French finale!
By John Dickinson on 2nd Sep 11
THE final round of the SPEA FIM World Trials Championship takes place this weekend and after the proposed round in Poland was cancelled a couple of months ago a two day round was hastily arranged to take place in France as a European round as there has already been a French round and this will go ahead at Isola 2000, in the Alps, on Saturday and Sunday.
In the Championship class reigning champ Toni Bou and his factory Repsol Montesa remain hot favourites to lift the title yet again but Adam Raga has been on top form in recent weeks and has taken two wins in the last three rounds to reduce Bou's series lead to just 13-points.
With 40-points up for grabs over the weekend it is possible for Raga to pull off a shock Championship win but, with just a three point difference between first and second places it would still be necessary for Bou to have a disaster and effectively throw the title away. Still, anything can happen!
A total of 13 riders are entered including Dougie Lampkin who opted not to start in Japan due to his ongoing ankle problems. The Gas Gas rider/ team manager will be doing everything in his power to give Raga the best chance possible of unseating Bou! Also entered are James Dabill, Michael Brown, Alexz Wigg and Jack Challoner makinf five Brits in total.
It could end up being very tight at the top with Bou's Repsol Montesa team mate Takahisa Fujinami, Sherco's Albert Cabestany and Ossa's Jeroni Fajardo all wanting to end the World outdoor season on a high note as they think about next season's contracts.
Next-up the Junior class is still very much up for grabs although unfortunately there is no British contender here. The top three contenders are all Spanish with Montesa duo Alfredo Gomez and Francesc Moret and Gas Gas pilot Pol Tarres battling it out.
In reality, Gomez has the title all but sewn-up as he currently holds a handsome 19-point lead from Moret with Tarres, nephew of seven times World Champ Jordi, just four points further back.
Unless he has a disaster Gomez will lift the World Junior title with Moret and Tarres battling it out for the runner-up berth. Jonathan Richardson, the Sherco rider who opted to miss the Japanese round, is the sole British representative in the Juniors.
The World Youth Champs has already been decided in the favour of Jack Sheppard whose strategy of riding in Japan paid-off and two wins ensured the East Anglian factory Beta rider of the title. Jack is entered to ride this weekend but whether he rides or has his much needed wrist operation we will have to wait an see.
The 18-strong Youth class is the largest of the three and includes up and coming Bradley Cox and Luke Walker making it three Brits going for points as well as adding to their trials experience.
There'll be our usual full report with pics in next week's copy of TMX!
