Toni BouAfter a slow start to the season Toni Bou – Repsol Honda is now moving towards yet another FIM title as he heads to the French Grand Prix this coming weekend, which will mark the penultimate round of the 2014 FIM Trial World Championship. Bou has now carved out a ten point lead in the general standings with just two rounds remaining after he took back-to-back wins at last weekend’s British GP. Realistically only Adam Raga – Gas Gas is in a position to deny Toni taking a record breaking eighth successive FIM Trial World Championship and in doing so surpass the achievements of Jordi Tarres and Dougie Lampkin who both took seven outdoor titles during their own decorated careers.
So far this season Bou now has five wins compared to Raga’s three, so the Gas Gas teamster will need to re-find the form he showed earlier in the year and use his liking of GP’s on French soil if he is to reduce the gap on Toni before they head to the final two day event in Spain in September. With the exception of the opening day in Australia, when Takahisa Fujinami – Repsol Montesa won and Bou was second, Adam and Toni have occupied the top two places on every other occasion since in 2014.
Third placed Albert Cabestany – Sherco is a man who would like to bring this top two domination to end and will be desperate to at least be back on the podium in La Mongie, France after he suffered his worst result of the season to date on the second day of the British GP where he fell from the rostrum after his previous run of five top three finishes on the bounce. Jeroni Fajardo – Beta replaced his Spanish compatriot on the box on day two at Nord Vue and doing so closed within nine points of Cabestany, as he looks to regain the number three ranking he earned in 2013 and move up from his current fifth spot in the title race.
Although Fujinami continues to hold fourth in the points table, he also continues to struggle with his injured knee which he aggravated further on the final section on the opening day of the British GP. 
Franz KadlecThe Japanese rider will have to fight off the likes of James Dabill – Beta who is sure to arrive at the French Grand Prix in confident mood after his season best fourth place at his home event last Sunday. However Dabill himself will have to keep one eye on Jorge Casale – Gas Gas who now sits just thirteen points behind him in the overall standings. Alexandre Ferrer – Sherco will be hoping he can keep Pol Tarres – Sherco and Matteo Grattarola – Gas Gas at bay on his home patch.
The fight for the FIM Trial World Cup has now developed in to a two-rider battle with Spain’s Jaime Busto – Beta and Franz Kadlec – Beta from Germany trading blows on a round by round basis. Although Busto remains on top in the general standings, only by eight points, it was Kadlec who bloodied his main rival’s nose last time out. Both riders have been in exceptional form throughout the 2014 campaign, and are set to take their duel to the wire. A podium finish in Britain last Sunday saw Quentin Carles de Caudemberg – Beta climb into third place in the series at the expense of his fellow countryman Steven Coquelin – Gas Gas who disappointingly recorded his second no-score ride of the year on the closing day in the UK.
With the winner of the FIM 125 Trial Cup Gael Chatagno – Sherco now set to ride in the FIM Trial World Cup class at his home GP, this feeder category is very much up for the taking. This should now be a straight three-way fight between Thomas Minta – Sherco from Britain, France’s Teo Colairo – Gas Gas and Switzerland’s Noe Pretalli – JTG, with perhaps Minta the favourite to record his first ever GP win in France based on his incredible pair of debut results to date.