Italy signals the start of the deciding title race
By TMX Archives on 17th Jun 09
After the long trip to Japan for the previous round, the 2009 SPEA FIM Trial World Championship arrives back in Europe this weekend to mark the start of the second half of the season. The Italian town of Barzio, approximately eighty kilometres north of the city of Milan begins this final run in, with the series then moving on to Andorra a week later prior to the closing two rounds in Spain and France in early September. These next four events will ultimately determine who will be crowned champions of the respective three classes.
For the third year in a row, Toni Bou – Repsol Montesa HRC has emerged as the man to beat in the World Pro class. Since being defeated by Adam Raga – Gas Gas on the opening day in Ireland, the young Spanish rider has been in devastating form winning the next six days of competition in straight succession. After Raga's initial victory, Takahisa Fujinami – Repsol Montesa HRC is the only other rider who has come close to toppling the mighty Bou this season, when he lost out to his team-mate on a most cleans tie break on the second day of the Japanese GP.
Fujinami will be looking to continue his return to form in Italy, and regain third spot in the championship following his DNF at the British round. Albert Cabestany – Sherco currently holds this position, but will drastically need to improve on his 7 – 8 showing in Japan, where he was forced to ride his second bike, if he is to stay in touch with the front-runners. The Beta pairing of Dougie Lampkin and Jeroni Fajardo complete the current top six, with little to separate third to sixth in the overall standings ahead of this Sunday's trial.
With both the Junior and Youth titles being decided over the best nine of eleven counting days, the two new champions of these classes could well be decided sooner rather than later. The British pairing of Alexz Wigg – Beta and Jonathan Richardson – Sherco currently head the Junior and Youth divisions respectively, with both riders having a real chance of claiming their individual crowns over the next two rounds if they can continue their recent run of good form. If this is the case, it will leave both young riders free to move up a class for the final two events, as a taster ready for next year.
Barzio will also host the second round of the 2009 UEM Trial European Championship on the day prior to the World event at the same venue and over a similar course.
2009 SPEA FIM TRIAL WORLD CHAMPIONHIP
Round 1 – Newcastle – Ireland
04-05 April – 2 Day Event
Round 2 – Chaves - Portugal
26 April – 1 Day Event
Round 3 – Carlisle – Great Britain
16-17 May – 2 Day Event
Round 4 – Motegi – Japan
06-07 June – 2 Day Event
Round 5 – Barzio – Italy
21 June – 1 Day Event
Round 6 – La Rabassa – Andorra
28 June - 1 Day Event
Round 7 – Tona – Spain
06 September - 1 Day Event
Round 8 – Isola 2000 – France
13 September - 1 Day Event
2009 FIM Riders Championship Current Standings:
World
1: Bou 137
2: Raga 118
3: Cabestany 86
For more information please visit
www.fim-live.com
