Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

.OBSERVED TRIALS Final Round: Bilstain, Belgium World Championship Observed Trials Series To tremendous applause from the crowd, he then cleaned the second section and planned to save as many marks as possible in the sections he thought he _~"" could get through. It was just as well he gritted his teeth and made the effort as Tarres was simply inspired, out to prove a point and prove it good. The seven-time World Champ completed his second loop in drying condiholding a narrow lead, having dropped tions for 13 and was matched only by four marks to Colomer's five, while TarKuroyama, out to prove a point of his res was on 14 and Kuroyama a high 23 own. Next was actually David Cobos, after suffering no fewer than four fives. who slashed his opening-loop total from All this was to change, though, as 37 to 16 on the second. A a result, the Lampkin lost it at the summit of a nasty Spanish teenager roared up the scoreclimb in the eighth section, plummeted board. Lampkin made it in on 24, havoff the side of the Beta and shook himing cleaned the last four sections as the self up very badly - as well as breaking wrist wanne d up." his wrist, although he didn't know that Out for the final loop, Tarres really at the time. All Lampkin knew was that turned the screw with a brilliant final it "was bloody hurting!" lap of eight when he cleaned 11 of the 14 Amazingly, Lampkin came back to sections. This allowed him to overtake clean the ninth section and then power both Colomer and Kuroyama to take a through the steps at the 10th where both . telling win, although Colomer wasn't Tarres and Colomer crashed to maxitoo worried. Third place was more than mum scores. Miglio surprisingly he needed to put a smile on his face for cleaned the 10th, as did teenagers the first time this season Takahisa Fujinami and Gabriel Reyes, "Obviously this is what I have worked for all my life." Colomer said. "And it is fantastic to be world champion. Last year 1'10st with just one bad ride in Andorra, this year I have won five rounds and never finished out of the top three.. I think that is really good consistency. But I think next year will be even harder with Doug and Kenichi still getting better." Lampkin, an amazing fourth on the day, was happy to move up from fourth last season to second in the rankings. "Obviously I wanted to win the title," said Lampkin, "but Marc has been more consistent. But l'm still going the right way: sixth, fourth, and now second, and we will still be going for it next year." Jordi was happy to bask in the glory of his final win and was one of the first to congratulate Colomer on his championship. "Today I proved that I can still beat them all," Tarres said. "My last lap included a stupid five on an easy section. It was almost a perfect lap." Miglio finished a surprising fifth, while Cobos was sixth, easily his best result, and definitely a warning that the young Spaniard is on his way. Tommi Ahvala, in seventh, remains stuck in a wilderness with little confidence following an injury-plagued early season. Graham Jarvis' eighth was cause for big celebration in the Scorpa camp as it moved him into ninth in the standings, a big both the latter tellingly on the new boost for his confidence. Colomer-replica machines. And there is much more to come £rom Fujinami, on the HRC-badged bike, the inconsistent Takahisa Fujinami who seems to have only two throttle posijust elbowed Marcel Justribo out of ninth. tions, closed and wide open His style is Further down the order, Gabriel erratic but spectacular,-whiJe Reyes is Reyes is now putting in some telling much more controlled, more in the rides on the factory Montesa as Joan Colomer mold. Pons fights to regain the form that saw Tarres, after a promising start, was him third in the world just two seasons about to slip badly and consecutive fives ago. Tomoyuki Ogawa finished 13th. (X at 12 and 13 were to drop him down to seventh at the end of the loop on 3l. B11st11ln Kuroyama, on the other hand, bounced B11st111n, BelgIum back from his disastrous start and actuResults: August 17-18,1996 (Round 10 of 10) ally cleaned six of the last seven sections 1. Jordi Tanes (G-G) S2; 2. Kenichi Kuroyama (Bet) to hold third place on 24. 