Toni Bou sweeps the XTrial de Chambery and Busto comes back with flying colours

Report of the second round of the 2025 X-Trial World Championship: Chambéry

The second round of the 2025 X-Trial World Championship was held in the imposing setting of Le Phare, Chambéry. The competition brought together the best indoor trial riders in a night full of adrenaline and precision.

First round: the first big filter

The first round (Q1) had a demanding route and with high penalties that gave rise to surprises in qualifying.  In this opening round, Adam Raga (Sherco) led with a flawless performance, accumulating only 10 penalty points and setting the best time of 5:39.8. Toni Bou (Montesa) equalized in penalties but needed a fraction of a second more, securing second position. Gabriel Marcelli (Montesa), with 11 points, completed the leading trio that went directly to the final.

The rest of the riders experienced a complicated first round. Benoît Bincaz (Sherco) was on the verge of direct passage, with 12 points, occupying fourth position. Jaime Busto (GasGas), leader of the championship after his victory in Madrid, surprised by being relegated to fifth place with 14 points, in a performance marked by some unusual mistakes for a rider of his level.

Further down the table, Lorenzo Gandola (Beta) accumulated 22 points, which placed him in sixth position. Hugo Dufreses (Beta) and Harry Hemingway (Beta) shared seventh and eighth positions with 26 and 27 points, respectively.

The first round made clear the difference between the most experienced riders and those who are still looking to consolidate themselves in the elite of indoor trials. However, for those who did not make it through, the second round (Q2) offered one last chance to redeem themselves.

Q2: a key split for Busto

In the second qualifying round (Q2), Jaime Busto showed his ability to recover. With a time of 1:29.3 and a solid performance, she led this phase and secured her pass to the final. Benoît Bincaz accompanied him, qualifying with a consistent effort in the zones. This round marked the elimination of drivers such as Gandola, Dufreses and Hemingway, who, although they did not make the pass, left flashes of talent that augur a promising future.

Superpole: Bou reaffirms his supremacy

In Superpole, Toni Bou shone with a time of 52.1 seconds and no penalty, making it clear that he was determined to conquer Chambéry. Busto followed with a time of 56.6 seconds, while Gabriel Marcelli took third place. Adam Raga, despite his good initial performance, began to show difficulties by finishing fourth.

Final: Toni Bou’s display of superiority

The final was a high-level show. Toni Bou dominated from start to finish, penalizing only six points in the technical areas and showing masterful control. Jaime Busto was in second position with 17 points, while Gabriel Marcelli closed the podium with 18 points. Adam Raga, despite his great start, finished fourth with 30 points after an irregular performance in the decisive areas.