Trials Torque: World Trial Preview - Germany
By John Dickinson on 25th May 16
THE third round of the FIM Trial World Championship takes place this weekend, with a return to Gefrees, Germany, after a gap of five years.
Reigning nine-time World Champ Toni Bou won the single-day round the last time the series visited Germany, back in 2011.
And the Repsol Honda star will be looking to extend his slender lead in the current title chase.
Bou leads his arch rival, TRS No.1 Adam Raga, by just five points.
And Raga too has past form at Gefrees having won both days when the event was staged in 2005 to win the first of his two World titles.
Toni won the second day in both Spain and Japan while Raga won the opening day's competition in Japan.
But it was Sherco's Albert Cabestany who took the opening round of the season and Cabes currently lies third in the series ahead of Bou's Repsol Honda team-mates, veteran Takahisa Fujinami – who enjoyed two podiums in the Japanese TrialGP in front of his Honda bosses – and young gun Jaime Busto.
Vertigo teamsters Jeroni Fajardo and James Dabill are currently sixth and seventh in the series, Dibs having claimed a podium on day two in Spain.
With Gas Gas UK ace Michael Brown having retired from the series after being unable to find Championship form in the two opening rounds, James is now Britain's sole representative in the premier class which boasts 20 entries for Gefrees although Vertigo rider Francesc Moret is a doubtful starter having bust his hand in the European round last weekend – while walking a section.
The German public have 18-year-old Franz Kadlec to cheer-on as the new factory Gas Gas teamster gets to ride his first home TrialGP.
Trial2 is currently dominated by the four Brits contesting the series and all four hold top 10 placings.
Iwan Roberts (Beta) and Jack Price (Gas Gas) hold first and second places, just a single mark apart while Dan Peace (Gas Gas) moved up to fifth after a superb victory on the second day in Japan.
Beta rider Dec Bullock sits in tenth after scoring consistently in all four rounds.
There are just eight Trial125 contestants but Gas Gas mounted Jack Peace boasts a 100 per cent winning record, with four wins from four starts.
German challenger Max Faude has four second places to his name and will be looking for inspiration from riding his home GP as he tries to take the fight to Jack.
Can Raga peg back Bou's TrialGP lead? Will the Brits dominate Trial2? Will Jack keep his Trial125 winning streak going?
Full story in next week's issue...
