Trials Torque: Nations go to war
By John Dickinson on 20th Sep 17
WITH the 2017 FIM Trial World Championship series now over, International attention now turns to the prestigious Trial des Nations team contests, often referred to as the Olympics of trials, that will take place this weekend.
This year the event takes place in Spain, but not in the hotbed of trials that is Catalunya, the trial taking place at Baiona, in the north west of Spain, close to the border with Portugal.
Baiona staged a World Championship round in 2010 and will use that experience to stage a hopefully excellent event for all the countries.
There are 30 teams in total which will contest the three classes.
World and International men will take place on Sunday and a Women's contest will precede the men's on Saturday.
As with the 2017 World Championships, there will be a Qualification session on Friday which will determine the all important start order for teams on race day.
In the Men's World contest, comprising seven teams, home nation Spain field the absolutely unbeatable (on paper anyway) squad of Toni Bou (Repsol Honda), Adam Raga (TRS) and Jaime Busto (Repsol Honda) who just happen to be the top three riders in the World in 2017.
Great Britain will effectively be battling for second place on the podium with what is a pretty hot team, comprising Gas Gas mounted Yorkshire duo James Dabill and Jack Price - both TrialGP contenders with James having just nailed the World No.6 ranking - and newly-crowned Trial2 Champ, Welsh ace Iwan Roberts on the Beta.
They will be looking to see off competition from Japan, Germany, France, Italy and Norway in the Premier class
The International class sports the biggest entry with no fewer than 13 squads eager to do battle.
And this one is pretty near impossible to call as several teams can call on one outstanding rider - like Sweden with Eddie Karlsson, and the USA with Pat Smage, - none appearing to boast a trio of outstanding talent.
Ireland will be relying on Sean Doyle, Stuart McClurg and Jonny Lunney, who can all ride a bit and should fancy their chances against teams from Portugal, Andorra, Belgium, Latvia and - somewhat amazingly - Guatamala.
The Women will see defending Champions Great Britain once more led into battle by four-times and reigning World Champion Emma Bristow on the factory Sherco.
She has backing from the ever-improving Jess Bown (Scorpa) - fresh from her best-ever World Championship result of fourth in Italy last weekend - and enthusiastic 'veteran' Donna Fox (Sherco).
The Foxy Lady, who has not competed in the World Champs this year, has been drafted in following the 'retirement' of long-standing stalwart Becky Cook, who has been concentrating on her Mountain Biking career in 2017.
The girls will have a fight on their hands with the Spanish squad competing on 'home' turf, made up of World vice champion Sandra Gomez (Gas Gas) and Beta pair Maria Conde and young gun Berta Abellan.
There are a total of 10 teams of ladies with the Germans also very strong, their trio of Theresa Bauml (Beta), Ina Wilde (Gas Gas) and Jule Steinert (TRS) looking at a podium placing.
Ireland is in action again with a two-girl team of Michelle Hanlon and Kate Callaghan.
In the TdN, the best two scores of up to three team members count, the third being discounted so clearly a three-person team has an advantage.
