Adam Raga – Gas Gas will have the honour of leading the general standings when the 2013 FIM Trial World Championship heads back to Europe this coming weekend. The thirty-one year old Spanish rider currently holds a single point advantage over reigning champion Toni Bou – Repsol Montesa as the arch rivals prepare to resume battle in Sant Julia de Loria this Saturday and Sunday. Significantly for Raga this is the first time that any rider has headed Bou during the season since 2006, with the exception of when Adam beat Toni on the opening day of the 2009 and 2012 seasons.
Raga is no stranger to leading the series having twice won the FIM Trial World Championship in 2005 and 2006 prior to the start of Bou’s period of sheer dominance. Having got his nose in front, Raga looks to be riding with a new found confidence and in the kind of form that saw the loyal Gas Gas factory rider push Bou until the final round back in 2011. Inconsistency has restricted Raga’s obvious talent in other seasons and has ultimately prevented him adding to the FIM World titles he already holds, which are six in total when taking into consideration the four FIM Indoor Trial World Championships he has also achieved.
Despite the importance of this moment in his long career, Raga was quick to play down the significance of leading the charge back to Europe. “Yes it feels good to be leading the championship, but it means nothing really at this point. Since coming back from the USA I have just continued with my normal training and my normal routine, just the same things as before with nothing changed.’ ‘The most important thing is to stay close to Toni (Bou) as we all know that he is riding incredibly well this year, both indoors and outdoors. Although I have a small lead I also know that it will be very difficult to keep this. I am happy with my riding and feel that I am riding well as you can see from my results both indoors and outdoors. I feel that I have made a step forward this year, and feel like I did two years ago when I stayed close to Bou right until the final day of the championship.”
“Andorra is always a special event due to the altitude, and is a real mix of river and dry sections. It depends on how they lay things out for the new no-stop rules, as to how difficult it will be, but with two laps of eighteen sections they have a lot of possibilities. In the past it was the river sections that were the toughest, but more recently they have made the dry sections the most difficult.”
“It is far too early to be feeling any real pressure, it is normal to have some pressure, although that is the same in most events. Maybe all the Spanish riders have some extra pressure as Andorra is like a home GP for all of us. As I said before I will keep fighting for the victories as they will finally decide who is the champion, but again this will be difficult as all the riders will be fighting to be on the top.”
“Andorra is just another event and one that I am looking forward to as I know I am ready for it. Right now my goal is to stay close to Toni in the championship and to be within touching distance of the title when it matters, that is when the real pressure will come, however that is something I am waiting for in a good way.”