Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128607
FIM World Championship Trials Series Round 1 : Spanish Trial Montesa/HRC riders Marc Colomer (left), Dougie Lampkin (center! and Takahisa Fujinami (right) celebrate on the podium after dominating the opening round. STORY AND PHOTOS By MARIO CANDELLONE CORDOBA, SPAIN, MARCH 18-19,2000 he world championship could not have started better for the new Montesa/HRC team, which put three riders in the top three at each of the first two rounds of the Y2K series. Lampkin - who last year rode for Gas Gas - is stiJ) the man to beat, but in a series that the FlM wants to keep at a not-impossible level there are still chances for other riders. Breathing home air, Marc Colomer demonstrated that he is once again one of the main challengers, finishing second to his teammate on both days, while a third Montesa/HRC member, Japan's Takahisa Fujinami showed that he can be a contender if he leams not to lose concentration on the first loop. T was not nervous about his first outdoor international competition on the new bike; he was fresh off the World Indoor Cup crown, so he was on form. Lampkin faced the sections as the last rider, and the crowd followed him from section to section. Because the sections were less difficult than in recent years, many other good riders were able to demonstrate their ability_ Fore example, Lampkin fived section eight, which was cleaned by Marcel Justribo and David Cobos. Riding strongly, Freixa gathered applause for his spectacular (speedy) ride ("I like to go fast," he declared at the end. "If you wait a lot and see the others, you break your concentration"). Near the front of the top group of riders was Colley, who also likes to speed through the sections on his own. At the end of the first loop, he was just one mark in back of Lampkin's 11 points. In third place was Colomer with 13 points, just one less than Freixa. With a lot of time spent on loop one, the second circuit was run very quickly, and to the joy of Fujinami, this time he turned in the best performance (only two marks). The late surge allowed him to make the podium, despite his 10th-place showing of the first loop. Colomer turned in a steady ride for the runner-up position, M"any young riders put in impressive showings; home rider Marc Freixa for instance, was close enough to threaten the Montesa power on his Gas Gas, especially in the early parts of both days. Even the young Adam Raga seems to be more determined this year, finishing in the top 10 on both outings, and 16-year-old Spaniard Josep Manzano notched an eyebrow-raising 14th place on Sunday. As for the non-Lampkin British, Steve Colley and Graham Jarvis are still competitive, and they will definitely be even more confident on wet grounds (this first stop featured mostly dry going). ROUN01 Saturday's first rider started at II :00, and the top riders were all together at the end. King Lampkin BRIEFLY• •• Cordoba is a famous town situated in the South of Spain. The competition was held about six miles out in the surrounding hills. The pits were just over four miles from the group of sections· a/l 15 of which were within a space smaller than a square mile. This made it easy for spectators to follow the entire competition. All the sections were laid out on rounded stones. with a bit of red sand. Grip was fine everywhere. Weather was wonderful· sunny with blue skies. With free entrance. spectators flooded the area. with around 6500 on Saturday and approximately 11.000 on Sunday. Friday evening featured a great presentation of the new Montesa/HRC Team: Dougie Lampkin. Takahisa Fujinami. Marc Colomer and Amos Bilbao. The quartet is being strongly supported this season in order to wrest the World title from the Italian Beta. and after Coroba. no one can doubt that they have a real chance of pulling that off. Lampkin wasn't the only rider to change teams. Albert Cabestany is now on a Beta. and Jordi Pascuet is Gas Gas-mounted. Youngster Josep Manzano is a new discovery for Codina. 32 APRIL 5. 2000' cue • e n e vv s Marc Colomer navigates a section high above the Spanish countryside, on his way to a runner-up finish.