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FIM Indoor Trial World Championship Series Round 4: Palais des Sports The Spaniard's second win pulls him to within one point of the series lead. STORY AND PHOTOS everybody that he deserves a regular By place in the series, now feels the MARIO CANDELLONE pressure to be the number one and often rides under his potential skill level. Dougie Lampkin, on the contrary, seems to have a better relation- MARSEILLE, FRANCE, JAN. 18 or the 13th consecutive year the French city of Marseille hosted an international indoor event, and since the World Indoor Championship has been set up, the round has been part of it. This year it was the fourth round, after Andorra, Sheffield and Koblenz. In the three previous rounds, there were three different winners in what has become an unpredictable championship series, much like last year's. The former champion, Albert Cabestany, who paradoxically was not invited last year but showed F ship with the hostile indoor obstacles than ever before. But there is a third contender, young Spaniard Adam Raga, who is now more mature and has been able to manage himself well by limiting mistakes. The Gas Gas rider presented his intentions for the indoor season by winning the first round held in Andorra, and he repeated that success at round four in Marseille, beating the series leader, Lampkin. Raga's win came in a match that couldn't even really be called a trial. After the final loop, three riders ended tied in points: Lampkin, Marc Freixa and Raga - a first in the series' history. In this case, the rules state that all three must ride a supplementary section, with their times being taken. Organizers chose section one, already cleaned by the riders in the final loop. Indeed, all of them cleaned it again, but Freixa did it in 21 seconds, Lampkin in 18 and Raga in 19. Freixa was eliminated, and the parallel final run was to be 'disputed between the other two. This time the section would be ridden out and then back. Off the start, Raga and Lampkin raced through the obstacles side by side, headed toward the high-wall climb at the finish. Lampkin had managed to move ahead as they neared the finish, but then he slipped after opening his throttle too much, lost grip, and fell off the wall after getting about halfway up it. Raga launched his bike past the finish line, and the crowd went crazy but then just as qUickly fell silent as it realized that Lampkin had been injured in his fall. Assisted by the doctor, and after several minutes, Lampkin stood up and moved to the center of the arena, waving to the crowd. 48 FEBRURY 5, 2003' eye I • neVIl's HEAT LOOP Six sections were set up by expert designer Bernard Estripeau, known everywhere around the globe for his creativity in setting up unusual obstacles that appear impossible. The first section was natural style, with some high rocks put in a way to force the pilots to make difficult turns and jumps between the stones. The second section was the most innovative: some columns of cement broken at the top with a radius just sufficient to host a bike. Section three was the classic cubes of cement, but assembled to constrict and force very narrow turns and difficult restarts. Section four was made using the classic railway ties. This time, besides the big wall, the most difficult obstacle was the disposition of the last step. It was at a negative angle and with no space for the run-up. Section five consisted of big logs and some stones. Section six was the famous waterfall. In the Heat Loop, all the riders had to face the six sections consecutively within a time of seven minutes. Each 30 seconds of delay cost them one point more. First to start was the Japanese Fumitaka Nozaki, last year's World Junior Champion. He