Roy Bridge racer joins Bou and Pascuet for 2022 season
‘I can’t wait to get back to competing with the world’s best’
Roy Bridge trials rider Ben Dignan has put Scotland on the map the past couple of years with his efforts in the FIM World Trial Championship and hopes to continue to do so this year after signing for the new Bou and Pascuet racing team, writes Fiona Scott.
Ben has been riding trials since the age of four and in 2020 became the first Scottish rider to take home the bronze medal in the FIM World Trial125 Championship whilst riding for 12 times World Champion Dougie Lampkin’s Vertigo team.
This was a massive achievement and Ben hoped to defend or better this result in 2021.
However, after sustaining a knee injury during winter training, the season didn’t quite go to plan. Ben secured some good top five finishes in the UK Championship rounds in which he competed and also finished a respectable 45th in the Scott Trial after a somewhat troublesome day.
He finished fifth overall in the FIM World Trial125 Championship with a number of top four finishes during the 2021 season. Not the best season but 2022 is already looking much brighter.
Ben has signed for the brand new Bou and Pascuet racing team for the 2022 season with full support from trials bike manufacturer Sherco and the supply of a factory bike, and once again will be taking to the world stage in the FIM World Trial2 Championship, as well as competing in the Spanish Championship.
Ben, who now lives in Spain, said: ‘I feel very lucky to have this opportunity to ride for a team supported by two incredible riders and I can’t wait to get back to competing with the world’s best. A huge thank you to the Sherco and all my sponsors who are making this journey possible for me.'
Fifteen-time indoor and 15time outdoor World Champion Toni Bou and accomplished rider and trainer Jordi Pascuet have come together to create this new trials team to pass on their experience and knowledge to young riders in order to help them achieve their dreams. Toni said: ‘I’m happy to have Ben on the team. We are training together; he is pushing hard and I can see good improvement in his riding every day.’
Jordi added: ‘It is very good for us to have an international rider like Ben in our team. He has good skills and talent and we hope he can get good results at the world championship in the future.’
The 2022 FIM World Trial Championship kicks off in June with round one in Andorra. Follow @bendignantrials on social media for all the latest updates.