Raga back on top as mistake costs Bou dearly
By G2F on 15th Jul 07
Adam Raga Gas Gas today took his second victory of the 2007 FIM SPEA Trial World Championship with a win over Toni Bou Repsol Montesa HRC and Albert Cabestany Sherco at the Czech Republic Grand Prix held at Kramolin, south of Prague.
In what was to be a low scoring event held in searing heat, both currentchampionship leader, Bou and reigning outdoor champion Raga found themselvestied on two marks apiece at the end of the first lap. Both riders dropping theirmarks on the same two sections. However, a careless mistake, totally out ofcharacter given his current form, was to cost Bou dearly when he dropped a fiveon the seventh section of the second lap.
With Raga on form and cleaningsection after section there was to be no comeback for the young Spaniard. Ragaran the entire second lap clean to win by two marks to Bou's seven. Following atough battle with Takahisa Fujinami Repsol Montesa HRC, Cabestany celebratedhis second successive podium position of the series with another third placefinishing just one mark adrift of Bou.
Bou still retains his lead in thechampionship standings with a seventeen point lead over Raga. Fujinami remainsin third position, but Cabestany now moves up into fourth place overtakingDougie Lampkin Repsol Montesa HRC who finished the event in a poor seventhposition.
In the Junior championship, it was to be a day of domination byBritish riders. Alexz Wigg Gas Gas, Michael Brown Beta and Sam Haslam Scorpa, occupied all three places on the podium. As with Bou in the seniorchampionship, it was to be a single five in the seventh section that costchampionship leader Brown his seventh win of the series. He still maintains atwenty one point lead over Wigg and remains the favourite to win the Juniortitle.
The Youth championship saw young American, Patrick Smage return tothe top of the podium following his win at the Grand Prix of Italy two weeks agofollowed by sixth place at the Polish GP last weekend. Smage completed theentire event without dropping a single mark, although second place Ross Danby Gas Gas only lost a single dab in the event. Third place went to David Millan Sherco of Spain. Championship leader Alfredo Gomez Gas Gas finished off thepodium in fourth place turning in his worst performance of the season to date,but he retains a twenty nine point lead over second place Danby in thechampionship standings.
Following three frenetic weeks of country tocountry events, the championship now takes a very short break of just oneweekend, returning with the Grand Prix of Great Britain on 29th of July.
Day 1 Results: (1 Day event)
World
1: Raga 2
2: Bou 7
3: Cabestany 8
Junior
1: Wigg 4
2: Brown 5
3: Haslam 9
125cc
1: Smage 0
2: Danby 1
3: Millan 2
2007 Riders Championship Current Standings:
World
1: Bou 175
2: Raga 157
3: Fujinami 129
Junior
1: Brown 169
2: Wigg 138
3: Gontard 112
125cc
1: Gomez 170
2: Danby 141
3: Cervantes 129
2007 Manufacturers Championship Current Standings:
1: Montesa 307
2: Gas Gas 171
3: Sherco 158
4: Beta 128
5: Scorpa 81
This round: 15th July Kramolin, Czech Republic
Next round: 29th July Hawkstone Park, Great Britain