Toni Bou consolidates his position at the top of the provisional standings, ten points ahead of Adam Raga, after achieving a resounding victory in the French Trial GP, held at the Charade circuit. Second place went to a spectacular Matteo Grattarola, with Adam Raga going from less to more to end up closing the podium of this third race of the season.
"Toni Bou is not suffering from his recent injury and achieves a comfortable victory on a difficult terrain to manage. Grattarola is confirmed as the big surprise of the season."
VICTORY 120TH IN THE TRIAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Although it seems difficult to improve on Toni Bou’s track record, the rider from Piera continues to break all records. After his victory in France, he has accumulated a total. of 120 victories in the top category of the Trial World Championship. A very important result for the reigning champion, as the terrain conditions favoured a very open race with high scores.
The rain that fell on the eve and on the morning of the competition itself, turned some a priori affordable areas into a real muddy mess. In this race context, Toni Bou took the distance with an effective and regular ride, which only Matteo Grattarola was able to stand up to during the first pass through the sections.
Also moving in the top positions, although further away, was Miquel Gelabert, who is showing a good performance at the start of the season. Behind, his teammate, Jorge Casales, who was tackling his first race of the season after testing positive for Covid in Italy.
GRATTAROLA CONFIRMS HIS ASCENT, RAGA SAVES THE FURNITURE
The Italian rider confirmed the podium in Tolmezzo was not a flash in the pan, and is set to regularly assault the top positions. The good first lap was followed by a second pass through the sections that was also very regular, although with some extra mistakes that took him out of disputing the victory to Bou, but it was well worth securing a second place by the minimum over Adam Raga.
For his part, the TRS rider saved the furniture on the second lap after an unfortunate start to the race that provisionally placed him in eighth position. At the end of the race, he was able to find his rhythm and close a brilliant run of only two points, the same as Bou.
Behind Raga, already off the podium, we find Fujinami. A positive result for the Japanese, who continues to show a good performance in the race; “After the victory in Italy I would have liked to be on the podium, but still a fourth position is very good, I’m very happy.”
GELABERT AND CASALES, FIFTH AND SIXTH
Positive performance for the Team GASGAS riders, who although their goal is the podium, the race records do not place them far from being fighting for these positions.
Fajardo, Busto and Marcelli had a worse day. For Jeroni “I didn’t feel comfortable in the sections, but my riding was good, even better than in Italy, but the final position doesn’t reflect that.” Busto finished eighth just a week after winning the national trial championship in Foz de Morcín and for Marcelli it was a bad day, since after his great 2020 season, he himself expected to be higher at the start of the year.
PILOT STATEMENTS
toni bou (P1)"I'm very happy today. After making a few mistakes on the first lap, the second lap was incredible. I made an unusual five, but more than for the points, it was a very good run because of the feeling I had. All in all, it's been a very good weekend for us, I've felt very competitive after the changes to the bike: we've adjusted it for the altitude of this race and it really worked for us. I want to congratulate the whole team for the work. Now we are going on vacation with a very good taste in our mouths and very well recovered. Andorra is always difficult for me, but I also have extra motivation."
Adam Raga (P3) "On the first lap I didn't feel comfortable on the bike, I lacked more coordination and accuracy, so I scored a lot of points. On the second lap everything was different and I found the rhythm I was missing, making some really good times. We have good riding, so we have to work on being more consistent in the race to fight for the victory"
Takahisa fujinami (P4)"The first lap today was quite difficult, I broke some tape and had a big crash. But despite this bad lap, I was able to recover well and improve on the second pass. Today I was quite calm and I enjoyed the trial quite a bit. After the victory in Italy I would have liked to have made the podium, but still a fourth position is very good, I'm very happy."
miquel gelabert (P5)"I had a great first lap here in France. I was able to manage the sections well, they were very difficult because of the rain we had. I was very satisfied with my riding and I felt good. Unfortunately, I made two big mistakes on the second lap, during the first three sections. I was striving to finish the lap with the fewest points lost but, well, we finished fifth. Today we were looking for the podium, but it wasn't possible. I know my riding is good at the moment, so we'll try again in the next race."
jorge casales (P6)"Not being able to compete in the first race in Italy after my Covid test, it was a bit like starting the championship again for me. I can say it was a tough day in the mud. Also, being the first rider opening up zones is never easy. But I'm satisfied with my riding, even if the result isn't what we expected. At the end of the day, things were very close between me, Gelabert and Fujinami, with only four points separating us. We have a little break now before the next round of the world championship, so I will keep working hard to keep improving."
Jeroni Fajardo (P7)"It was quite a tough Sunday for me, I couldn't quite find the feeling with the sections and the terrain. It was a hard-fought seventh position on my part, but my rivals made fewer mistakes and I even felt better than in Italy. I'm disappointed with the result, as I'm very satisfied with the work of the whole team and we're in full condition to fight for the top positions. We always give 100% and we will work to be further ahead in the next races."
TRIALgp classification france
French GP - Charade - TrialGP
- TONI BOU (MONTESA)
- MATTEO GRATTAROLA (BETA)
- ADAM RAGA (TRRS)
- TAKAHISA FUJINAMI (MONTESA)
- MIQUEL GELABERT (GASGAS)
- JORGE CASALES (GASGAS)
- JERONI FAJARDO (SHERCO)
- JORGE BUSTO (VERTIGO)
- GABRIEL MARCELLI (MONTESA)
- DAN PEACE (SHERCO)
2021 WORLD TRIAL CALENDAR
2021 WORLD Trial Championship calendar
- GP ITALIA - TOLMEZZO - 12 & 13 June
- GP FRANCE - CHARADE - 3RD AND 4 JULY
- GP ANDORRA - SANT JULIÀ DE LORIA - 21 and 22 August
- FRENCH GP 2 - CAHORS - 28 & 29 August
- GP SPAIN - BAIONA - September 11 and 12
- GP GREAT BRITAIN - TONG - OCTOBER 8-10
- TRIAL OF NATIONS - GOUVEIA - PORTUGAL - September 17-19
