The 2019 TrialGP World Championship kicks off this coming weekend with the Italian Grand Prix in Pietramurata, a venue where last season Toni Bou renewed his World Championship crown.
In 2019 he has already won
the X-Trial World Championship
, the indoor modality, winning five of the six races held, reaching his 13th title in this specialty and the 25th of his sporting career.
In Italy, the conquest of a new crown begins, which will be one of the most disputed in recent years, with riders such as Raga, Fajardo and Busto as the strongest candidates to dispute the title, without forgetting young talents such as Casales and Gelabert, or consecrated riders such as Fujinami and Dabill.
Q: A new TrialGP World Championship starts this week. How does Toni Bou get to the first race of the calendar?
Q: Toni Bou: It has been a very intense pre-season, where I could not train as much as I would have liked because I was practically stopped for two months due to the rib fracture I had in Japan. In Barcelona I relapsed with another crash, but little by little I have been feeling very well physically and, after the great indoor season, I think we are ready to start a new TrialGP World Championship. Let’s hope the physique holds up well.
Q: 13 X-Trial World Championships. The next goal is to achieve the double with the thirteenth world championship in TrialGP…
TB: The positive part is that you win and you get successes. The “negative” part is that you are bound to win in every scenario you participate in. Everyone’s waiting for it! I’m used to this pressure and that’s why I try to enjoy everything I get. Now we are ready for the outdoor season and we will try to fight for this goal.
Q: The goal is the title, knowing you, we know that. But what obstacles do you think you’ll encounter during the season?
TB: It will be a complicated year because there are only eight races and that means you can’t fail and miss out on the podium, because it can complicate your goal. It will be very important to maintain a good consistency and win as many races as possible. Opponents are always very motivated because beating the No. 1 is a great victory. Also, some have switched brands and it can be a good motivation for them as well.
Q: The X-Trial World Championship was an intense championship with a lot of equality.
TB: If it has been a very tight year where getting through to the next round is not easy, imagine qualifying for the final. It costs a lot! Any mistake can leave you out! It’s hard and easy to make mistakes. You have to work a lot mentally, you have to be very focused, and I think this year we have achieved that. I’m happy with the character we’ve shown. It’s been complicated by injuries, running without being 100%… Fighting in every race and getting the last win in Andorra I think was the best way to finish the championship.
Q: 13 titles, 62 wins and 75 podiums… These data are difficult to repeat.
TB: The numbers are incredible. It’s dreamy. When I was a kid I wanted to be World Champion and to have achieved all this is outrageous, something I couldn’t even imagine. Not just a title… Now there are 13 and all these figures are unthinkable. Now you just have to enjoy it and take advantage of it to live this positive moment.
Information: Repsol Honda Team
Spare parts for Montesa de Trial
