‘VIVE LA FRANCE’ BURGAT WINS
Learning the ropes in 1980, Gilles Burgat was a new rider-focused on a future in motorcycle trials. He was a late entry to the SSDT, finishing 20th. He embarked on a full year in the FIM World Championship, finishing 11th, scoring points in four of the 12 rounds – nothing special on both counts, I think you will agree. As the year closed, he made his intentions clear as he was crowned the French National Champion. In 1981, he was well prepared for what was about to happen. He had a very well-developed machine with the Italian SWM and the new Michelin tyres. He was in a good strong international SWM team, alongside Great Britain’s Martin Lampkin and Italian Danilio Galeazzi. As the season opened, he still did not look like a serious challenger, though, for the two great titles: Scottish Six Days Trial winner and FIM World Trials Champion.
After the opening four world rounds in 1981, he was in fifth position; his best ride was a fourth-place finish in Great Britain. Never one to miss a trick, Martin Lampkin had noted the French rider’s dedication. One night, at a distant world round in 1980, ‘Mart’ was in the dark sorting out his riding kit for the following day’s action when he noted Burgat returning from a training run; he made a mental note to keep his eye on him in future events.
MY SIX DAYS – GILLES BURGAT
In 1981, Mike Rapley was a staff member at Trials and Motocross News covering the ‘Scottish’ and, despite the passing of the years, he recalls speaking with Gilles Burgat the following week after winning the event. After the awards presentation, he said: “Trials riding is my life, but I never dreamt that one day I would win this iconic event. I arrived at the SSDT with the same machine I had used in the WTC. The SWM mechanics gave it a good once over and replaced any worn parts.
“My good friend and fellow SWM rider, Danilio Galeazzi, had a riding number close to me, so I knew the week would be quite good fun. I planned to see how the week went and maybe look at finishing in the top five.
“On Monday, my dream of the victory was nearly over, as I was running late on time and incurred some time penalties. Enjoying the surrounding scenery, I had hit a rock and buckled the front wheel on the SWM. But on Tuesday morning, the results were available, and I was leading”.
A GOOD WEEK
“I worked on the front wheel to straighten it, but I did not do a very good job. I only found this out when I got onto the tarmac road and realised just how much it wobbled on the road! At night I changed the tyres and looked forward to Wednesday. Another good day kept me in second position.
“On Thursday, I moved into the lead again and again changed the tyres. My SWM required very
little attention apart from the usual checks. I was thinking that maybe, just maybe, I could win, but I was also aware that due to the rotation of the riding number, I was moving closer to the front of the entry.”
WINNER
“On Friday night, I held an eight-mark advantage over Martin Lampkin and Yrjo Vesterinen. I fitted new tyres for the final day — I would need any advantage I could get!
“Saturday would be the day of reckoning, and I was the tenth man away from the start. I stayed calm and did not rush the day, dropping just nine marks; the victory was mine. I had a long time to wait to see if I had won, and when we found out I had, I jumped into Loch Linnhe! God, it was cold!
“It had been a fantastic week, finished off by a warm handshake from both ‘Big Mart’ and ‘Vesty’ as they congratulated me; I was more than happy to be in the history books.”
SSDT WINNER AND WORLD CHAMPION
As history has recorded, Gilles Burgat became the first winner of the event on an Italian machine, the SWM, and the first French winner. As the year progressed, he carried the winning confidence into the FIM World Trials Championship to take the title at the end of the year, the first for an Italian machine; Italy and France were now the winning combination.
It is interesting to note that Gilles Burgat can still be found competing in the Scottish Six Days Trial in 2019 and is still a big fan of motorcycle trials.