Trials Torque: World in motion
By John Dickinson on 10th May 17
The 2017 FIM Trial World Championship gets underway this weekend at Campradon, Spain, in what is arguably the most important opening round since the series began back in 1975.
For the first time the TWC has been put in the hands of a private promoter, Trial7, a British company run by Jake Miller, who has already implemented some far-reaching changes, with more to follow in years to come.
TMX has carried major features on the Trial7 involvement and aims which are basically aimed at rejuvenating what had become a stagnant series and taking it forward in a positive way.
Using other motorcycle sports like MotoGP and MXGP as a guideline and incorporating the latest technology– including an online results system – it will be looking to bring the series into the 21st century.
One major change has been to upgrade Trial2 to full World Championship status while at the same time implementing a 250cc (300cc for four-strokes) machine capacity limit making Trial2 a capacity class, much as in MotoGP/ MXGP.
Rider age limit has been axed meaning that more senior riders can contest the series, leaving the door open for the likes of veterans Takahisa Fujinami and Albert Cabestany the option to extend their careers in years to come.
Trial7 has also taken responsibility for deciding which riders can contest which class to ensure that no rider is out of his depth and is in the class that benefits the series.
The 125cc class remains the same age-based series as previously for 2017, although if it does not improve in terms of numbers there is the possibility of making it a European series with reduced rounds as a way of boosting rider numbers.
Another major change is that the European rounds will feature just a single-day event, with the previous day devoted to practise and Qualifying, another idea taken from successful FIM speed events.
The main idea is to level the playing field, if only by a little, by stopping the top riders always having the luxury of riding the sections last.
The manufacturers' championship has also been subject to change in that the factories now have to name their riders in TrialGP and Trial2 (maximum two in each class) instead of simply being able to pick the leading rider on their machine in each event.
On the course, Trial7 will also be in full control of the sections. Each individual event promoter will tape out the basis of their sections but Trial7 will have control of where the flags are positions.
There will also be a solid Trial7 infrasructure with a permanent HQ/ media centre trailer which will be driven to each European round.
All of this will take pressure off each individual promoter and give a stable grounding to each event.
Behind the scenes there is much, much more going on that won't directly concern spectators but altogether the changes are aimed at producing a more professional, dynamic, enjoyable event. So, while there are changes aplenty, when it all comes down to it it is still all about riding the bike.
Nothing changes there and at the end of the day the best man will win – whatever class he or she is contesting so next we'll take a look at the runners and riders.
TRIALGP
THERE are 18 permanent riders in TrialGP – plus two wild cards for Japan, the veterans Tomoyuki Ogawa and Kenichi Kuroyama, long-time rivals on Honda and Yamaha respectively.
Heading the contracted entry of course is No.1 Toni Bou, Repsol Honda's reigning and 10-time World Champion and Barcelona boy Bou is hot favourite to make it 11 to exactly match his 11 consecutive X-Trial titles.
A minor change to the rules allows TrialGP contenders to choose their own riding numbers and TRS team leader Adam Raga has opted for No.67 instead of No.2 while Bou's Repsol Montesa team-mate Takahisa Fujinami sticks with No.3.
In truth, there are no dramatic changes in the TrialGP line-up with all the usual suspects ready to re-engage in battle, with the Spanish trio of Albert Cabestany (Sherco), Jeroni Fajardo (Vertigo) and the third member of the powerful Repsol Honda squad Jaime Busto completing the top six.
Only third-ranked Fujigas interrupts a Spanish clean sweep and even he has been Barcelona-based for the last 20 years!
Britain's James Dabill, riding under No.22, is currently seventh in the standings but riding as the Gas Gas factory No.1 there's every incentive to make the push into the top five this year. The Dibsta certainly has the talent to do it.
The top 10 is completed by Spain's Jorge Casales on the factory Beta, Italian Matteo Grattarola (Gas Gas) and up-and-coming Spaniard, Sherco's Miquel Gelabert.
Britain's second and final TrialGP contender is 2016 Trial2 champ Jack Price.
Pricey was the surprise of the series last year, having trained hard and made a notable improvement that resulted in a fully-deserved Championship.
It's a big jump up to TrialGP but Jack is totally up for it so bring it on.
TRIAL2
THIS is THE class for major British interest with no fewer than five contenders from the 32 hopefuls including wildcards.
