Doug chases 100 as Bou hopes for four!
By TMX Archives on 25th May 07
THERE may only have been two rounds, Spain and the inaugural trip to Guatemala - and three days of riding (two counting days in South America to help justify the trip) but already this weekend's one-day round in France is looking pretty crucial for 2007 World Trials Championship contenders. And the reason is that Repsol-Montesa sensation Toni Bou has won all three rounds to date and is threatening to run away with the title - and add it to the Indoor one he collected over the winter!
Defending champ, Adam Raga, is already 11 points adrift and the GasGas number one really needs to stop the rot in France on Sunday. Thetrial will be based in the small town of Senez, some 150km east ofMarseille and with just one day of competition it is important to beright on top of your game from the start.
The Repsol-Montesa squad is by far the strongest this year withformer World Champs Dougie Lampkin and Takahisa Fujinami both lookingto put Bou in his place, as well as the likes of Raga and Sherco'sAlbert Cabestany, with Doug still having that extra incentive ofachieving an unbelieveable 100 GP wins.
The French trial has attracted a strong entry of no fewer than 77competitors which splits down into 24 World Championship chasers, 28Juniors and 25 Youths.
In the Championship, three Brits are looking for good points withDougie being joined by Future TRW Montesa rider James Dabill, freshfrom his superb Scottish win, back to riding the big stuff along withfellow Scottish rider, Gas Gas pilot Shaun Morris. Both Dibs and Morrisare looking for strong top ten finishes.
In the Juniors we have a total of six contenders with TTT Beta riderMichael Brown leading the series, by five points from 125 Gas Gasmounted Alexz Wigg. Wiggy has been switching between the 125 and the300 Gasser and it doesn't seem to do his riding any harm whatever herides.
These two are joined by Scorpa's Sam Haslam - looking to make a realimpact in France - and Sherco-riding ACE Trials Team members LeeSampson and Richard Ellwood and Repsol Beta rider George Morton.
Home hopes are in the hands of Nicolas Gontard.
In the Youth ranks, young Spanish gun Alfredo Gomez has dominated sofar with three wins from three starts but Ross Danby will be looking todo something about that on Sunday after a great week in Scotland on his125. Glasgow's Lee Shankie is the only other British runner in thelarge Youth class.
This is the last Euro round before the re-scheduled Japanese round which takes place the following weekend - June 2/3.
Read all about what happened in France - plus enjoy Eric Kitchen's inimitable camerawork - in next week's T+MX!