Nice try Spain
By TMX Archives on 8th Apr 15
SPAIN, represented by nine times X-Trial World Champ Toni Bou and veteran Albert Cabestany, who interestingly got the nod over Adam Raga, won the 2015 edition of the X-Trial des Nations as expected when it was staged in Nice, France, on Good Friday evening
The revived event, last staged at the same venue in 2012, saw the home French team take a popular second place thanks to Alexandre Ferrer and Loris Gubian.
The good news for Britain was that James Dabill and Michael Brown nailed the third podium position holding off Italy and Japan in a close contest. The British duo were actually holding a good second place after the opening lap of just six sections but the French fought back well from a maximum by Gubian on the very first section, urged on by an understandably partisan crowd.
The evening began with each Nation nominating one of their two riders to tackle a speed section, the result of which would determine the start order for the event proper. Veteran Cabestany, 35 this year, represented Spain and set the fastest time in 23 seconds giving the Sherco rider and his illustrious Repsol Montesa team-mate the advantage of going last, with the benefit of having watched the other four Nations set the bar in each of the six sections.
Tomoyuki Ogawa, on his Honda, having flown in from Japan in order to link-up with Repsol Montesa's Takahisa Fujinami, finished a close second with Dabill third for Team GB on the Vertigo.
FOR FULL REPORT AND PICTURES SEE TMX NEWS, APRIL 9 (ISSUE 1966)
