FIM Trial World Championship

TRIALGP

We all knew, with Covid-19 taking such a hold on the travel situation around the globe, that it was a brave move by the FIM to run any form of a world championship in 2020. As it happened, they pulled it out of the bag with a successful, if condensed, four-round series run over a short period starting in France, Spain, Andorra in September and finally concluding in

Italy in early October. For once Toni Bou (Repsol Honda-ESP) did not have it all his own way as his constant rival Adam Raga pushed him for the title to the final round with two wins to his name. A battle royal was expected in Italy, but Raga was unexpectedly off-form, and Bou took title number 28 — 14 indoor and 14 outdoor — to secure the championship victory on day one; ‘Super Bou’ had delivered once again.

It was a fantastic finale for the final world round as the Moto Club Lazzate presented a well-run event despite the difficult conditions with Covid-19.

A hard-standing paddock welcomed the riders and teams with just a short ride to the nine sections in the club’s trials park, with section 10 set adjacent to the paddock and podium. All the hazards were man-made, consisting of a selection of well-placed large rocks secured in the soil in a heavily wooded area. On both days the ten sections were ridden three times, with similar weather conditions of a cold, damp start until the sun shone through on this industrial part of Italy found not far from Milan. A selection of the hazards had been modified for the action on day two.

BOU ON A ROLL

After the opening lap on day one Bou held a small five-mark advantage over Jaime Busto and his nearest championship challenger Adam Raga but, as we have seen happen in the past, the others were soon out of the fight for the victory.

On the second lap, Bou was just a class act, parting with just seven marks to further extend his advantage as Raga unexpectedly dropped right off the pace and was struggling to stay in touch. On the second lap, it was a rejuvenated Takahisa Fujinami who had had a very poor opening lap but was pulling himself back up the order with a loss of just 14 — the second-best lap score behind Bou. With just a further nine marks lost, Bou secured the victory and the title as Raga came home a lowly seventh at the close of the day. The fight for the podium positions had gone in the favour of a fighting Jorge Casales as Busto rounded off the top three. It was celebration time for the Repsol Honda team as Bou took his 14th consecutive TrialGP world title.

DEMONSTRATION DAY

Never one to let up in his constant quest for perfection, it was a Toni Bou demonstration on day two in Italy as he slaughtered the opposition with a huge 35-mark winning margin. Adam Raga was secure in second position in the championship, but it was another off day as he finished in sixth position.

Once again, the focus of attention moved to the fight for the second and third podium positions. Casales looked very confident, but no-one expected the challenge to come from Jeroni Fajardo. After a mediocre opening lap, he came storming back up the leader-board as the battle went to the last lap and the final few sections to secure second position in front of a huge fight for third. Would you believe, three riders each finished on 61 marks lost. It was Casales who held his nerve to secure the final step on the podium in front of Gabriel Marcelli and Miquel Gelabert.

BOU #14

As Bou and Raga battled for the championship, settled in Bou’s favour with title number 14, another separate fight was on for the final step on the podium between the two younger Spanish rivals Jamie Busto (Vertigo) and Jorge Casales (GASGAS). The advantage had run with Busto, who had looked very on-form at the opening of the championship. Still, a drop in his consistency opened the door for a rejuvenated Casales to make his way to the podium in Andorra and Italy. As Busto lost his form, Casales improved, but in this shortened series he could not take the fight any further to Busto, who took the bronze medal in the championship.

Of the best of the rest Jeroni Fajardo (Shero-ESP) showed that his form and talent are still in striking distance of the podium with a superb third position at the opening round in France followed by a second position on day two in Italy.

Finishing sixth in the final championship positions was the young talent that is Gabriel Marcelli (Montesa-ESP). His breakthrough podium finish with third on day two in Spain showed his potential, moving him up into sixth position to finish on the same points as Fajardo. The TrialGP class is still dominated by the Spanish riders, which looks very much like it is going to continue into 2021..

