IN
THE
WIND
P32
(Left) TRRS' Adam Raga (left) and Beta's
Matteo Grattarola joined winner Repsol Honda's
Toni Bou on the TrialGP podium in France.
(Above) Bou finished 13 points clear of his
nearest rival.
PHOTOS: FUTURE7MEDIA
Bou Tops TrialGP of France
T
oni Bou (Repsol Honda) was
once again triumphant at
the TrialGP of France. Staged
at Cahors on a sweltering day,
the opening five sections were
plotted in a quarry where com-
petitors went head-to-head on
steep, loose bankings studded
with daunting rock steps. From
there it was down to the banks
of a nearby river and a series of
massive, man-made sections
comprising enormous rock steps
and yet more heart-stoppingly
steep bankings.
Bou set a furious pace from
the start and established an early
lead with just a single mark lost
on section three where the rest
of the TrialGP field all picked up
maximums. This feat was repeat-
ed on section 11 which featured
a monster triple step on the exit
that looked impossible on first
inspection and claimed first-lap
fives from everyone apart from
Bou who skipped through for a
dab at his first attempt.
The Spaniard, who's aiming for
a record-breaking 16th-straight
title this season, was on six
marks lost at the halfway stage
which handed him an eight-mark
advantage over compatriot Jaime
Busto (Vertigo) with Miquel Ge-
labert (GasGas) a further three
adrift in third.
On lap two Bou picked up his
first maximum of the trial on section
three but added just one more mark
to his total to end the day on 12.
Following an expensive open-
ing lap, Adam Raga (TRRS) pulled
things together on lap two with his
score of seven, lifting him up to
second on 25, two ahead of Italy's
Matteo Grattarola (Beta), who
produced a brilliant nine-mark
performance on lap two.
With just eight marks separating
the leading riders it was tight at the
top with Gabriel Marcelli (Montesa)
and Gelabert completing the top
five as Busto slipped to sixth after
going off the boil on lap two.
"I'm very happy to win today,"
said Bou. "It was important for
the championship and with Jaime
[Busto] finishing sixth I'm in a very
good position."
There are now just two scoring
days to go at the TrialGP of Italy
in the middle of September, and
Bou's advantage over Busto—
who's the only man still in with a
mathematical chance of dethron-
ing him—is now 36 points behind
with just 40 left up for grabs.
CN
TrialGP of France Results
1. Toni Bou (Mon) 12 points
2. Adam Raga (TRS) 25
3. Matteo Grattarola (Bet) 27
4. Gabriel Marcelli (Mon) 28
5. Miquel Gelabert (GG) 30
6. Jaime Busto (Ver) 32
7. Benoit Bincaz (GG) 41
8. Jeroni Fajardo (She) 44
9. Aniol Gelabert (Bet) 49
10. Toby Martyn (TRS) 51
