Walking wounded are back in Spain
By TMX Archives on 3rd Sep 09
AS the 2009 SPEA FIM World Trials Championship gets underway again, for the final two rounds after a long summer break, at least two of the top six riders approach the penultimate round at Tona, in Spain, carrying injuries. Series leader and reigning champ, Repsol Montesa's Toni Bou, has no such problems as he defends his 12-point lead but former champ, Gas Gas number one, Adam Raga, who is pushing Bou hard, hits his home round following an operation on a niggling knee injury. Raga originally injured his knee back at the Irish round and has carried the problem all season. Not everyone knows I have been suffering but I have been unable to practice, only riding trials, said Adam, So in July, with the summer break, I decided to have the operation. It has gone well and I have been training hard but have only been on the bike for a week. The ligament is still sore and painful when I ride but if I am to have any chance of closing down Toni I must give it my best shot.
Also struggling for fitness is Britain's seven-time champ Dougie Lampkin who broke a bone in his left wrist in a practice lap crash at the British Championship McKenzie Trial at Brimham Rocks, near Pateley Bridge, in his native Yorkshire.
Beta factory rider Doug has not been near a bike since the incident back on Sunday, August 2, as the wrist and hand, including his thumb, have been totally encased in plaster. Doug was due to visit a specialist on Wednesday this week to see what could be done for the weekend. Said Doug: I am fighting for fourth in the World Championship so one way or another I aim to be on my bike in Spain. This will probably mean riding with some kind of support cast, we'll have to find out what kind of shape the bone is in.
The Spanish trial takes place this Sunday at Tona, some 70km north of Barcelona and T+MX will carry a full report with Eric Kitchen's pics in next week's issue!
FOR FULL REPORT SEE T+MX NEWS, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2009