Japan has kicked off the 39th edition of the Trial World Championship, whose expectation goes beyond the riders themselves, as it receives a new and controversial regulation called Non-Stop.
With the Indoor World Championship concluded a few weeks ago, the riders have had to adapt to the outdoor areas without being able to stop inside them. As expected, this change has brought problems for some riders, including Toni Bou himself, who on the first lap of the second day was in eighth provisional position.
Overall, after two days of competition, Toni Bou leaves Japan as the leader with only two points ahead of his teammate, Takahisa Fujinami. Precisely, in this order, the victories of the weekend were distributed. A great result, therefore, for the Montesa riders in front of Honda, their factory, also a symptom that the new engine is responding to the demands of its riders and regulations.
DAY 1 CHRONICLE
The race was won by Toni Bou, beating the rest of the participants in the Pro category. The Repsol Montesa’s team scored 25 points compared to 45 for Adam Raga, who was second, and Albert Cabestany’s 63, third. The man from Gas Gas is the man who can make things difficult for Bou but, at the moment, the man from Riera has no rival.
Continuing with the classification of this class, Takahisa Fujinami was fourth, one step away from the podium, Jeroni Fajardo fifth, Daniel Oliveras fifteenth and Pere Borrellas eighteenth.
But if Toni Bou has made a great performance, no less important has been that of Jorge Casales who has taken the victory in the Junior category. The Gas Gas rider has beaten Pol Farrés, who has qualified second, by only 7 points, so this year we are going to see a nice fight between the two. Carles Traviesa was a little further behind but managed to finish sixth with 89 points. Francesc Moret has stayed very close to Carles. He has added 92 to seventh.
In Trial 125cc things didn’t go so well but the two Spanish riders competing in this category are encouraged to improve tomorrow. Ignacio Martín went from strength to strength and in the end he was ninth. For his part, Ignacio Fernández qualified eleventh, but improving as the day progressed.
JAPAN DAY 1 STATEMENTS
Toni Bou: “There’s nothing better than starting the championship with a win, which wasn’t easy to achieve. The sections were quite tricky, I risked a lot not to stop in them and things went well. If winning at Honda’s home is always special, on this occasion I want to thank the great work done on the new engine, which in its first round of the outdoor world championship has worked very well. I’m satisfied with the victory but not with the new regulations, which this year will make us all suffer. Here the Commissioners wanted to be strict, as they should be, but it is clear that it is impossible to judge every doubtful situation that arises equally and there is equality for all. There have been complaints here and I have no doubt that in this sense it will be a complicated championship.”
Adam Raga: “I’m quite happy with how I rode the bike at the start of the World Championship: I rode very well, but the final score doesn’t reflect at all how I rode the bike. On the first lap I was charged with three unfair fiascos and also on the other laps. I think the new rules will ruin the trial, it becomes very boring. We are inside for a long time, sometimes more than a minute and a half inside the zone and I hope that someone will rectify it. The bike was very good all day, without any problems and the team worked properly. It was important, because we had to know how to combine the application of the regulations with the pilot’s driving and in that sense we did a good job.”
Takahisa Fujinami: “My goal was to get on the podium, celebrate with my home crowd and reciprocate the work Honda has done on the new engine, but it wasn’t to be. On the first lap I loaded too many points and it was impossible to close the gap. Tomorrow I’ll have another chance and I’m confident of improving. Last year it was exactly the same on the first day and the next day I was on the podium. I hope history repeats itself.”
Jorge Casales:
“It was a very tough race for me, with difficult terrain and a lot of mud. I was a bit puzzled, between the fact that I was away from home and the rule change, because I don’t like it at all. I think it shortens the qualities of trial riders.”
