Merci Bou coup
By TMX Archives on 19th Apr 13
NOT even an early scare, when he was forced into a tie-breaker with his Repsol Montesa team-mate Takahisa Fujinami as the pair just scraped through Qualification, could stop seven times World X-Trial champ Toni Bou winning the fifth and final round of the 2013 series staged in Nice, France, on Saturday evening.
Although Adam Raga was to give him another scare at the end of the night, the indisputable truth though is that this was Tony's 21st straight victory in the indoor championships.
But while Bou kept his record-breaking band-wagon on the road until the 2014 X-Trial season begins, the battle in Nice, played out in front of a full-house crowd, was all about who would finish runner-up in the current series.
An all-Catalan trio (Bou made it four) of Adam Raga, Albert Cabestany and Jeroni Fajardo were in the hunt, all made the final and all were in the top four of the series.
And it was Gas Gas number one Adam Raga who took the event by the scruff of the neck and rode confidently to lift the vice-champion's trophy.
To Adam, who has not looked confident all series, it was as good as a win.
And it could actually have very easily been a win on the night.
Only a single mark separated him from the acknowledged master, Bou, with third-placed Beta ace Jeroni Fajardo a long way back in third place, ahead of Sherco's equally inconsistent Cabestany.
And still there was a twist in the tail
Although this victory on the night over Cabes hoisted Jeroni equal on points with the Sherco man – 51 apiece in the series – he lost out on third overall in the championship on a tie break!
With no wildcard riders called-up in Nice, just the regulation eight contracted contestants began the night with five qualifying sections.
First to hit the exit were Britain's Jack Challoner and home rider Alexandre Ferrer.
The latter's instant dismissal was something of a shock as the Sherco rider was expected to raise his game for the fans but, following an excellent start to his indoor campaign in Sheffield back in January, Ferrer has failed to reach that standard again. Jack has endured a torrid five rounds indoors but at least he can now look forward to the outdoor season.
Italian Gas Gas contender Matteo Grattarola enjoyed his best ride of the series to easily make the cut to the semis.
The big surprise was Bou clocking-up two fives in the Qualifier and suddenly finding himself up against his own Repsol Montesa team-mate Takahisa Fujinami in a tie-break for the final two qualifying places.
From there Toni decided "no more mistakes” and he stormed through the semis to drop just a single mark with a brilliant one dab ride in the final hazard which Raga scraped through for a three and the remainder fived.
So it was goodbye to Grattarola, after a sterling effort from the Italian and also to Fujigas.
FOR FULL REPORT AND PICTURES SEE TMX APRIL 19
WORLD X-TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Rd 5 (Final) – Palais Nikaia, Nice, FRANCE
FINAL (4 sects + Semi + Lane Races): 1 Toni Bou (E - Montesa) 4 + 1 + 0 = 5 marks, 2 Adam Raga (E - Gas Gas) 1 + 4 + 1 = 6, 3 Jeroni Fajardo (E - Beta) 11 + 6 + 0 = 17, 4 Albert Cabestany (E - Sherco) 11 + 7 + 1 = 19.
SEMI-FINAL (4 sects + Lane Race): 1 Toni Bou (E - Montesa) 1, 2 Adam Raga (E - Beta) 4, 3 Jeroni Fajardo (E - Gas Gas) 6, 4 Albert Cabestany (E - Sherco) 7.
ELIMINATED: 5 Matteo Grattarola (I - Gas Gas) 8, 6 Takahisa Fujinami (J - Montesa) 12.
QUALIFICATION (5 sects): 1 Albert Cabestany (E - Sherco) 5 (11.17-secs), 2 Adam Raga (E - Gas Gas) 5 (11.64-secs), 3 Jeroni Fajardo (E - Beta) 6, 4 Matteo Grattarola (I - Gas Gas) 6, 5 Toni Bou (E - Montesa) 10 (10.52-secs), 6 Takahisa Fujinami (J - Montesa) 10 (16.21-secs).
ELIMINATED: 7 Jack CHALLONER (GB - Beta) 12, 8 Alexandre Ferrer (F - Sherco) 15.
FINAL SERIES STANDINGS after 5 rounds: 1 Toni Bou 100 points (CHAMPION), 2 Adam Raga 58, 3 Albert Cabestany 51, 4 Jeroni Fajardo 51, 5 Takahisa Fujinami 39, 6 Matteo Grattarola 19, 7 James DABILL 18, 8 Alexandre Ferrer 17, 9 Jack CHALLONER 15, 10 Francesc Moret 4, 11 Pere Borrellas 3, 12 Michael BROWN 3.
