Luxem‘Bou'rg
By TMX Archives on 2nd Apr 08
TONI Bou survived a last lap scare to narrowly defeat Adam Raga by a single mark as the 2008 FIM SPEA Trial World Championship got under way at a muddy Warken, Luxembourg. The great news for British trials fans though is that Dougie Lampkin was back to near his best and traded blows for a share of the lead after the first lap before his challenge faded slightly during the later stages. After his nightmare Indoor campaign, this was just the confidence boosting start Dougie was looking for, in an event that just could have brought him that elusive 100th Grand Prix win.
Takahisa Fujinami completed the rostrum, as he too failed to match the second lap pace of Bou and Raga, but the Japanese rider put up a considerably stronger fight than Albert Cabestany managed, in a disappointing fifth position.
After having made such a good start to the defence of his Italian crown, James Dabill failed to shine in the ultra slippery conditions on board his Future TRW to finish a lowly eighth and some way off his target-men Jeroni Fajardo and Marc Freixa. Dabill just managed to hold off fellow Brit Michael Brown, who produced a much improved second lap to climb to ninth.
Britain's Alexz Wigg did the business in the Junior class with a clear win over Spain's Alfredo Gomez. Wigg looked ultra-confident aboard the Future TRW four stroke, and despite the added pressure of starting as favorite he was best on both laps to take the victory by a comfortable margin of ten marks. No less than four Brits packed the Junior top ten, as Sam Haslam, Ross Danby and Lee Sampson finished in sixth, seventh and ninth respectively.
Jack Challoner just missed out on matching Wigg's display, but was beaten by just a single mark on route to a good runner-up spot in the Youth 125 category. A virtually unknown Spanish youngster, Francesc Moret, whose minder was none other than the legendary Jordi Tarres, topped this class. Pre-event favorite Patrick Smage, from the USA, had to settle for third after time penalties cost him dearly, as only three marks separated the top three finishers.
The small, sleepy town of Ettelbruck last hosted a round of the World series back in 2003 and although five years had passed little had changed either on the streets or around the mainly man made course. The addition of some more imported rocks created a suitable challenge for the new series, with the severity in all three classes being almost spot on.
Lampkin looked awesome through the initial sections and matched early leader Bou mark for mark, until a five at section six took the shine off an otherwise stunning answer to those who had begun to doubt the seven times champion. The bumper 90-rider entry across the three classes always meant that time was going to be an issue around the compact course. Ably guided by his ever vocal father Martin, and his recently re-recruited cousin John, Dougie was right back on the pace through the later part of the first lap to be one of three riders tied in the lead.
Bou was actually the best on observation through the first 15 sections but a single time penalty left him equal with Lampkin and Fujinami, who were all on 25 marks apiece. The initially greasy conditions were not to the liking of either Raga or Cabestany, who were five and 11 marks off the pace respectively. Thankfully, the forecasted rain never arrived and instead the cold and chilly start to the day soon gave way to sunshine and warmer weather.
The effect on the hazards of the higher temperatures was dramatic, as the mud disappeared to leave equally slippery dust on the mass of boulders set around the wooded hillside. Unfortunately, Lampkin's charge faded with the moisture in the ground, as three simple mistakes resulted in three quick fives that took the win from his grasp and cruelly pushed him off the podium. Although Bou produced an improved second lap, it was Raga who was now setting the standard.
His closing lap of just 14 marks less than half of his first lap total and brought him within one mark of the victory. A soft five at section ten for Bou created a tense climax, which the reigning champion coped with well.
The tension and excitement of all three classes continues this coming weekend, as the championship moves on to the fantastic venue at Bangor in Northern Ireland.
With plenty of home support, Dougie could just grab his 100th GP win, Wigg could make it two victories in a row and Challoner could go one better.
Be there!
WORLD TRIALS CHAMPIONSHIP
Rd 1 Ettlebruck, LUXEMBURG
1 Toni Bou (E - Montesa) 24 + 18 + 1 = 43
2 Adam Raga (E - Gas Gas) 30 + 14 + - = 44
3 Takahisa Fujinami (J - Montesa) 25 + 28 + - = 53
4 Dougie LAMPKIN (GB - Beta) 25 + 32 + - = 57
5 Albert Cabestany (E - Sherco) 36 + 22 + 1 = 59
6 Jeroni Fajardo (E - Beta) 45 + 31 + 2 = 78
7 Marc Freixa (E - Gas Gas) 44 + 38 + - = 82
8 James DABILL (GB - Montesa) 46 + 55 + - = 101
9 Michael BROWN (GB - Beta) 59 + 46 + - = 105
10 Daniel Oliveras (E - Sherco) 64 + 41 + - = 105
11 Jerome Bethune (F - Beta) 62 + 46 + - = 108
12 Daniele Maurino (I - Gas Gas) 57 + 54 + - = 111
13 Jordi Pasquet (E - Beta) 62 + 54 + - = 116
14 Shaun MORRIS (GB - Gas Gas) 67 + 59 + - = 126
15 Carsten Stranghoner (D - Montesa) 75 + 63 + - = 138
SERIES STANDINGS: 1 Bou 20 points, 2 Raga 17, 3 Fujinami 15, 4 LAMPKIN 13, 5 Cabestany 11, 6 Fajardo 10, 7 Freixa 9, 8 DABILL 8, 9 BROWN 7, 10 Oliveras 6, 11 Bethune 5, 12 Maurino 4, 13 Pasquet 3, 14 MORRIS 2, 15 Stranghoner 1.
NEXT ROUND: April 6 Bangor, NORTHERN IRELAND.
For full report pictures see T+MX NEWS, Friday, April 4, 2008