Top of the World

The Repsol Montesa ace is odds-on favourite to lift the crown and the 2012 action kicks-off in France with a two-day event in La Bresse. 

 

A total of 15 riders are entered for the Championship class, including four Brits led by last week's British Championship round winner Michael Brown (6), reigning British champ James Dabill (8), Jack Challoner (9) and Alexz Wigg (12).

 

Michael and James will be looking to break into the top five this year, although the quintet of Bou, Adam Raga, Takahisa Fujinami, Albert Cabestany and Jeroni Fajardo don't look like they plan on relinquishing their top slots any time soon. 

 

One name not on the list this year is seven-times World Champ Dougie Lampkin who only recently announced his retirement from World Championship Trials. 

 

Doug certainly won't be disappearing from the scene though as he has a multi role to fulfil at Gas Gas, one of which is help Adam Raga try and regain the crown he lost to Toni Bou. 

 

Adam was the instigator of the move that enticed Dougie to Gas Gas, recognising both his knowledge as a development rider and also as a motivator. 

 

Adam definitely responds to Dougie and the duo are a formidable pairing.

 

Former World Champ Fujinami – on the second Repsol Montesa – and Albert Cabestany are the senior statesmen these days.

 

But both can still hold their own as they proved in the recent Indoor events, while Fajardo still has a point to prove, having moved back to Beta after 12 months on the Ossa, when the bike was still very much under development.

 

Young Dani Oliveras will be waving the Ossa flag this year.

 

Both Jack and Alexz will be hoping to progress up the top 10 rankings, Alexz on a private Gas Gas with help of the redoubtable Ulsterman Harold Crawford.

 

In the Junior class there are 21 hopefuls down for the opening round, including Brit Jonathan Richardson, who sadly won't be attending due to the Yorkshireman – who won the final round of the 2011 series in Andorra – recovering from a complicated knee operation.

 

This leaves reigning World and European Youth champ Jack Sheppard as the sole Brit in class. This is Jack's first year in the Juniors and he is relishing the challenge on a full factory spec Beta 300 which is quite a step-up for the young East Anglian. 

 

Jack is himself still recovering from his own operation on the wrist that hampered his entire 2011 season.

 

He is now fully fit and absolutely ready for the new challenge in the Junior class.

 

The Youth class is once again the largest in terms of numbers and Britain is again well represented with no fewer than five hopefuls making the trip to France for the opener.

 

Bradley Cox, Bradley Bullock, Declan Bullock, Luke Walker and Tom Dexter will all be out there and Britain certainly has the chance of at least a podium, as they are a really talented bunch. 

 

There is also a new class for 2012, which is the International Open Trial Cup, aimed at riders wishing to try a World Championship event, but at a lower level. 

 

The British round will take place on the weekend July 28/29 at Carlisle in the Lake District.

 

Before then the regular competitors will have logged-up some air-miles as the Championship is set to visit Australia for the first time ever, followed by Japan which is a frequent round. 

 

So don't miss your copy of TMX next week as we'll bring you a full report with pics of the opener.