Six Of The Best For Toni Bou

Six starts, six wins but today the story was not straightforward for Toni Bou – Repsol Honda despite him continuing his incredible unbeaten run on the second and closing day in Boras, Sweden that marked round three of the 2015 FIM Trial World Championship. Bou was pushed every inch of the way by Adam Raga – Gas Gas with the eventual runner-up finishing just three marks shy of what would have been a famous victory. This leading duo, who locked horns for the full duration of the Trial, ended the day well clear of the final podium finisher Albert Cabestany – Sherco, with this being only his second top three result so far this season.

Only minor tweaks were made to the sections overnight with day two again beginning with intermittent rain before giving way to brighter skies later in the afternoon. A poor five at the seventh hazard on the opening lap had the effect of doubling Toni’s intermediate total, but despite this error he still took the early lead. It was Takahisa Fujinami – Repsol Honda who was to slot into second place at the end of lap one, two marks behind his team-mate and one in front of Raga. A terrible second lap was to cost the Japanese rider dearly tough and demoted him to fifth position come the finish.

Raga produced the best second lap tally, his seven mark loss seeing him draw level with Bou for a share of the lead as the familiar rivals went into the closing twelve hazards both on twenty marks apiece. Alongside the headline story, Cabestany was making quiet progress up the leader board and was to ride himself into a hard earned third come the end of play thanks to an excellent closing lap. Consistency was the name of the game for Jeroni Fajardo – Beta, his three very similar lap scores netting him fourth spot by a single mark over Fujinami.

Out front Bou and Raga were still trading blows right until the death. Section seven that had been Toni’s downfall on lap one cruelly became Adam’s victory wrecking moment as he failed where he had only lost one mark previously. Both riders produced some amazing riding during the last lap despite them being under pressure, much to the delight of a sizeable Swedish crowd. Bou’s three mark win puts him thirty eight points ahead of Raga in the general standings after what has been an unblemished start to the season for the reigning champion.

Jack Price – Gas Gas added his name to the list of different winners in the FIM World Cup as he became the latest victor in a class that has now seen four different names on the top trophy in the opening three rounds. Price was dominant throughout day two leading from the first to last lap and putting twelve marks between himself and Saturday’s winner Iwan Roberts – Beta. The scrap behind Price for the remaining podium positions was as fierce and intense as ever with Roberts edging out Arnau Farre – Gas Gas by a mere three marks come the end of lap three leaving the Spanish rider in third spot for the second day running. Continued series leader Miquel Gelabert – Sherco and Quentin Carles de Caudemberg – Beta who remains second in the general standings, finished fourth and fifth respectively today. Just ten points separates the top five riders in this class going into round four.

Marco Fioletti – Beta returned to his winning ways in the FIM 125 Cup as he stormed to a clear and emphatic victory on the second day of the Swedish GP after he had tasted defeat for the first time this season just twenty four hours earlier. With a total of just thirteen marks for the entire Trial, Fioletti ended the day twenty marks ahead of today’s runner up Jarmo Robrahn – Beta. This was the third occasion that the German rider has taken second spot since joining the series at the last round in the Czech Republic. Yesterday’s victor Sondre Haga – Beta fought his way back onto the podium come the finish follow a poor first lap. Fioletti continues to head the general rankings and is now twenty seven points clear of Maxime Varin – Scorpa who took fourth spot today.

The 2015 FIM Trial World Championship now moves swiftly on with Great Britain playing host to the fourth round of the series next weekend.

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