55; 3. Marc Colomer (Mon) 58; 4. Doug tampIOn (Bet) 61; 5. Donato M;glio (Bet) 70; 6. David Cobos (G-G) 72; At the front, though, Colomer had 7. Tommi Ahvala (Fan) 85; 8. Graham Jarvis (5co) 92; 9. kept his cool to lead on 16 with LampTakahisa Fujlnami (Hon) 26; 10. Marcel Justribo (Bet) 99; 11. Gabriel Reyes (Mon) 102; 12. Joan Pons (G-G) 103; kin right behind on 18, but in big trouble 13. Tomoyuki Ogawa (Bet) lOS; 14. Bruno Camozz; (Gwith that injured wrist. G) 106; 15. Amos Bilbao (G-G) lOB; 16. Steve CoUey (GThe series looked to be all over but G) 109; 17. Takumi Narila (Bet) 110; 18. Frederic Crosse! (G·G) 115; 19. Piero Sembeninl (C·G) 140; 20. Marc. the shouting: Colomer would win to CatUa (G-G) lS8. secure his title and maybe Lampkin WORl.D C'SHIP OBSERVED TRIAI.5 SERIES FINAl. POINT STANDINGS (Alter 10 of 10 rounds): 1. Marc wouldn't even have to start. But could Colomer (179/5 wins); 2. Doug Lampkin (162/2); 3. he risk it? On Sunday morning, after iniJordi Tarres (156/3); 4. Kenichi Kuroyama (120); 5. Bruno Camozzi (94); 6. Amos Bilbao (69); 7. Takahisa tial attempts to ride failed completely, Fujinami (67); 8. Tonuni Ahvala (67); 9. Graham Jarvis Lampkin had his wrist heavily strapped, (5S); 10. Marrel Justribo (53); 11. Steve CoUey (47); 12. packed with ice and took a dose of painJoan Pons (43~ 13. Donato Miglio (41); 14. David Cobos (34); 15. Tomoyuki Ogawa (33); 16. Gabriel Reyes (24~ killing tablets, then opted not to ride the 17. Takumi Narila (23~ 18. Diego Bosis (22~ 19. Joachim opening bone-jarring hazard. Hindren (20); 20. Jose Benitez (1~ If By John Dickinson 40 BITSrAlN, BELGIUM, AUG. 17·18 arc Colomer brought Jordi /I,'V:J'a.rres' three-year Gas Gasmounted world championship run to a close when a nervous third place in the final round of the season in Belgium was enough to give the young Spaniard his first World Title. Runner-up twice to Tarres in the series, Colomer allowed himself a double celebration as he turned 22 Saturday, and his Montesa factory also was breaking into the bubbly as it had its first world championship in the bag since 1980 when Swede Vlf Karlson ruled for a year. The Belgian trial, staged at the famous Bilstain venue, where 'crowds of thousands used to turn up in the early '80's to watch local hero Eddy Lejeune wipe the floor with everyone on his works Honda, may have given Colomer his first title, but the result asked as many questions as it answered. Tarres not only won the trial, his third of the series and an unbelievable 61st GP win, he also let it be known that he would be back next year, at the age of 30, to regain his crown {or what would be a record third time. Meanwhile, Japanese teenager Kenichi Kuroyama was busy posting his best performance of the year, splitting the two Spaniards in .the resul ts sheet and showing that he will be a real title threat next year. And Doug Lampkin, who has battled with Colomer for supremacy all year, rode on after a horrmc crash, suffering what turned out to be a broken right wrist - and he still finished fourth to deny the rampant Tarres second place in the series. But back to Bilstain. The trial followed pretty much the same format as most other world rounds these days with 14 sections set on man-made ~ock piles blasted from the steep bankings at the permanent trail park. Many were purely technical and one result of this was the surprise fifth place of veteran rider Donato Miglio, his best performance by a long way this year. At the start of the day, Colomer was virtually home and dry for the title, (Above) Doug lampkin (left) shakes hands with MW World Trials Champion Mere Colomer. Lampkln suffered e broken wrist In the triIIl, but continued riding to protect his second In the championship. (Right) Jordl Terres showed brllUent form In Belgium to . cerd the 6151 win of his cereer. holding a IS-point advantage over Lampkin, who in turn had the luxury of a 13-point cushion over Tarres in third. Heavy midweek rain had made the sections very slippery for Saturday's opening loop and it looked like a hard day's work was in prospect when no one mastered the steep, slippery opening hazard behind the clubhouse. Fives and threes were par for the course until fittingly, the world's numbers one and two, Colomer and Lampkin, eased through for single dabs, joined only by Scorpa rider Graham Jarvis. It was then straight into the tight stuff among the rocks for the very long second sub where Lampkin again made it through for a one, as did Tarres - and Jarvis again. But still no cleans. At least the third sub, in and aut of the stream bed, allowed a couple of cleans with Fred Crosset (son of the Bilstain venue owner) and Steve Colley, destined to have his first and only non-scoring ride of the year, later being joined by tall Finn Tommi Ahvala, Colomer and Lampkin. After seven sections, Lampkin was

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