Bou's X-rated show for Pals
By TMX Archives on 3rd Dec 10
TONI BOU took the first step towards winning his fifth consecutive World Indoor Trials Championship on Saturday evening when he won the opening round of the 2011 SPEA FIM X-Trial' series which was staged in Genoa, Italy, where it shared joint billing with the opening round of the World Indoor Enduro Championship.
The Repsol Montesa rider was always in control of an event that was considerably easier than most Indoors, apart from two all-but impossible sections in the Semis, and it was here that the Barcelona boy made his decisive break.
The Genoa sections, for the re-branded X Trial opening round, were set-out around the Enduro course in the stadium with several hazards more like outdoor sections, constructed from local stone and marble, which actually gave the less experienced Indoor riders more chance of causing an upset. Not that they did – but it was a close run thing with Brit James Dabill only just making it through Qualification with Michael Brown and Jack Challoner snapping at his heels.
The 2011 series will be contested by eight contracted riders who are, Toni Bou, Adam Raga, Albert Cabestany, Jeroni Fajardo, Takahisa Fujinami, James Dabill, Michael Brown and World Junior Champ Jack Challoner. The organiser of each individual round is also allowed to invite up to two wild card riders. That honour in Italy went to home rider Francesco Iolotta.
Full report and images in T+MX News, dated December 3, 2010
RESULTS
WORLD X-TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Rd 1 – Palafiera, Genoa, ITALY
FINAL (4 sects + Semi + Lane Races): 1 Toni Bou (E - Montesa) 3 + 1 + 5 = 9 marks, 2 Albert Cabestany (E - Sherco) 0 + 2 + 10 = 12, 3 Adam Raga (E - Gas Gas) 2 + 1 + 11 = 14, 4 Jeroni Fajardo (E - Beta) 7 + 11 + 10 = 28.
SEMI-FINAL (4 sects + Lane Race): 1 Toni Bou (E - Montesa) 5, 2 Albert Cabestany (E - Sherco) 10, 3 Jeroni Fajardo (E - Beta) 10, 4 Adam Raga (E - Gas Gas) 11. ELIMINATED: 5 Takahisa Fujinami (J - Montesa) 13, 6 James DABILL (GB - Gas Gas) 14.
QUALIFICATION (4 sects): 1 Toni Bou (E - Montesa) clean (19-sec), 2 Adam Raga (E - Gas Gas) clean (21-sec), 3 Albert Cabestany (E - Sherco) clean (33-sec), 4 Takahisa Fujinami (J - Montesa) clean (37-sec), 5 Jeroni Fajardo (E - Beta) 6, 6 James DABILL (GB - Gas Gas) 7. ELIMINATED: 7 Michael BROWN (GB - Gas Gas) 8, 8 Jack CHALLONER (GB - Beta) 10, 9 Francesco Iolitta (I - Beta) 11.
SERIES STANDINGS: 1 Bou 20 points, 2 Cabestany 15, 3 Raga 12, 4 Fajardo 9, 5 Fujinami 6, 6 DABILL 5, 7 BROWN 3, 8 CHALLONER 2, 9 Iolitta 1.
NEXT ROUND: January 22 – Palais des Sports, Marseilles, FRANCE.