Loris Gubian has been proclaimed World Champion of TrialE, a category of the Trial World Championship intended for electric motorcycles. He has done so at the controls of the Gas Gas TXTe, a bike with which Marc Colomer already won in 2017 and which is in the process of series production.
How do you feel after winning the TrialE World Cup?
“It’s an amazing feeling. Two months ago we worked with the team and I had that point of pressure to be TrialE Champion again. The bike has worked very well all this time and the team has done a magnificent job, so I’m very happy to have won the Championship.”
How did you experience the 2018 TrialE World Championship?
“It’s been a tough weekend. We came from France, from a fairly easy trial, in which if you made a mistake it was very difficult to recover. And that’s what happened to us. I made three stitches in the first zone and dragged them throughout the day. We were second and it was still wide open to fight for the title in Belgium. Being second in France allowed me to come to Belgium without so much pressure and we were finally able to win the GP and the Championship.”
With this victory you become Marc Colomer’s successor as TrialE World Champion. How do you rate it?
“To defend the title that Marc [Colomer] won last year is incredible. When I was asked to ride the GasGas TXE in the TrialE World Championship I saw that it was an unbeatable opportunity to be Champion. Together with Marc and the whole team we have worked very hard to improve the bike and achieve our goal. We have given everything during these months and now we all have to enjoy this World Championship, the second in a row.”
So far, the GasGas TXE has won both editions of this cup, what do you think of the work that has been done by the brand?
“GasGas and Torrot are making a great effort with the TXE project. Behind his great evolution there are two magnificent teams – GasGas and Torrot – who have helped me at all times to adapt and understand the bike. The work of all the technicians and engineers has allowed me to focus on training and racing and it has finally paid off.”
How has it been to adapt to the TXE, an electric trial bike?
“It was a bit complicated, but luckily and with the help of the whole team, I was able to adapt perfectly. I’ve trained really hard, every day for the last two months, to get a good understanding of how the bike works. It has similarities and some differences with respect to TXT. The engine behaves differently and, in general, the bike has a different response. You need to work hard to get used to these differences. In the last two months I’ve only worn the TXE and the adaptation has been very good.”
What has it been like to work with a champion like Marc Colomer during these months of training?
“Marc [Colomer] is a benchmark in the world of Trial. He has a wealth of experience and is fortunate to be able to work alongside him on the TXE project. In these months we have talked a lot and we have achieved a very high level of trust. The TXE project is his project and he manages to transmit all the passion to you and that, without a doubt, is lucky. I thank him very much for the trust he has given me and all his help over the past few months.”
At what points has the TXE allowed you to make a difference from the rest of the electric motorcycles?
“The best thing about the TXE is that it has the basis of a combustion trial bike, the TXT. That’s lucky because the chassis, the suspensions, the clutch, the gearbox… They are the same as on the combustion motorcycle. Torrot’s batteries also work perfectly and in competition they allow you to do the entire lap. It’s a very good bike and definitely easy to ride.”
What are the next steps to take now in the development of the TXE?
“Our idea is to keep improving the bike so that everyone can enjoy it. In competition, we obtained very valuable data to evolve it and to perfect the production model. I am convinced that we will be able to do so. It’s good to be a TrialE champion, but we want to do more and keep evolving TXE.”
