Bou to deliver a French lesson?

That would match the feat first achieved by Dougie Lampkin in 2003, while the great Jordi Tarres also amassed seven crowns – although not consecutive. 

 

The seven outdoor titles will also exactly match the Catalan's seven consecutive Indoor champs.

 

The 2013 season has been the toughest for Bou by a distance as the Repsol Montesa pilot has, by his own admission, struggled to come to terms with the No-Stop observing which was introduced for the 2013 series.

 

Former World Champ Adam Raga has given Bou a real run for his money this term trading wins with his arch rival with never more than a couple of Championship points between them.

 

In fact it was only at the double-header British round, staged at Nord Vue, Penrith, Cumbria the last weekend in July that Bou was able to put distance between himself and the Gas Gas rider.

 

Bou was in superb form over the weekend to take a pair of comprehensive victories. 

 

Raga meanwhile was in all kinds of trouble as he was clearly suffering under the pressure.

 

And although he did well to finish in distant third and second places, Bou was able to pull out a 10-point Championship lead which he is not expected to lose over the two days in France.

 

Raga is a shoe-in for second overall being a mighty 44 points ahead of current third placed Takahisa Fujinami who is of course Bou's Montesa team-mate. 

 

But Fuji will have to be at his best to hold off  Sherco's Albert Cabestany and Beta's Jeroni Fajardo, who are right on his tail, just seven and eight points astern respectively.

 

That third place is well up for grabs.

 

For leading Brit James Dabill the 2013 season has been something of a disappointment. Dibs has shown great form riding no-stop in the British Champs, but has been unable to carry that into the Worlds and while he is safe in sixth, some 45 points ahead of Italian Matteo Grattarola he is in turn 30 points adrift of his team-mate Fajardo. 

 

A good finish to the season is needed by James.

 

Jack Challoner is currently in 10th place overall on 60 points but the Beta rider is only seven ahead of Ossa's Dani Oliveras with Michael Brown, who missed several rounds with a knee injury sustained at the Scottish Six Days, just four further back. 

 

Michael will also be looking for a pair of good results in France to hoist him into that important top-10 berth.

 

Quentin Carles de Caudemberg has already tied-up the Youth champs but the Juniors is still up for grabs between Spanish riders Jorge Casales and Pol Tarres while Jack Sheppard and Jonathan Richardson could well have a say into where the title eventually goes.

 

Full report and pics of course in TMX next week.