Toni Bou took victory in the event that opened the X Trial World Championship. Great Britain, specifically Sheffield, was the scene of a truly exciting duel. Two Spaniards, Bou and Cabestany, fought until the end to get the first place on the podium. With this fight already in the first round, the season is expected to be very exciting.
What He didn’t have a good day it was Adam Raga who after making a mistake was left out of qualifying. The Gas Gas rider was unable to enter the final with his Spanish teammates and finished in the back positions along with Michael Brown, Jack Challoner and Matteo Grattorola.
In addition to Bou, Cabestany, Jeroni Fajardo and the Wild Card, James Dabill, Alexandre Ferrer and Takahisa Fujinami made it into the semi-final. The latter two could not cope with the power of the first four and had to settle for watching the final from the sidelines.
The duel lasted until the last stages between Toni Bou and Albert Cabestany. There is no doubt that the Spanish trial is in one of the most brilliant moments in its history. If all this year’s events are like the one in Sheffield, the fans are going to enjoy it a lot. In the final , Jeroni beat Dabill but couldn’t beat Cabestany and Bou.
The two faced each other and the victory narrowly went to the hands of the Repsol Montesa rider. In the final standings, they were separated by only one point. Bou added 6 and Cabestany 7.
After this race, Toni Bou leads the general classification with 20 points, followed by Albert Cabestany with 15, and third is Jeroni Fajardo with 12. Takahisa Fujinami is sixth with 5 and Adam Raga seventh with 4.
The next round of the X Trial World Championship will be held in our land. On February 10 in Barcelona, the fans will enjoy these magicians on two wheels. The Spaniards are sure to put on a great show for the local audience.
RFME
Toni Bou: “It was a perfect start to the season, in a complicated race and a very tense night as Albert [Cabestany] was very strong and made things very difficult for me. I felt comfortable on the bike and I’m fully satisfied with my performance, both in the semi-final and in the final, in which I scored five points in an extremely difficult second section and one more in the fourth, to make sure. What I couldn’t avoid is the nervousness of knowing that in a championship limited to only five rounds, no one is exempt from a setback that can weigh like a stone in the fight for the title. But everything went perfectly and I will arrive at the next test, in Barcelona, with maximum motivation.”
Takahisa Fujinami: “Too bad, it’s that simple. I made absurd mistakes both in qualifying and in the semi-final. I had clear ideas of how to deal with the areas but I didn’t know how to execute them. Technically, I have no doubts about myself, but I think I’ve felt the time I’ve been without an indoor event. We must forget this result and think positively for the future. I’m sure everything will be better for me in Barcelona.”
James Dabill: “Tonight has been an excellent start to the 2013 season. To beat Fujigas [Fujinami], Raga and really challenged Jeroni [Fajardo] has given me a massive confidence boost. I rode very well during qualifying, and I could hear the British fans cheering me on which was awesome. I felt that my semi-final was week, I had a few small mistakes which without them I would have being on the podium. I’m obviously a little disappointed that I’m not a permanent rider in the X-Trial championships this year, as more performances like tonight would have really upset the balance at the top. I’m now going to continue training hard to take this level of riding into the Outdoor World Championships and already I am feeling confident about that season. I’d just like to say a massive thanks to my new minder Chris, my wife and family who have, as always, being a huge support tonight. I would also like to thank my sponsors, Beta Motor, Monster Energy, Airoh Helmets, Gaerne Boots, and of course the organisers of the Sheffield Trial who put on an excellent event with superb sections!”
Photos: Good-shoot.com/FIM
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