Toni Bou delivers a Motegi masterclass as Abellan shines and Trial2 delivers drama
By Team TMX on 18th May 26
Toni Bou’s relentless pursuit of a 20th consecutive TrialGP crown could hardly have started in more emphatic fashion. At Mobility Resort Motegi, the Montesa maestro delivered a flawless statement of intent, sweeping all four races across the opening round of the 2026 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship and immediately asserting control over the premier class.
Across two sun-soaked days in Japan, Bou combined experience, precision and resilience to fend off a fiercely competitive field, while Berta Abellan mirrored his dominance in TrialGP Women and the ever-unpredictable Trial2 class once again proved why it remains the championship’s most volatile battleground.
The 2026 season opener also marked the debut of a revamped competition format, introducing Super Pole, Final and Super Final stages in TrialGP. The changes injected fresh intensity into proceedings, demanding not just consistency but also clutch performances under escalating pressure.
Bou adapted better than anyone.
After topping Friday’s Super Test to secure the best possible starting position, the 39-year-old navigated Saturday’s sections - grippier than last year’s rain-hit terrain - with calculated aggression. Despite early maximums, he built a decisive lead in race one, eventually taking victory by four marks ahead of Jaime Busto and Matteo Grattarola, with Britain’s Harry Hemingway impressing in fourth.
Race two showcased the full drama of the new format. Busto initially held the upper hand in the Final, but once scores reset for the Super Final, Bou delivered when it mattered most. Locked level with Busto at the end, he edged the Spaniard on a tie-break, underlining his ability to perform in the sport’s highest-pressure moments.
Sunday followed a similar script.
Gabriel Marcelli threatened early in race one, but Bou’s consistency - combined with a pivotal mistake from Busto - allowed him to secure another win. In the decisive Super Final later that day, Bou once again rose above the chaos. While rivals faltered on punishing sections, he produced a near-perfect ride to seal a fourth victory from four starts.
In TrialGP Women, defending champion Berta Abellan looked equally imperious on day one. Two controlled, authoritative wins gave her maximum points, with her closest challengers - Alessia Bacchetta and Andrea Sofia Rabino - unable to match her consistency.
Abellan’s second race performance on Saturday was particularly commanding, her score of nine handing her a comfortable margin of victory and reinforcing her status as pre-season favourite.
She carried that momentum into Sunday with a faultless opening race, finishing a remarkable thirteen marks clear of the field. But the second outing brought a rare stumble. A costly maximum on section four opened the door for Bacchetta, who seized the opportunity with a career-best ride to claim victory.
Even so, Abellan’s overall performance across the weekend leaves her firmly in control of the early standings.
As ever, Trial2 refused to follow a predictable narrative.
Saturday saw split wins between Arnau Farre and Britain’s George Hemingway, but it was Alex Canales – dropping down from TrialGP this season - who emerged as the standout performer thanks to two second-place finishes. His consistency handed him the early championship lead.
Sunday brought more upheaval.
Hemingway claimed another race win but failed to capitalise, while Billy Green rebounded from a modest first race to take victory in the second. That proved enough for the 2023 champion to edge the day’s overall classification ahead of Italy’s Francesco Titli.
Further down the order, Norway’s Jarand Gunvaldsen impressed with a breakthrough performance, finishing third overall after a strong and consistent showing.
Yet despite the shifting results, Canales’ measured approach paid dividends. A pair of solid finishes ensured he retained his position at the top of the standings, highlighting the premium placed on consistency in a class where outright wins alone rarely tell the full story.
Motegi offered clear early signals. Bou remains the benchmark in TrialGP, combining technical brilliance with unmatched composure. Abellan looks equally formidable in the women’s category, even if her unbeaten run has already been tested. And in Trial2, the battle is wide open, with multiple contenders capable of turning the tide at any moment.
With a four-week gap before the championship resumes in Andorra, teams and riders now have time to regroup.
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Motorcycle Trials Early May 2026
Our regional list of trials around the UK in the first half of May 2026 with links to find out more.