World Trial Andorra Day 1

Adam Raga – Gas Gas extended his winning run to three in a row as he took the victory on the opening day of the Grand Prix of Andorra, which marked the start of round three of the 2013 FIM Trial World Championship. Raga was simply too strong for reigning champion Toni Bou – Repsol Montesa who had to settle for second place, over the two laps of eighteen rocky sections that were played out in temperatures touching almost thirty degrees celsius. Albert Cabestany – Sherco recovered well after a nervous start to eventually claim the last place on the podium on the first of two days of competition in the small mountainous principality.

Jeroni Fajardo – Beta looked on course to perhaps repeat his only ever Grand Prix win, which he achieved in Andorra back in 2009, during the most part of the opening lap. However, his challenge faded with two fives in the last three sections and five time penalties, when he failed to judge the sheer length of the course and number of sections correctly. In the end Fajardo was fortunate to hang on to fourth spot as he beat Takahisa Fujinami – Repsol Montesa on a most cleans tie-break, leaving the Japanese rider to complete today’s top five. Daniel Oliveras – Ossa produced his equal best ever performance as he placed sixth, a single mark better than James Dabill – Beta who took seventh spot.

The battle between Raga and Bou raged all day long, with the Gas Gas rider holding the upper hand from the moment when Bou fived the second section of the day. Typically Toni was in no mood to just surrender to his arch rival and rode himself back into contention as he drew level with Adam with just three sections remaining. It is normally and previously in these exact circumstances where Bou has excelled in the past, but today his nerve was to fail him as he fived section sixteen to allow Raga to take a clear advantage to the finish and extend his lead to four points in the general standings.

Fujinami remains ahead of Fajardo in the championship standings despite losing out to him today, but only by a single point, as they currently occupy third and fourth places respectively. Fifth placed Cabestany is now in reach of both these riders after his top three finish today and now has clear ground between himself and Dabill in the title race.

Jack Sheppard – Beta has lost his lead at the head of the Junior rankings as he finished in sixth place today whilst his main rival Jorge Casales – Gas Gas claimed his second win of the season to go four points clear at the top of the table. Casales was in awesome form on the dry and grip infested boulders and rock faces and ran out a comfortable winner, eight marks in front of Spanish compatriot Pol Tarrres – Sherco. Tarres now holds fourth in the series thanks to his second runners-up spot this year. Completing an all-Spanish podium, Francesc Moret – Gas Gas weighed in third position today as a result of two consistent lap scores, a placing that matches his spot in the championship standings.

France’s Quentin Carles de Caudemberg – Beta recorded a narrow win in the Youth category, this being his second victory of the campaign to date. His two mark success over Italy’s Gabriele Giarba - Beta was achieved thanks to his better second lap performance, after these two young riders were tied for the lead after the initial tour. Pietro Petrangeli – Gas Gas took third place to make it two Italian riders on the podium following a hot day of competition. Carles de Caudemberg has further extended his lead at the top of the general standings as his main championship rival Bradley Cox – Beta slumped to sixth position today, which in consolation was one place higher than his fellow title challenger Kenny Thomas – Beta.

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