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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128217
FIM Individual World Trials Championship Round 3: Grand Prix of Ger'many P~'.ttA"'. \/i'N( .tt ~')"'A"~ The Japanese overtakes Freixa for second place in the series Even without his usual spark, Raga made the podium on Saturday and was the leader at the halfway point in Sunday's competition. But in the crucial moments he was not able "to close the game." Even less on form was Raga's countryman, Albert Cabestany, who finished well off the form that he would normally have had. Fujinami won the Grand Prix, though his victory could have been greater if he would have scored one point less on Sunday! That one point would have meant another win instead of third place, and it would have placed him ahead of Lampkin and into the series points lead as the tour heads to Japan. Instead, Jarvis took the win on Sunday. STORY AND PHOTOS By MARIO CANDELLONE KIEFERSFElDEN, GERMANY, MAY 17-18 t was unfortunate that the third round of this unusual championship still carried the taint of the Spanish disqualifications, because never has the fight for the World Championship been so uncertain. In Germany, reigning World Champion Dougie Lampkin was clearly suffering from the pressure of rivals who this year are more aggressive in their performances. He rode badly on Saturday, finishing off the podium (a very rare event in the last seven years), and he did not counter with a supreme performance the day after as he usually has in the past. At the moment Lampkin's fortune lies in the fact that his challengers are not being consistent. In Germany, it was Takahisa Fujinami and Graham Jarvis shared the top places, with Fujinami taking the overall win, while Lampkin picked up a fourth and a second to keeps his series intact. Germany marked the return of Adam Raga, though it was clear that he and the rest of the Spaniards lacked motivation, knowing that their season has been seriously compromised. Even worse is the news that, in the fallout of the Spanish incident, the Gas Gas and Beta factories may not intend to be officially present at the next round in Japan. Their absence from Japan could have other negative conse· quences, and continuing on this way, we can likely expect another reaction from the sanctioning body as the series awaits the factories' final verdict (Gas Gas seems certain not to go). I 60 JUNE 4, 2003' cue I DAY ONE Good weather but a poor spectator turnout met this first day on German soil. Section one was challenging. It was drawn on the banks of a little dike, and the final wall divided in two high steps which proved to be too tough for several distinguished riders. Heavy fives were carded by Lampkin, Jarvis and Kenichi Kuroyama, while Raga, Marc Freixa and Fujinami cleaned it without any problem. Section two was artificial, with some big rocks settled together. All the top riders cleaned it just the same. Before entering the woods sections, section three was featured on Takahlsa Fujinaml bagged the overall win at the GP of Gennan)'. The victory puts the Japanese rider In a prime position as the series heads toward his home country. the banks of a stream, with a couple of stones at the top of each climb. Only Lampkin lost another point here. For all the others, the dance of cleans continued. Once in the woods, the hazards were old-style, some of the sections being roped off in the same places as the last World round held here in 1998. Slippery rocks, climbs and descending on roots made for dirty going as evidenced by the mud brought back on the bikes. Raga, BRIEFLY••• It has been five )'ears since a World round has been held in Kiefersfelden. the little German town close to the Austrian border. The pit was in an area very close to the town. while the sec· tions. except the first and the last. were more or less in the same area as the 1998 competition. There were many buses available for the spectators. who paid a fee of 15 euros for one day and 25 for the two. Top riders appreciated the level of the hazards. 11 of them featured in the woods. with mud. rocks and roots. Only the last indoor-style did not look like what people are used to seeing at other grands prix. Kiefersfelden marked the return of Japanese rider Fumitaka Nozaki. who was injured in France. Also back was 'veteran' Bruno Camozzi. the oldest rider in the circus and the only one who dares to ride without a minderl Do not believe he is so safe as not to need one: he just asked somebody else to catch him during the critical points. In the wake of the Spanish situation. the atmosphere in the pits is explosive right now. In the Gas Gas tent there was the conviction that the responsibility of this ill will lies with the Spanish Federation, because the infamous complaint papers written by the riders were delivered last November, and nobody took care. In front of them there was the Spanish Federation tent. the body supporting riders such as Jordi Pascuet and others who obviously deplored the strike of the riders. In the Beta area. Mr. Bianchi had not yet decided about the Japanese round. but it is highly likely that Beta will not attend. The only factory certain to go is the Montesa squad now dominating the Worid scene. e n e v v ..