Bou, Fujinami Sweep TrialGP Opener
R
epsol Honda Team rider Toni
Bou (Montesa) and Takahisa
Fujinama (Montesa) swept the
opening two rounds of the FIM
Trial World Championship in Italy,
June 12-13.
Bou, who is still recover-
ing from a broken leg suffered
in May, battled 2005 and '06
Champion Adam Raga (TRRS)
all day long. Bou held off Raga
at the end, winning by just one
mark.
"It was an amazing fight with
Adam," said Bou. "I arrived here
after my injury one month ago
and my feeling is not the best,
but I finally took the win."
Neither Bou nor Raga, howev-
er, got the win Sunday. Instead,
top honors went to 41-year-old
Takahisa Fujinami who finished
seventh on Saturday and sur-
prised everyone by taking the
win on Sunday. It was the 2004
champ's first victory since 2016.
Fujinami battled his teammate
Bou for most of the day before
pulling clear of Bou with a phe-
nomenal four-point second lap
that saw him finish a comfortable
eight marks clear of Bou.
"It's an incredible feeling," said
Fujinami. "I would have been so
happy with a podium, so to win
is just amazing. Yesterday, I felt
comfortable on the bike, but the
results didn't materialize. Yes-
terday, I did not expect to finish
seventh. What I did not expect
was to be able to win today! I
was looking for the win, but not
100 percent. I'm very happy. At
41, I don't think anyone was ex-
pecting it, not my team, nor Toni,
and I don't think I was. It was ter-
rific to be able to achieve it. I felt
like I did in 2004, when I was 24
years old. Thank you very much
to the whole team for always sup-
porting me and helping me, this
victory is a gift for all of you."
Raga, who struggled during
the first lap, took third.
"First of all, I want to con-
gratulate my partner Takahisa
Fujinami," Bou said. "What he
IN
THE
WIND
P62
Takahisa Fujinami captured his first
TrialGP win since 2016, the 41-year-
old topping round two at the World
Championship opener in Italy. His Repsol
Honda teammate Toni Bou won on
Saturday.
PHOTO: HONDA HRC
