt less comfortable with the new settings. In short, the search for the ideal setup on the bigger bike is not over yet.

There was total domination in the 250 class too, where Cole Davies (Star Racing Yamaha) also won all three races. Behind him, the battle for the remaining podium places was fierce: Lux Turner took second, while Cameron McAdoo finished third after dropping to that position in the second race. For Roczen, meanwhile, Geelong sends a clear message to anyone hoping to beat him at the upcoming rounds.

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