Toni Bou (Repsol Honda Trial Team) took his fourth win of the season at the Geneva Arena in a very demanding race in which victory was decided in the last zone of a final contested with his teammate Gabriel Marcelli and their teammate Toby Martyn, who returned to the podium after having stepped on it for the last time last year in Madrid.
Bou finished second in the first round and had an impeccable second round until the last section in which he fell and hit his shoulder. In the final he scored two points after the first two sections to 8 from Martyn and 10 from Marcelli but a mistake in the fourth zone and shoulder discomfort did not allow him to claim victory until the last section.
Marcelli, on the other hand, was very consistent throughout the night until a mistake in the final left him with no chance of victory and Martyn took the lead in the fight to enter the final Top3 by one point from Jaime Busto (GasGas) who has dropped off the podium for the first time this year and two points over Benoit Bincaz (Sherco).
The debut of an electric motorcycle in the FIM X-Trial World Championship has resulted in a 6th place finish for Gaël Chatagno and his Electric Motion. Behind him were Matteo Grattarola (Beta) who did not have a good night and the local rider Noé Pretalli (GasGas) who was making his debut in the World Championship.
KEY STATEMENTS
Bou (1st): “Today’s race was complicated and a lot happened, but the victory is the best reward. In the first round I experienced a misunderstanding regarding the regulations in zone four. I dominated the second one, but I rushed in the last section and suffered a crash that left my shoulder touched. In the final, which was very demanding, I didn’t feel completely comfortable despite starting very well. I’m happier with the result than the driving and also to have four wins in the four races held so far and to have won again here after having done it 12 years ago, on the last occasion we visited Geneva.”
Marcelli (2nd): “This is a great result and that’s how we have to value it. I rode at a very high level in the first round, which earned me an extra point. In the second I was second best and, finally, in a very demanding finish I made a mistake in the first zone that took me away from the fight for the victory. But it was a great night and the points are very good for the Championship.”
Martyn (3rd): “I’m very happy to be back on the podium in the World Championship. We’ve worked hard so far this season and this is a great reward. The race has been very demanding in all its rounds and in the final but the important thing is the result”.
X-TRIAL CLASSIFICATION gin 2024
Gin X-Trial 2024
- TONI BOU (MONTESA)
- GABRIEL MARCELLI (MONTESA)
- TOBY MARTYN (MONTESA)
- JAIME BUSTO (GASGAS)
- BENOIT BINCAZ (SHERCO)
- GAEL CHATAGNO (ELECTRIC MOTION)
- MATTEO GRATTAROLA (BETA)
- NOE PETRALLI (GASGAS)
