Back to the future for TrialGP?
By Team TMX on 17th Jan 24
News Trials Trial World Championship
Big news breaking today in the trials world is that 'following extensive consultations in partnership with the manufacturers and other parties, the FIM has aligned itself with the majority of National Federations and in a major change to FIM TrialGP regulations, from 2024 onwards riders will be allowed to stop and move backwards in sections'.
So, kinda like they did in the old days. However, this time there will be a clearly defined time limit to keep things moving.
A story released on the TrialGP website (www.trialgp.com) but without a corresponding press release states that ‘TrialGP has changed considerably over the recent years and this forward-thinking approach is viewed as part of the natural evolution of Trial.
This new ruling brings TrialGP into line with the FIM X-Trial World Championship which evolves into a more demanding riding level for riders and gives them the opportunity to demonstrate their skills.
This change in rules will ease the conditions for Section Observers in their judgements, with the full and continued support of the FIM.’
FIM Trial Commision Director Thierry Michaud is all for the move. “Global conditions have changed considerably and the FIM’s approach is different from that of the previous decade,” he says. “During the previous seasons, the FIM carried out numerous expert appraisals and consultations with a view to improving these conditions and considering solutions for modernising the discipline.
“A majority of manufacturers and a number of riders expressed their desire for the greatest possible ‘freedom’ in expressing their enormous technical abilities in the sections with the main aim of putting on a show.
“To this end, the FIM has decided that its TrialGP organisations will focus primarily on visibility and the quality of the show put on. Other measures such as the acceleration of the race pace, the separation of certain classes and other decisions to come – leading to greater dynamism of the Events – will go in this direction.”
The FIM has stated that full regulations for the 2024 FIM Trial World Championship will be published in the coming days.
