Brits gear up for TrialGP Belgium
By John Dickinson on 26th Jun 19
The 2019 FIM Trial World Championship has picked up pace now and this weekend sees the fourth round in Belgium follow on from last weekends Dutch promotion.
The venue is Comblain au Pont, near Liege, and this is a special event with the parc ferme actually in the towns main street, handy for bars, cafes etc.
Trial2 rider Billy Green
Sections are just a short distance away with rocky, dusty (weather forecast is for hot sunshine) slopes in steep woodland.
As in Holland, four classes are catered for with TrialGP, Trial2 and Trial125 being joined by the TrialE class for the second and final round of the 2019 electric class.
As ever, the TrialGP centres around reigning and 12-times Champ Toni Bou (Repsol Honda) as his rivals all hope that they can ride above themselves and Toni has a bad day at the office.
Brits James Dabill (Beta), Jack Price (Gas Gas) and Dan Peace (Sherco) all go for glory in the 14-strong Premier class.
Jack Price will be looking to add to his points tally in Belgium
Trial2 is where the British challengers have a real chance although they have come up against strong Honda-Montesa four-stroke powered opposition led by reigning champ, Italian Matteo Grattarola and hot Spanish prospect Gabriel Marcelli.
Toby Martyn (Beta) goes in search of his first win of 2019 with Jack Peace (Sherco) and Billy Green (Montesa) hoping to score, heavily backed up by Welshman Hugo Jervis (TRRS) and Ulsters Josh Hanlon (Beta).
Trial125 sees 14 starters which includes no fewer than three Brits, Scot Ben Dignan (Gas Gas) plus Beta-powered Brett Harbud and Jake Eley.
The five entrants in the poorly-supported TrialE class from the first round in Holland are joined by Italian Gianpaolo Concina on Electric Motion.
First-round winner Albert Cabestany goes for his first TrialE World title to keep the unbeaten Gas Gas run going with what would be a third consecutive title.
Japanese veteran Kenichi Kuroyama is his closest challenger on the Yamaha prototype. Saturday will see Qualification over a single timed section with the trial itself on Sunday.
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