And all are hoping to become the first ever Trial2 World Champion and make the jump to TrialGP, following in the footsteps of last year's winner Jack Price, when the series was designated as World Cup.
Welsh ace Iwan Roberts has earned his lead No.201 and heads the Beta attack. Iwan knows his way round the International scene now and this is his big chance. Dan Peace No.202 is joined this year by reigning Trial125 champ, brother Jack.
The Gas Gas mounted siblings will be World Championship rivals in 2017 with Dan really gunning for the title.
Jack doesn't have quite the same experience on the 250cc machines but is every bit as ambitious and comes off an incredinly successful 2016 season on the 125.
Dec Bullock will again be Beta mounted and Dec doesn't always get the results his riding deserves although he is a very consistent points scorer.
Toby Martyn was Dougie Lampkin's pick for a British Trial2 contender and the Cornish ace certainly has massive potential.
He is the factory's named Trial2 rider to join TrialGP's Jeroni Fajardo in the Manufacturer's team contest.
While the Brits are there in quality as well as quantity they will face stiff opposition from the likes of French Gas Gas rider Gael Chatagno and Italian Luca Petrella on the TRS.
Then there's Spain's Francesc Moret, who has dropped down from TrialGP to contest the inaugural Trial2 Championship, and has just got to be a pre-season favourite but, just as was planned, he is there for the young guns to shoot down.
TRIAL125
TRIAL125 continues as a Youth class, to be contested by 14-18-year-olds and there are a promising number of 22 challengers signed-up for 2017.
Once again Britain is very strongly represented.
Devon's Billy Green is a real hot prospect for this class particularly given his rides, that resulted in a podium, at last season's British round at Tong where the Beta rider was a revelation.
Billy will be joined by Oliver Smith (Gas Gas) and the Beta trio of Jake Eley, Josh Wright and Adam Joffs.
Jack Peace set the benchmark high last season as he raced to the title but Billy, who has two good wins to his credit in the British Youth A Championship from the two starts to date, shows every sign of having the skill and temperament to do just that.
ROUNDS
THE eight-round 2017 series, although Europe-based, is truly a World series as you can see by the calendar which includes Japan and the USA and which we will take a quick trip through round by round.
Firstly, all rounds count towards the TrialGP and Trial2 Championships, so if you want to post the best result possible you need to enter every round including the ‘flyaways' from Europe.
In order to help keep costs within reason the Trial125 series is restricted to the first five rounds which does include Japan. But if this does not work out Trial7 has not ruled out the possibility of taking the 125s back to a pure European series in future.
The Women's Championship comprises the last three rounds of the series, which includes the round in the United States.
Contenders were consulted on this and in fact the Women showed that they wanted a flyaway round but as with everything this year it will, of course, be monitored as the best possible way forward for the Championships is explored.
Camprodon in Catalunya is probably the very best place for the new regime to stage its first event.
Spain is the natural home of World Trials at present and the facilities at Camprodon are first-class as the team kickstart a new era. Yes, there will always be some unforseen problems but the Sport7 guys and girls have done everything they can to ensure a smooth-running opening round.
Japan is the first flyaway and Sport7 won't have their own infrastructure and will rely on the home-based organiser to provide the required facilities.
Motegi is well-versed in World Championship trials and the Japanese are well organised and ought to cope well with the first three-day event which includes two days of trials.
With one round each in April and May it is back to Europe in June and two rounds on consecutive weekends in Andorra and France.
It's back to two days (one day Qualifying and one day trial) at the well known St Julia in Andorra and a return to Lourdes, France, as introduced last year.
The French round will also feature an inaugural Electric class, again with an eye on the future of this rapidly developing technology.
Great Britain gets in on the act for the fifth round and sees a return to Tong, Bradford, after a successful first visit in 2016.
The sections are getting a thorough overhaul with more emphasis on natural, traditional British going.
There's then a break until September when it is off to the USA for the second and final flyway and also the final two day event of the year.
Two consecutive weekends in September in the Czech Republic and Italy will wind-up the 2017 Trial World Championships before before heading back to Spain, where it all began back in April, for the traditional season-ending Trial des Nations.
So it is off to Camprodon for the start of a new era in the history of the FIM Trial World Championship...
