There is definitely a feeling of apprehension within the paddock as the riders ready themselves for tomorrow's opening day of the 2013 FIM Trial World Championship under no-stop rules.
Heavy rain is predicted later today, which will have a massive impact on the wide, flowing and sometimes steep sections that Takumi Narita and his team have plotted. Even FIM section plotter Jordi Pascuet has got his work cut out as he tries to interpret what is difficult and what is not difficult now that the riders cannot afford to stop without being heavily penalised.
Now in its fourteenth consecutive year the Japanese Trial GP at Honda's incredible Twin Ring, Motegi facility is as immaculately prepared and organised as ever with no detail having been missed.
Not only will the no-stop rules be new tomorrow, but so will be the return of three laps, with the organisers having opted to go for twelve section to be ridden three times from the variety of formats now under offer as part of the new FIM directive that allows for 12-20 sections per lap, but a minimum of 36 for the Trial.
New also is the reduced time limit of two and half hours for the first lap, and with all three laps to be ridden within an overall time allowance of five hours tomorrow's action promises to be fast and furious.
So only come tomorrow afternoon will we know the full impact of these fundamental changes and if they suit Toni Bou or not…
In the meantime and ahead of tomorrow’s full event coverage, he are a few images captured earlier today under sunny skies.