Toni Bou signs off on top in X-Trial Tarragona
By Team TMX on 20th Apr 26
Toni Bou capped another dominant X-Trial World Championship campaign with victory in Tarragona, securing his eighth win from nine rounds and the 99th X-Trial World Championship race victory of his remarkable career.
With the title already wrapped up, the Repsol Honda rider still delivered in front of his home crowd at the CaixaBank Tarraco Arena, edging out teammate Gabriel Marcelli in a hard-fought final that was decided in the closing section.
Just four points separated the pair after five sections, but Bou’s consistency once again proved decisive in a demanding final where one section went unbeaten by all four riders. The turning point came in Section 3, where Bou kept his footing while Marcelli, Jaime Busto and Matteo Grattarola all incurred maximum five-point penalties.
Marcelli’s runner-up finish was enough to secure second place in the overall championship standings, helped by a difficult night for Busto. Making his debut for Beta, Busto saw his hopes unravel after two costly maximums in the early stages, eventually finishing fourth.
Grattarola completed the podium with his second top-three finish of the season, backing up his earlier success in Ponte di Legno. The Italian impressed throughout the night, winning Q2 and carrying that form into the final.
Behind the finalists, Arnau Farre narrowly missed out after finishing second in Q2, with Francesco Titli, Harry Hemingway and Marco Mempor completing the remaining order.
Bou’s victory underlined a season of near-total control, despite the challenge of injury earlier in the year.
“I’m very happy with this win,” said Bou. “Riding in Tarragona in front of my home fans made it special. The final was demanding, but I built momentum section by section. It’s a great way to finish what has been a difficult season for the team.”
Marcelli was equally satisfied after securing second in the standings.
“It was almost a perfect night. I wanted the win, but second here and second in the championship is something to be proud of. I’ve been consistent all season.”
Grattarola admitted his podium came as a surprise after a challenging start to the event.
“I didn’t expect it after my mistakes in Q1, but I pushed hard in Q2 and took my chance in the final.”
In the final championship standings, Bou finished comfortably on top with 175 points, ahead of Marcelli on 123 and Busto on 107. Hemingway claimed fourth overall, with Grattarola completing the top five.
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Motorcycle Trials Late April 2026
Our regional list of trials around the UK in the second half of April 2026 with links to find out more.
