Swedish Success For Toni Bou

Despite having to come from behind once again, Toni Bou – Repsol Honda extended his unbeaten run in the 2015 FIM Trial World Championship to five wins from five starts as he won on the opening day in Boras, Sweden. This was Bou’s first ever win on Swedish soil and moves him twenty five points clear at the head of the general standings, even at this early stage in the 2015 campaign. Finding himself four marks back from Jeroni Fajardo – Beta, who ended the day as worthy runner up, Bou once more delivered a killer performance during his second lap to move into a winning position that he would not then relinquish and from which he went on to record his fifth straight win in the series. There were even more smiles in Toni’s team as he was joined on the podium by Takahisa Fujinami – Repsol Honda after the Japanese rider claimed third position on the day and his second top three finish of the season to date. 

Rain showers throughout most of the morning meant conditions out on the twelve mainly natural sections, scattered in and around the forest that surrounded the paddock area, became incredible slippery with the soil between the rocky outcrops already damp due to heavy rain in recent weeks. The added severity became apparent as early as the fourth hazard which had already been eased along with sections three and eight due to the wet conditions, but still stopped all the World Pro riders. In was the same story in section eight on the first lap although Bou came very close to conquering the rock infested hillside. As a result, these two impossible hazards were further modified for the remaining two laps.

The best lap of the Trial was by Bou on his second visit when he dropped just ten marks and completed the lap without a single five. It was this display that was to ultimately seal him victory after a nervous start by his own high standards. On a day when Fajardo and Fujinami fought hard for the remaining rostrum positions, it proved to be a tough ordeal for both Adam Raga – Gas Gas and Albert Cabestany – Sherco who placed fifth and sixth respectively. Both Spanish riders had to overcome home hero Eddie Karlsson – Montesa, who was fourth at the end of lap one, to eventually demote the young Scandinavian protagonist to a career best sixth spot. James Dabill – Vertigo, Alexandre Ferrer – Sherco, Jamie Busto – Repsol Honda and Franz Kadlec – Beta rounded out today’s top ten in that order, as all four of them missed their opportunities to feature higher up the final results.

Iwan Roberts – Beta became the third different winner in three rounds in the FIM World Cup division this season as he claimed his first ever victory at this level, his previous best result being fifth place on day two last weekend in the Czech Republic. Robert’s winning margin was a mere three marks over Oriol Noguera – Honda who was also the runner up last Sunday. Arnau Farre – Gas Gas also continued his recent good form as he took the remaining podium spot as he also did in Sokolov six days ago. Miquel Gelabert – Sherco now heads the general standings in this category as he placed fourth today after last weekend’s double victor, Quentin Carles de Caudemberg – Beta slipped from the top spot in the series, managing only ninth position on this occasion.

It was a dream debut for Norway’s Sondre Haga – Beta in the FIM 125 Cup as he took the win at the first time of asking to bring to an end Marco Fioletti – Beta’s unbeaten run. The young Norwegian rider produced an inspired opening lap when he dropped only six marks to open up a lead that he was to increase come the end of the day. Whilst unable to stretch his winning run Fioletti finished the day in a clear second place and twenty two marks the better of Maxime Varin – Scorpa who finished in third spot. Despite his slight setback, Fioletti still tops the general standings by twenty points from Varin heading into tomorrow’s second and final day of the Swedish Trial GP.

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