JAPAN DAY 1 RESULTS
Pos. Pilot
1. Toni Bou 25
2. Adam Raga (Gas Gas) 45
3. Albert Cabestany 63
4. Takahisa Fujinami 69
5. Jeroni Fajardo 74
Junior
Pos. Pilot
1. Jorge Casales (Gas Gas) 64
2. Pol Tarrés 71
3. Jack Sheppard 75
125
Pos. Pilot
1. Pietro Petrangeli (Gas Gas) 100
2. Carles de Caudemberg 101
3. Kenny Thomas 108
DAY 2 REPORT
The opening round of the Outdoor Trial World Championship has come to an end. If on the first day it was Toni Bou who won the competition, the second was his teammate, Takahisa Fujinami. Thus, the Repsol Montesa rider won in front of his home crowd, making the victory doubly special.
The second position in the World Pro category went to Jeroni Fajardo who could only be fifth yesterday. Toni Bou had to settle for third place due to his poor first lap. The rider from Riera had to make a great effort in the other two runs to be able to get on the podium. Behind Bou were Adam Raga, sixth Albert Cabestany, fifteenth Dani Oliveras and eighteenth Pere Borrellas.
With these two days of competition, Toni Bou leaves Japan leading the overall standings with 35 points, followed by Takahisa Fujinami with 33 and Adam Raga with 30.
In Junior today things didn’t go as well as yesterday. The best classified of the Spaniards was Pol Tarrés who with 38 penalties was fifth. Francesc Moret equalled Pol on points and was sixth, Jorge Casales (45) eighth and Carles Traviesa (58) tenth.
In the 125cc Trial, Ignacio Martín from Castellón has repeated ninth position with 77 points while Ignacio Fernández has improved one, being tenth today with 80.
The next round of the Trial World Championship will be on May 25 and 26 in Sequatchie, United States.
DECLARATIONS DAY 2
Takahisa Fujinami: “After my disappointment yesterday, winning was the best thing that could happen to me. It was very important to celebrate this victory in my country and Honda’s country, and in front of my family and my fans. I noticed a significant improvement on the bike, with fewer mistakes than yesterday and maintaining a more regular line. Also, I think my riding style doesn’t do badly with the new ‘non-stop’ regulations. It’s been a very positive two days for the team. Yesterday Toni won, today I did it and both of us with the new engine, which works very well.”
Toni Bou: “My first lap wasn’t comfortable and recovering so many points was practically impossible. Then I did a very good second and third laps, thanks to which I managed to get on a podium that I thought was very difficult. I like to win, but if I don’t, I’m happy that my teammate does. It’s important for him and the team, as important as it is for me to leave Japan leading the championship.”
Adam Raga: “Today didn’t go too well. On the first lap I was first and in zone 6 I was given a fiasco that I don’t agree with at all. With fourth place, obviously, I’m not happy at all, because I think I’ve driven well all weekend. The team worked very well and the bike too, with no problems whatsoever. I think the feeling is good despite the result, and we have to keep pushing forward, thinking about the next race.”
Jorge Casales:
“I have to digest as best I can a very tough race .
A for me. The beginning of the race was very bad, with a lot of points. I was able to fix it in the second half of the season, with only three points, but the last one wasn’t good either. A terrible result, although I am confident that the next races will go better. I don’t like the regulations at all. It’s disappointing that the great riders are defeated, like Adam Raga or Toni Bou, in this case. I don’t see it as logical at all. This is not going well.”
JAPAN DAY 2 RESULTS
Pos. Pilot
1. Takahisa Fujinami 16
2. Jeroni Fajardo 19
3. Toni Bou 20
4. Adam Raga (Gas Gas) 22
5. James Dabill 26
Provisional Championship
1. Toni Bou 35
2. Takahisa Fujinami 33
3. Adam Raga (Gas Gas) 30
4. Jeroni Fajardo 28
5. Albert Cabestany 25
Junior
Pos. Pilot
1. Jack Sheppard 30
2. Maxime Warenghien 34
3. Cedric Tempier 35
4. Jonathan Richardson 37
5. Pol Tarrés 38
6. Francesc Moret (Gas Gas) 38
Provisional Junior World Championships
1. Jack Sheppard 35
2. Maxime Warenghien 30
3. Jorge Casales (Gas Gas) 28
4. Pol Tarrés 26
5. Cedric Tempier 21
7. Francesc Moret (Gas Gas) 19
