The stage could not be more perfectly set with just a single point separating Adam Raga – Gas Gas and Toni Bou – Repsol Montesa in the general standings as this leading duo head to their home Grand Prix this Sunday. The little known town of Pobladura, which sits just under four hundred kilometres north west of the Spanish capital of Madrid will host round four of the 2013 FIM Trial World Championship this weekend as the current series reaches its halfway stage. Visits to Italy, the Czech Republic, Great Britain and France will form the latter part of the season.
The battle between Raga and Bou is an intriguing one, with the reigning and six times FIM Trial World Champion Bou looking vulnerable for the first time in a prolonged period. Although Bou initially seized the upper hand in Japan, Raga responded strong in the USA with back to back wins to head the general standings as the series shifted back to Europe for last weekend’s encounter. Some thought normal service would be resumed, but when Raga recorded histhird straight victory on the bounce on the opening day in Andorra the question mark behind Bou taking a seventh outdoor crown in a row suddenly grew much larger.
With doubters beginning to circle, Bou responded brilliantly on day two to deliver an important and dominant win that very much brought the title back within his reach. Now the question is - will it be Raga or Bou who will make the most of their home advantage? As a win for either rider at the Spanish Grand Prix will allow the victor to enjoy the two-week break before Italy as the series leader.
However this weekend’s battle is sure to be anything other than a two-way fight with a host of other World Pro contenders looking to steal the spotlight away from the leading duo. Other home riders Albert Cabestany – Sherco and Jeroni Fajardo – Beta will be hoping that the support of their home fans will drive them on to claim what would be their first win of the year. Takahisa Fujinami – Repsol Montesa is the only competitor other than Bou or Raga who has sprayed the winner’s champagne this season, so the Japanese rider knows more than most how to topple this pairing and will be desperate to return to the podium at least after two fifth places last time out if he is to maintain third spot in the championship table. James Dabill – Beta is also another rider who could feature amongst the front runners this weekend.
Back to back wins for Jorge Casales – Gas Gas in Andorra last weekend have put him seven points clear at the top of the Junior standings, and would suggest that he is the rider to beat in this division this Sunday. If Britain’s Jack Sheppard – Beta is to prevent Casales further stretching a lead that was once his, he will need to be back to the form that he showed in Japan and the USA. In this hotly contested category Spain’s Francesc Moret – Gas Gas and Pol Tarres – Sherco remain in contention for the title and will join their compatriots in wanting to make the most of riding on home turf this weekend.
Quentin Carles de Caudemberg – Beta from France is the runaway leader in the Youth class, he takes an impressive twenty-three point advantage with him to Spain having now won on no less than four occasions so far this season, two of those victories coming in Andorra just a few days ago. Like Sheppard in the Junior class, fellow British rider Bradley Cox – Beta has work to do if he is serious about closing down the young French rider and really must win in Pobladura this Sunday as part one of that process. Italy’s Gabriele Giarba – Beta will attempt to keep these two leading riders in his sights, knowing that his home GP is up next in two weeks time.