Toni Bou’s - Repsol Montesa Spanish homecoming was triumphant despite a big crash on the opening day of round four of the 2012 FIM Trial World Championship. For once the margin of Bou’s victory was relatively slim, with compatriot Albert Cabestany - Sherco keeping the reigning champion on his toes during an eventful two laps of competition that saw many of the World’s best riders fall foul of the dry, but slippery conditions. Adam Raga - Gas Gas completed the podium, with the top three riders separated by just five marks.
Held in the hills above the small Andalucían mining town of Penarroya-Pueblonuevo in Spain, the sections looked grippy. However, the dry rock was extremely dusty and it was the dust that made the sections treacherous. The lack of traction caught many riders out, including Bou and his teammate Takahisa Fujinami – Repsol Montesa, the latter eventually finishing in fifth place before heading to hospital to be patched up after losing a fingernail and injuring his hand. Bou was also suffering and will perhaps not know the severity of his injuries until he awakes ready for another day of competition tomorrow morning.
Bou’s misfortune will give hope to the likes of Cabestany and Raga, both of whom made very few mistakes in the tricky conditions. Cabestany’s second place saw him leapfrog Jeroni Fajardo - Beta in the standings as the series hit its midpoint. Having lost his grip on the runner-up position Fajardo will be disappointed with fourth place. However, he has an opportunity to make amends on Sunday if he can address the inconsistency that saw him five four of the twenty-eight sections. This was two sections less than normal due to the final man made hazard having had to be cancelled on both laps when one of the logs it contained became dislodged.
In the Junior division a seemingly invincible Alexandre Ferrer - Sherco notched up his sixth victory of the series. The Frenchman now leads the class by thirty-three points and looks every inch the champion elect. Francesc Moret - Montesa slipped up on section twelve during his second lap and the subsequent five dented his hopes of challenging his rival for the top step of the podium. Moret’s efforts were good enough for second place though, as he finished five marks clear of Jorge Casales - Gas Gas in third.
Action in the Youth class was equally fierce with France’s Steven Coquelin - Gas Gas securing his fifth win of the season thanks mainly to a stunning opening lap that saw him accumulate just seven marks. With that in the bag he relaxed perhaps a little too much during his second circulation and was almost found wanting by Britain’s Bradley Cox - Beta, who finished just two marks adrift come the end. Quentin Carles de Caudemberg - Beta scored his best result of the year with a third place.
The second day of the Spanish Trial Grand Prix will take place tomorrow, in what promises to be as equally tough and hot conditions.
World Championship Final Results
1. Toni Bou - 20
2. Albert Cabestany - 23
3. Adam Raga - 25
4. Jeroni Fajardo - 30
5. Takahisa Fujinami - 55
6. James Dabill -59
7. Jack Challoner - 84
8. Daniel Oliveras - 88
9. Loris Gubian - 100
10. Michael Brown - 101
11. Matteo Grattarola - 102
12. Alexz Wigg - 109 (2 cleans)
13. Pere Borrelas - 109 (1 clean)
14. Eddie Karlsson - 112
15. Gianluca Tournour - 119
Junior Championship Final Results
1. Alexandre Ferrer - 11
2. Francesc Moret - 15
3. Jorge Casales - 20
4. Maxime Warenghien - 31
5. Benoit Dagnicourt - 32
6. Pol Tarres - 36
7. Tanguy Mottin - 44
8. Carles Traviesa - 45
9. Jack Sheppard - 48
10. Hakon Pedersen - 50
11. Giacomo Saleri - 52
12. Matteo Poli57
13. Ib Andersen - 62
14. Kyle Middleton - 68
15. Jesus Martin - 85
Youth Championship Final Results
1. Steven Coquelin - 31
2. Bradley Cox - 33
3. Quentin Carles de Caudemberg - 35
4. Francesco Cabrini - 36
5. Martin Matejicek - 52
6. Ignacio Martin - 53
7. Pietro Petrangeli - 54
8. Luke Walker - 55 (11 cleans)
9. Timo Myohanen - 55 (9 cleans)
10. Sverre Lundevold - 58
11. Ignacio Fernandez - 67
12. Diogo Vieira - 74
13. Declan Bullock - 78
14. Bradley Bullock - 89
--. Oriol Noguera - Retired
Photo Coverage
Free Public Photos (10)
Trials Central Supporters Photo Coverage (106)
Full section by section results from this event are available for download in PDF format