The intense Indoor Trial World Championship continued its journey through national territory to face its sixth and last scoring event of the 2015 season in Oviedo, which for the second consecutive year would be the closing stage of the indoor world championship.
With the title already decided in favour of Toni Bou, the expectation was placed on the battle for a championship well tied by Adam Raga and on the evolution of the rest of the riders. One of them would be Jaime Busto. The young Basque rider, who had recently joined the official Repsol Honda Team, was competing in his second World Indoor World Championship race as a guest and thus continue with the process of adapting to the new four-stroke mechanics.
Busto put in an excellent performance in the qualifying session, managing to snatch a zero in the fourth zone and coming close to overcoming a few more. In addition, putting on a show. There is no doubt that Jaime has a promising future and he will surely give us some surprises in the outdoor world championships, where he feels more comfortable.
Ahead of Jaime finished an unfortunate James Dabill, who could not repeat his good performance in Barcelona and signed a record of 23 points that were enough to add two points and end the season in a discreet sixth position. Dabill, who took his second consecutive victory in the British championship last Sunday, has all his hopes pinned on the outdoor world championships, where he hopes to achieve better results.
Good performance for the Swede Eddie KarlssonWhat they overcame two zones in Oviedo and by just two points were left out of a place in the final round. Karlsson highlighted the great learning and formidable sporting experience of his first contact with the indoor world championship. I was happy too Alex Ferrer. The French rider was just one point behind his teammate in this first round. Albert Cabestany, So his performance in Asturian territory ended at this point and he managed to secure a good fifth position in the championship, just after the magnificent four.
It was precisely Bou, Fajardo, Raga and Cabestany, in this order, who qualified to compete in the final round in the six sections of the route in the opposite direction. We saw again a very inspired Fajardo in this first half of the race and eager to repeat the great performance he gave in Barcelona.
The final round was marked by the mistake made by Toni Bou in the first section, which would ultimately cost him the top step of the podium for the second time this season. Both Cabestany and Raga moved this zone to zero, which would ultimately give them an advantage in the standings due to the fact that none of the four riders was able to overcome zones 3 and 5.
The excitement of the race grew as the end of the round approached. Toni Bou, with 18 points on his card, could do little in the last zone against a Cabestany with 12.
In fact, the only rider with a chance of snatching the victory from Cabestany was Raga, but the fiasco committed by the Gas Gas rider ruined his chances and he had to settle for a great second place.
It was therefore an extraordinary and surprising victory for Cabestany, who became the second rider capable of beating Toni Bou in the last 29 indoor races. Adam Raga conquers a well-deserved runner-up finish, once again emerging as the great threat to Toni Bou’s throne in 2015 thanks to his efficiency and consistency. Jeroni Fajardo, on the other hand, had a race from more to less, but his results show a great form for the Girona rider.
DECLARATIONS
Adam Raga: “In Oviedo we achieved second place, continuing in the same line of good results of the last races. It was a bit of a strange trial that we had to worry about.
I tried to adapt our riding style, but despite this we were still trying to win until the last section, where I made a mistake at the start. However, even though the victory has slipped away from us, we have to be happy. It’s clear that I would have really liked to win here and close the season with another victory, but it wasn’t to be. This result here gives us the runner-up position, we regain second place in the standings and we have to be very proud of this result and how the season has gone. We’ve ridden well and the team, the bike and the factory workers have performed at their best this season, and that’s why we have to value everything we’ve achieved very positively.”
Toni Bou: “Today wasn’t my day and this is something that can always happen. I didn’t feel comfortable in the sections and, despite finishing the semi-final with the best score, I knew it wouldn’t be an easy night. Starting the final with a 5 in a simple area wasn’t the best, because I wanted to recover it and it wasn’t possible. I want to congratulate Albert Cabestany, who did a good ride and got a well-deserved victory. Now we have to enjoy the title, which has not been easy to win, and think about the outdoor season”.
Jaime Busto:
“I’m happy to have been able to compete in another round of the X-Trial World Championship. Unlike the race in Barcelona, here in Oviedo I was able to show something else. I think I can do well, but it’s still a matter of learning day by day.”
RESULTS
