Toni Bou and Adam Raga split wins
Andorra World Trials Champs
www.fullnoise.com.au Trials News
Toni Bou, Repsol Montesa HRC on board his factory Cota 4RT recorded an important victory on the second day of the Grand Prix of Andorra to close within a single point of the series leader Gas Gas rider Adam Raga.
Bou had finished as runner-up to Raga on the opening day in Sant Julia de Loria, but turned the tables on his arch-rival and compatriot at a critical stage in the title fight and just ahead of next weekend’s Spanish and home GP.
The small principality of Andorra has gained a reputation of being not only the highest venue on the annual tour, but also one of the toughest thanks to the steep and rocky terrain that shadows the town of Sant Julia de Loria situated close to the Spanish border.
Andorra first hosted a Trial Grand Prix back in 1992 and since then has only been absent a few times from the series right up until the current edition that was played out over this weekend.
Bou did not get off to the best of starts on Saturday morning when he took a five in the second section of the day. This was to hand an early advantage to Raga, and one that Bou would fight hard to reduce aboard his factory four-stroke machine with a good level of success.
Both Bou and Raga incurred two time penalties each as they misjudged the sheer length and severity of the course and impact of the increased eighteen sections on the opening lap.
Heading into the second and closing lap on day one, Bou trailed Raga by just two marks and thanks to incredible riding in the rocky hazards managed to draw level with his arch-rival with just three sections remaining. However Bou's hard work was to be undone in section sixteen where his five mark loss was to effectively hand Raga his third win in a row.
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Bou was back at his best on the second day of competition and took control of the event from the outset with a series of confidence building rides, including the three sections that had been modified overnight.
Raga in contrast looked to be feeling the pressure and lost five marks in each of two hazards late on the first lap to give Bou a ten mark lead as the riders headed out around the course for one last time.
Bou was not about to pass up the invitation to take his second win of the season to date and closed out with an equally impressive second lap performance. His lap total of two marks put him on five for the day, which saw him take the victory by a twelve mark cushion over Raga and to move within a point of his main title rival before they resume battle at their home round next weekend.
“Today was a very important win for me, as if Adam (Raga) had won today he would have had four wins in a row and he would have moved seven points ahead in the championship with five rounds to go." Bou explained.
"I had a great feeling on the bike today and my confidence was high, when I saw Adam make the mistakes on the first lap, I knew I could go on to take the win. Adam is riding well, and with the new rules and the sections not being so difficult, it is very hard for me at the moment.
"With the win today, I can now be ready to fight again next weekend, when I hope I can regain the championship lead," he concluded.
Round five of the 2013 World Trials Championship will take place in Pobluadura, Spain next Sunday the 23rd of June
Event results - Round 4: Race 1
1. Adam Raga 21 SPA GAS GAS
2. Toni Bou 26 ESP HONDA Montesa
3. Albert Cabestany 32 SPA SHERCO
4. Jeroni Fajardo (25x0) SPA BETA
5. Takahisa Fujinami (19x0) JPN HONDA Montesa
6. Daniel Oliveras 64 SPA OSSA
7. James Dabill 65 GBR BETA
8. Matteo Grattarola 75 ITA GAS GAS
9. Loris Gubain 78 FRA GAS GAS
10. Alexandre Ferrer 90 FRA SHERCO
11. Pere Borrellas 85 (13x0) ESP GAS GAS
12. Jack Challoner 85 (10x0) GBR BETA
13. Benoit Dagnicourt 99 FRA BETA
14. Michael Brown 111 GBR GAS GAS
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Event results - Round 4: Race 2
1. Toni Bou 5 ESP HONDA Montesa
2. Adam Raga 17 SPA GAS GAS
3. Albert Cabestany 28 SPA SHERCO
4. James Dabill 32 GBR BETA
5. Takahisa Fujinami 35 JPN HONDA Montesa
6. Jeroni Fajardo 44 SPA BETA
7. Daniel Oliveras 58 SPA OSSA
8. Matteo Grattarola 61 ITA GAS GAS
9. Loris Gubain 65 FRA GAS GAS
10. Jack Challoner 84 GBR BETA
11. Michael Brown 87 GBR GAS GAS
12. Eddie Karlsson 89 SWE GAS GAS
13. Alexandre Ferrer 90 FRA SHERCO
14. Pere Borrellas 92 ESP GAS GAS
15. Benoit Dagnicourt 96 FRA BETA
Championship Standings after round 4:
1. Adam Raga 107 pts
2. Toni Bou 106 pts
3. Takahisa Fujinami 81 pts
4. Jeroni Fajardo 79 pts
5. Albert Cabestany 79 pts
6. James Dabill 63 pts
7. Matteo Grattarola 37 pts
8. Jack Challoner 33 pts
9. Alexandre Ferrer 33 pts
10. Loris Gubain 31 pts
11. Michael Brown 24 pts
12. Daniel Oliveras 21 pts
13. Tomoyuki Ogawa 14 pts
14. Kenichi Kuroyama 14 pts
15. Benoit Dagnicourt 14 pts
16. Pere Borrellas 13 pts
17. Fumitaka Nozaki 13 pts
18. Patrick Smage 9 pts
19. Eddie Karlsson 4 pts
20. Yoshiaki Nomoto 2 pts
21. Tsubasa Matsuura 2 pts
Top Image: Toni Bou finished second to Adam Raga in Race 1
Credit: Honda Racing
