Can Toni Bou claim his 18th straight title at TrialGP of France?
By Team TMX on 21st Aug 24
News Trials Trial World Championship
Following a well-earned six-week break, the action in the 2024 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship resumes this coming weekend (August 24-25) with the TrialGP of France at Cahors.
Last visited by the championship in 2022, Cahors features sections comprising huge rocks and steep, loose bankings in a quarry along with hazards plotted on the banks of a river where more massive boulders and testing climbs await competitors.
Although there will be just one points-paying day of action for riders in the premier TrialGP and TrialGP Women classes along with Trial2 and Trial3 competitors, that will be enough for Spanish legend Toni Bou (Montesa) to clinch his 18th consecutive TrialGP title if he can claim his ninth victory of the season.
In fact, the 37-year-old – who currently leads his compatriot and team-mate Gabriel Marcelli by 42 points – does not even need to win to take the title, as long as he ends the weekend at least forty points clear of his rivals. Marcelli will do everything in his power to prevent this, but he has not beaten Bou all season so the odds are stacked against him and he will also be looking over his shoulder at Jaime Busto (GASGAS) – the only other rider still with a mathematical chance of winning the title – who is just nine points further back in third.
In TrialGP Women, defending champion Emma Bristow (Sherco) holds a healthy 13-point lead from Spanish rival Berta Abellan (Scorpa) and with four wins from five starts in 2024 the British rider – who is focussing on her tenth title in 11 years in her final season in top-flight Trial – will be aiming to extend her advantage before the series concludes next month in Spain.
Competition will be fierce throughout the class, but especially among the other riders in contention for a top-three finish including Italy’s Andrea Sofia Rabino (Beta), Naomi Monnier (Montesa) from France and Britain’s Alice Minta (Scorpa) who have all made a visit to the podium at least once this year.
Trial2 is a hugely competitive class, but consistent results – including four wins and three other podium finishes – have given Britain’s Jack Peace (Sherco) a comfortable 19-point cushion over Spanish rider Arnau Farré (Sherco).
Farré took his third win of the season last time out in Belgium and third-placed Alex Canales from Spain and Norwegian former champion Sondre Haga (GASGAS) – who currently sits seventh – have also taken victories in 2024 so the podium positions are just too close to call, especially when you factor in defending champion Billy Green (Scorpa) from Britain who has been second on five occasions this year.
The Trial3 competition concludes at Cahors and although the title was secured for a second consecutive year by Britain’s George Hemingway (Beta) at the previous round, his compatriot Euan Sim (Sherco) – in his first season competing at this level – will be aiming to repeat his victory in Belgium and defend his second place in the series from home hero Romeo Piquet (Beta).
