The Italian Trial Grand Prix remains one of the most eagerly awaited and warmly welcomed stops on the FIM Trial World Championship and this coming weekend looks set to uphold this tradition, as it marks the second to last stop of the 2012 tour.
Current and defending FIM Trial World Champion Toni Bou - Repsol Montesa looks set to clinch an incredible sixth successive outdoor crown on Italian soil if he can extend his lead in the general standings beyond the forty points he holds already and despite there being two remaining counting days to follow in Great Britain later this month. Whilst Bou was off the podium last time out for the first time since the start of 2010, he remains the clear favourite to finish the task this coming Sunday.
The real championship fight is amongst Toni's three chasing compatriots, with Jeroni Fajardo - Beta currently heading Albert Cabestany - Sherco and Adam Raga - Gas Gas respectively in the race to become the best of the rest.
Just eight points separates this trio at this late stage in the season. Takahisa Fujinami - Repsol Montesa trails the Spanish pack in the points race, but holds the record for the most podium finishes at the Italian GP, his tally of twenty top three finishes being five better than that achieved by Dougie Lampkin. The more established stars in the World Pro class will be joined by the recently crowned 2012 FIM Junior Trial World Champion Alexandre Ferrer - Sherco, from France. The twenty-two year old has been in devastating form en route to collecting his first FIM World title and just could produce a surprise in Italy if the size and pressure of the occasion does not diminish the true talent of this up and coming young rider.
W
ith Ferrer elevated to his new challenge, Pol Tarres - JTG, Francesc Moret - Montesa and Benoit Dagnicourt – Beta are now left to scrap it out for the runners-up spot in the Junior class final rankings. Tarres currently holds second place in the series, but only has a two point lead over Moret and will recognise the threat of Dagnicourt who won last time out in Andorra to record his first ever victory at this level. Jack Sheppard - Beta could prove to be spoiler in this three way battle, with the British rider having returned to the podium at the previous round as he continues to recover a season long wrist injury.
France's Steven Coquelin - Gas Gas now looks set to lift the 2012 FIM Youth Trial World title after he recorded back to back wins in the Andorran mountains. With the best eleven out of thirteen counting days used to decide the champion, Coquelin could be crowned King with Bou in Italy. Britain's Bradley Cox - Beta who rides for the Italian Top Trial Team and who is currently second in the general standings will hope to spoil Coquelin's party by taking his maiden victory after having been close to his first GP win at the last round. Cox's Norwegian team-mate Sverre Lundevold - Beta is the only other rider alongside Coquelin who has won in this category this season. Lundevold is third in the series at the moment and will be keen to achieve his third win of the campaign this coming Sunday in Santo Stefano d'Aveto, Italy.