THE FUTURE IS HERE
What’s the story so far
I come from a two-wheeled background as my father, Colin, was also a trials rider. I had a very enjoyable youth career travelling around the UK with my mother Louise and my father, which was rewarded with eight ACU youth titles: 2010 D Class Small Wheel on the Gas Gas; 2011 D Class Medium Wheel; 2012 C Class Medium Wheel; 2013/2014 C Class Standard Wheel; 2015/2016 B Class; and finally the A Class in 2017 — all on Betas. In the early days, Robin Martin, from RCM Trialsport, started to support me on the Beta in 2011. Other local companies also supported my schoolboy efforts, for which I am very grateful.
Learning all the way
In 2017, with help from the UK importer John Lampkin, I moved into the Trial125 class on the 125 Beta before he arranged factory support as the year progressed. It was all about learning, and it was the year that qualifying was introduced. Qualifying was a disaster in Spain, but I rescued the weekend with the second step on the podium on race day. Mentally I had proved to myself that I was competitive in the championship amongst the other riders. Even though I won on day one in Japan, the eventual world champion Lorenzo Gandola (ScorpaITA) had the measure of me and deserved the title in all fairness.
FIM Trial125 Champion 2018
John Lampkin arranged factory support at the world rounds in 2018 on the 125 — I was on a mission. I was still very nervous in qualifying, but as always, I did my best and just got on with my riding position in the trial, good or bad. Maybe it was ‘jet lag’, I am not sure, but a fifth-place finish on day one in Japan was a wakeup call if I was to win the championship, and on day two, I made no mistakes. Despite not winning at the final round in Italy, I had four wins from six starts to take the world championship. With both John Lampkin and my mum and dad in Italy with me, I was very happy. We had a big family hug; we had done it!
Team RG
Rudi Geiser: what a man; generous, funny and passionate like you would never believe, and very supportive. I can never thank him enough for the support and the opportunity he gave me.
Rudi approached my parents and me at the end of 2018 with the offer of a place in his team alongside Gabrielle Marcelli and Francesc Moret. The team had successfully used the Montesa Cota 4RT, and I spoke with Toby Martyn about the team. He said I should embrace the opportunity to ride in Rudi’s team with both hands. I contacted Graham Foster-Vigors at Honda UK Off-Road, who arranged for support for me in the UK on the Cota 4RT, another really good guy who did all he could to help.
Trial2 is competitive
Correct, the fight all the way down to the last point in 15th position is as intense as it gets. At the world championship on the 125 machines, we finished before everyone else, and I would go back and watch the Trial2 class. You can name half a dozen riders who could win and 20 who would fight for the points. It made me think that a points-scoring ride was achievable in my first year and that a top-ten finish would be a bonus.
How good was the Montesa?
I tested it with some of Rudi’s other team riders at the end of 2018, I spoke with my father, Colin, and he agreed that, with some intense training, I could ride the fourstroke.
In my own mind, fellow British rider and friend Toby Martyn had made a successful move, so why should I not be able to do it? If I am honest, I liked the four-stroke straight away; it was just a case of changing my riding technique in certain areas.
At the opening round of the 2019 world championship in Italy, it was a nice touch and reassuring for me when Miquel Ciera and Oscar Giro came over from the Repsol Honda team and asked me if everything was okay; I really appreciated that.
An eye-opener
I knew the opposition would be challenging in Trial2 and the hazards more difficult, and yes, it was an eye-opener, if I am totally honest. All Rudi asked of me was to do my best; he knew how tough it would be.
The first time out in Italy was the realisation of the other riders’ competitive nature; the standard is so high. I was 12th and scoring points. It was where I wanted to be.
On day one, in Japan, I was 14th. On day two, I broke into the top ten with an eighth. I was very happy, to say the least, as we were riding at the home of Honda.
In the Netherlands, I was not prepared for the heat and scored no points before bouncing back with another eighth in Belgium, 11th in Portugal and 14th in France.
At the final round in Spain, I broke the machine in a big crash and finished out of the points to end the year in 13th position in the championship.
In the ACU British Championship, I was fifth, which I was quite happy with based on who was in front of me. The year rounded off with a 14th place in the Scott Trial on my first attempt. All in all, it had been a good year despite juggling my school exams with a trials career; most importantly, I had learned so much.
A condensed year
Say no more, Covid-19. As the pandemic hit, the sporting year started to fall apart – don’t get me wrong, I fully understand why – people were dying! We did the first round of the BTC where I was sixth, and then it was full-stop; the calendar was cancelled.
In September, we started up again in France, followed by Spain, Andorra and then Italy — that would be the 2020 calendar. Qualifying had been thrown out of the window, and now it was two points-scoring days, with last year’s finishing position deciding your start number in France. I had two top-15 finishes in France before finishing 14th in Spain with no points on day two. I had to make Andorra count if I was to rescue the year.
Self-belief
Yes, you need buckets of it. In Andorra, my minder Richard Knott had told me to relax and enjoy the day; I listened, and it nearly worked.
Day one: I led after the first lap. But, would you believe, dropped to joint second before finishing eighth after a poor last lap; I could do it. It was just me who needed that self-belief.
Day two: On the first lap, I tied with the series leader Matteo Grattarola in the lead. I dropped to fourth before finishing fifth — I had made the top five! The drive home was quite a happy one.
Back home in the UK, I decided to miss the two
BTC rounds on my doorstep. It was a decision I would change if I had the time again. I have no idea why, but I under-performed in Italy at the final two rounds as Rudi announced he was closing the doors on the team for 2021,
meaning I had no ride. I understood the reasons behind his decision and thanked him for the fantastic opportunities he had given me. Rudi, the Green family salute you. Thank you.
Please, can I have a ride?
Covid-19 had made life tough for everyone, including the motorcycle manufacturers. I made some enquires about 2021 and, to be fair, I spoke with four manufacturers, who all could offer me some kind of a deal.
I started to speak with Scorpa and Nigel Birkett, who was very supportive, considering I had no results to support me asking for a factory deal. The more I talked to Nigel and the factory in Spain, the more attractive the opportunity to ride in the Scorpa team became. I am now a team rider for Scorpa and have made a move from four to two-stroke. It’s a superb machine for me to work with, and hopefully, I can repay the people who have put their faith in me to deliver some strong results and, most importantly, sell them some machines.
2021: going for gold
Let’s just hope we can all move forward from the Covid-19 situation. Yes, it’s going to be difficult, but the world will carry on, albeit maybe a little bit differently. Going for gold? Maybe not gold, but my main objective is to make the breakthrough as a regular top-ten points scorer in the world championship. One eye will be on the podium, but we all know just how difficult that will be to achieve. I have to improve in the ACU British Championship; no excuses this year, I need good results.
Before I close, I would like to thank everyone who has supported me so far in my trials career. Let’s hope we can have something to celebrate in 2021.