POSITIONS: 1: Toni Bou (Repsol Honda-ESP) 152; 2: Adam Raga (TRRS-ESP) 121; 3: Jamie Busto (Vertigo-ESP) 105; 4: Jorge Casales (GASGAS-ESP) 98;

5; Jeroni Fajardo (Sherco-ESP) 82; 6: Gabriel Marcelli (Montesa-ESP) 82; 7: Takahisa Fujinami (Repsol Honda-JPN) 78; 8; Miquel Gelabert (GASGAS-ESP) 75; 9: James Dabill (Beta-GBR) 62; 10; Dan Peace (Sherco-GBR) 45; 11: Benoit Bincaz (Beta-FRA) 42; 12: Jack Price (Vertigo-GBR) 32.

MACHINES TOP 12: 1: Montesa 3; 2: Beta 2; 3: GASGAS 2; 4: Sherco 2; 5: Vertigo 2; 6: TRRS 1.

ITALY: LAZZATE, ROUND 7

POSITIONS: 1: Bou 39; 2: Casales 61; 3: Busto 66; 4: Fujinami 70; 5: Fajardo

73; 6: Marcelli 73; 7: Raga 75; 8: Gelabert 79; 9: Dabill 80; 10: Peace 125.

ITALY: LAZZATE, ROUND 8

POSITIONS: 1: Bou 20; 2: Fajardo 55; 3: Casales 61; 4: Marcelli 61; 5: Gelabert

61; 6: Raga 63; 7: Busto 63; 8: Fujinami 78; 9: Dabill 88; 10: Peace 136.

Adam Raga (TRRS-ESP): Never one to concede victory easily, Raga has once again been the main motivation that has pushed Toni Bou towards another world title. He had looked strong to fight for the title in Italy but an unexplained loss of form at the final two rounds removed this ambition. This was his 300th world round!

Gabriel Marcelli (Montesa-ESP): It was going to happen sooner than later, and it was a jubilant Marcelli who took his maiden TrialGP podium in Spain on day two. Riding as part of the three-man RG Trials Team on the Montesa Cota 4RT he most certainly is the most promising young rider, finishing on the same points as Fajardo at the close of the season.

Jamie Busto (Vertigo-ESP): An on-form combination of Busto and the Vertigo is so good to watch in action; when the clean rides come, he is so smooth and effortless. He must know that he needs to start winning soon if he is to move up to take on the mantle of being a serious world championship contender.

Jorge Casales (GASGAS-ESP): It was a brave move to the re-branded GASGAS for Jorge but he has proved everyone wrong with some superb and confident riding. He is one of the younger generation of rider who is ready to start taking the fight to Bou in 2021.

Jeroni Fajardo (Sherco-ESP): Along with Toni Bou and Adam Raga, Jeroni has been around for what seems like an eternity in the world championship. When on form he is another rider who can still make the podium, and it was an excellent finish to the series with the second step of the podium taken in Italy on day two.

Takahisa Fujinami (Repsol Honda-JPN): Would you believe that as ‘Fujigas’ signed off for the season in Italy it would be his 25th consecutive season in the premier class of the sport! His 7th place was his lowest in the championship since he arrived in 1996, when he also finished 7th.

James Dabill (Beta-GBR): Still Great Britain’s number one rider in the premier class, ‘Dibsta’ will not be happy with his 9th position overall. With marks very close at the events, small mistakes have been heavily punished and he has been kept further down the order than he would have liked.

Dan Peace (Sherco-GBR): Still finding his feet in the TrialGP class, it’s been a tough year for the older of the two brothers. In this short series he has had no break to try and find some of the form that is still missing amongst a very high level of riding.

Miquel Gelabert (GASGAS-ESP): Moving from the Vertigo team mid-year to a private team riding the GASGAS had the young rider racing to prepare for the world championship. Some ‘sparkle’ appears to be missing in his riding, for what-ever reason.

Jack Price (Vertigo-GBR): A heavy crash on day one in Spain put Jack out of the championship. In a brave move he did try to continue, but it was a wise and sensible decision to miss the last two rounds in Italy.

Benoit Bincaz (Beta-FRA): After a superb 4th place in Spain a crash at round three in Andorra finished the French rider’s year.