Preview: Trial des Nations
By John Dickinson on 7th Sep 16
THE end of season FIM Trial des Nations takes place this weekend in the French southern Alps resort of Isola 2000 with World Championship and International mens classes plus the Womens TdN.
There's just six Nations in the World Championship class – Spain, Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan and Norway – and a new rule that restricts each nation to just three riders, not four as in previous years.
Spain start as hotter than hot favourites with 2016 and ten-times World Champ Toni Bou (Repsol Honda), vice champ Adam Raga (TRS) and world number four Albert Cabestany (Sherco).
As the TdN winners for the last twelve years and with 22 titles in total it is a wonder that any other nations turn up!
The rider missing out is Jeroni Fajardo who, in the four-man set-up, was a member of the winning team for the last ten years.
Great Britain is led by British champ and World No.7 James Dabill (Vertigo) and Dibs is backed-up by 2016 Trial2 Champion and vice champion Jack Price (Gas Gas) and Iwan Roberts (Beta). It is a good mix of experience and youth and a podium is very much on the cards.
The Japanese team is the most experienced in the field and led by the popular World No.3 Takahisa Fujinami (Repsol Honda).
Barcelona-based Fujigas is now 36, yet his team-mates, who will be flying in from Japan, are even more senior.
Kenichi Kuroyama (Yamaha) was once a regular on the World Championship circuit and is now a youthful looking 38, while Tomoyuki Ogawa (Honda) is a year older at 39.
France, the host nation, rely on the experienced Alexandre Ferrer (Sherco), Loris Gubian (Beta) and up and coming Benoit Bincaz (Scorpa) – and with home advantage could easily turn up on the podium.
The International class is by far the biggest with 18 countries trying their luck, including Ireland who field Craig Doyle (Scorpa), Chris Brown (Gas Gas) and Stuart McClurg (Sherco).
The Irish team always put up a good show but the favourites are sure to be Germany and Czech Republic in a class notoriously difficult to produce winners.
The last five years have seen the Czech Republic and Germany trade victories with three wins for Germany and two for the Czechs.
The Czech Republic were on top last year and go with three riders from last year's winning team (Jiri Svoboda misses out) Martin Kroustek (Vertigo) Martin Matijicek (Gas Gas) and Marek Wunsch (Gas Gas) hoping to retain their title.
And it isn't just European teams, there are squads arriving from the United States, Canada, Australia and even Chile.
On Saturday, the day before the men, a total of 13 Women's teams, compete, comprising 11 nations, plus two mixed international squads – which are included to encourage more girls to enter.
And after winning the trophy for the last three years Great Britain go into the events as favourites with an unchanged squad Lf three times World Champion Emma Bristow (Sherco), Becky Cook (TRS) and Donna Fox (Sherco).
Spain look to be the strongest opposition with Sandra Gomez (Gas Gas), Mireia Conde (Beta) and rapidly rising teenager Berta Abellan (Beta), while the host French nation go for a very young team, with Marine Aurieres (Beta) just 17 years old and two
18-year-olds, Laurence Dugnas (Scorpa ) and Laurie Ehrhart (Sherco).
Again, there are teams flying in from different continents with girls from the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
It's all set for a great weekend of International competition.
