Raga looks to apply more pressure in Portugal
By TMX Archives on 8th Sep 08
With only a brief pause the 2008 FIM SPEA Trial World Championship enters into its final chapter, with the next two weekends seeing the closing two events of this year's series. Castelloli in Spain, just sixty kilometres North West of Barcelona will host the final round on 21st September, but prior to that this coming Sunday will see the championship make its penultimate stop in Portugal.
The Portuguese town of Paredes will welcome the series back, with the Southern European country having been absent from the calendar last year. Takahisa Fujinami Repsol Montesa HRC was the winner back in 2006, with Adam Raga Gas Gas being a close runner up on that occasion. Raga last won in Portugal in 2004, and will desperately be looking to repeat his success if he is to maintain the pressure on current championship leader Toni Bou Repsol Montesa HRC.
Victories in the Czech Republic and Sweden have seen Raga reduce Bou's margin down to just nine points with two Grand Prix events still remaining. Whilst Bou will have to suffer a major slip not to retain his title, he will not relish his trips to Portugal and Spain with so much pressure sitting on his young shoulders. The final fight between Raga and Bou is sure to be a tense affair, and will create a dramatic finale to this season's long campaign.
Fujinami continues to sit in a comfortable third spot in the general standings, but behind him little separates the threesome of Albert Cabestany Sherco and the Beta pairing of Dougie Lampkin and Jeroni Fajardo. Lampkin recorded his fourth, fourth place in Sweden to equal his best performance of his season to date. As a result of this the ex multi World champion now sits level on points with Fajardo, and just one point behind Cabestany whose inconsistent form continues.
French rider Loris Gubian Sherco has now established himself as the favourite in the Junior class, with him taking his sixth win in Uddevalla to edge further clear of Alexz Wigg Montesa. Wigg made some kind of return to form, by finishing as runner up in Sweden, but will need two victories at the remaining events if he is to overtake Gubian for the title. Alfredo Gomez Montesa currently holds third in the series, but only has a four point advantage over Matteo Grattarola Sherco.
Jack Challoner Beta may have already wrapped up the Youth championship, but behind him there is still plenty to fight for. Winner of the last round, Alexandre Ferrer Sherco is in second place at the moment, but will have to resist the threat of Francesc Moret Gas Gas if he is to maintain that position come the final day in Spain.
Paredes will host the final round of the UEM Trial European Championship on the day before the main World event.
Past winners
GP Portugal
1999 Dougie Lampkin
2000 Dougie Lampkin
2001 Dougie Lampkin
2004 Adam Raga
2005 Dougie Lampkin
2006 Takahisa Fujinami
2008 FIM Riders Championship
Current Standings:
World
1: Bou 185
2: Raga 176
3: Fujinami 157
Junior
1: Gubian 174
2: Wigg 160
3: Gomez 132
Youth 125cc
1: Challoner 171
2: Ferrer 143
3: Moret 139
2008 FIM Manufacturers Championship
Current Standings:
1: Montesa 342
2: Gas Gas 258
3: Beta 220
4: Sherco 163
This round: 14th September Paredes, Portugal
Final round: 21st September Castelloli, Spain