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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127684
TRIAL DE LES NACIONS _ • tsa aln • rtam tamstrl were pretty good, but there were a few that were too hard for us," said Hallsted, the top American finisher. "We had a few bad breaks, and I think we had the potential to finish closer to the top 10, probably about 11th or so." Hallsted's factory Montesa Cota coasted to a stop just after section 12 on the first loop with an empty gas tank, and he was forced to take fives in the remaining six sections in order to sta y on tim e. "I forgot to top off the tank," he said. Hallsted's misfortune resul ted in 30 points that may not have been had if he had attempted the six missed sections. Another misfortune befell the Americans on the second loop, when Moore crashed spectacularly in section eight and broke his rear brake caliper. The youngster was (Left) Jordi Tarre s, Angel Garcia, Joan Pons and Marc Colomer earned Spain Its fifth Trial des Nat ions Cham pionship. (Bel ow) Gas Gas rider Joan Pons nabbed the overall victory. Many dub him as the next World Championship contender. By Donn Maeda SANT)UUA' DE LORIA, ANDORRA, SEPT.3 hin gs couldn't have looked any . better for the Spanish National team as they readied themselves for the 11th annual Trial des Nations. Led by six-time World Champion [ordi Tarres, the four-man powerhouse boasted three more of the world's best trials riders: Joan Pons, Marc Colomer and Angel Garcia. Add team manager Amos Bilbao a four-time Spanish TdN team rider himself - to the equation, and,you've got a team that's hard to beat.. The event site didn't hurt, either. Nestled in the Pyrenees Mountains between Spain and France, the tiny country of Andorra served as the perfect locale for the Spaniards to strut their stuff. Only a location in Spain itself could have provided a greater home-country advantage, and throngs of enthused Spaniards made the short trip across the border to chee r their boys on. With four wins in the past five years - the last three in succession Spain was the heavy favorite. And things went exactly as plann ed. Individually, Pons, Tarres, Col omer and Ga rcia nabbed four of the top five finishin g positions, resulting in an overwhelming team victory. With their highest score thrown out, the Spaniards boasted a perfect 1-2-3 sweep that equaled a 46-point margin of victory over their nearest competitors. Pons and Tarres ended the day in a points tie, and though the overall win would have gone to Tarres by virtue of total cleans, Pons was awarded the honor when Tarr es was burdened with four time penalty points. Both riders ended the day with 15 points, but Tarres' fourpoin t penalty brought his final total to 19. "I was the last rider to attack each section," said Tarres. "Because of this, I was a little bit late to the finish, but we knew that we had some room to spare." T 12 Room to spare? Don 't ask. While the Spaniards ended the day with a 6O-point tally, the second-placed Great Britain team of Dougie Lampkin, Steve Colley, Graham Jarvis and Steve Saunders finished with a three-man total of 106. "I think we rode pretty well today," said Lampkin, son of former World Champion Martin Lampkin. "But the Spanish team is just so good. Second is nothing to be ashamed of." Entering the event, most agreed that if anyone were to dethrone the Spaniards, it would be the Brit s . Noted for their admirable ability to function as a team, the four riders approached the event with high expectations. Third place went to the Italian squad of Diego Bosis , Donato Miglio, Pietro Sernbenini and Dario Re Delle. Their final points tally was 116. "We rode hard today," said Bosis. "We had a few mistakes that were very damaging." In wi n ni ng, Sp ain mo ved int o a tie with France for th e m ost Trial des Nations wins. Since the event's incep tion in 1984, both nations have won the even t five times. As a matter of fact, the Italians are the only other team to have won the title . France wo n the first three championships before Italy won in 1987, then retu rned to the top in '88. Spain nabbed it's first victory in '89, and France scored its last win in '90. The Spaniards have won every TdN since, and are showing no signs of letting up. Representing the Stars and Stripes was a motley crew of Americans: Jess Kempkes, Lonny Hallsted, Andy Saurn and Matt Moore. Though many of the Europeans expected to see recently crowned National Champion Geoff Aaron, the y were just as pleased to watch the enthused Americans compete. Although the U.S. squad foun d a few of the sections too difficult to negotiate, they turned in a respe ctable performance and finishe d 15th in the field of 19 teams . "The sections