Toni Bou Wins in Spain
Trials GP 2016
Even carrying a serious shoulder injury Toni Bou is still capable of pulling a surprise out of the bag. Today, in Olvan and Cal Rosal, the Repsol Honda Team rider was able to ratchet up the pressure and make off with the winning prize. Bou, albeit an off-form version, is now the new championship leader.
Mighty Bou is back. The rider took the bit between his teeth for day two of the opening round of the FIM Trial World Championship season in Olvan and Cal Rosal. The day was far from easy though for the Montesa Cota 4RT rider struggling all weekend with an injured right shoulder. Today, however, a determined Bou took a firm, error-free command of the event. Yesterday’s pain had eased up enough to enable the Repsol Honda Team ace to set his usual high standard in a GP which saw him accumulate less than half the marks of second place Adam Raga.
Jaime Busto, like team-mate Takahisa Fujinami, had a change of fortune today, notching up more mistakes than yesterday and making chances of a podium place ever more slim. The two had set out hoping for a productive season start but were unable to accomplish the task. The Basque rider repeated a fourth place finish with Fujigas pulling back positions but not reducing the points as much as he had previously hoped.
Next stop for Repsol Honda Team will be the Japanese Grand Prix on 23 th and 24th April. Toni Bou will arrive in Motegi overall leader with 37 points, five more than Adam Raga and eight points clear of Albert Cabestany in third place. Jaime Busto is fourth in the standings with 26 and Takahisa Fujinami seventh with 20 points.
Toni Bou: I had a bad night; it’s been a really complicated weekend, but today the pain let up a bit and was more bearable. I don’t know how, but today I was able to compete with Adam at the highest level. The changes to the four sections turned out to be a good thing especially in section six, which I was able to get over three times and not Adam. I was able to battle on in spite of the injury and I’m really pleased with the final result as I wasn’t expecting to be the leader in the world championship ten days ago.
1 BOU Toni 1 SPA 3 5 2 20 Repsol Honda Team Montesa 10
2 RAGA Adam 2 SPA 5 11 8 17 TRS Factory Team TRS 24
3 DABILL James 8 GBR 10 19 10 15 Vertigo Factory Team Vertigo 39
4 BUSTO Jaime 6 SPA 18 12 15 13 Repsol Honda Team Montesa 45
5 FUJINAMI Takahisa 5 JPN 15 17 15 11 Repsol Honda Team Montesa 47
6 FAJARDO Jeroni 3 SPA 20 13 16 10 Vertigo Factory Team Vertigo 49
7 CABESTANY Albert 4 SPA 15 22 15 9 Sherco Factory Team Sherco 52
8 GUBIAN Loris 21 FRA 23 15 22 8 Beta Factory Racing Beta 60
9 CASALES Jorge 9 SPA 27 15 21 7 Beta Factory Racing Beta 63
10 KADLEC Franz 11 GER 24 18 12 6 Gas Gas Gas Gas 64
Rider Standings
1 BOU Toni 1 SPA 37 Repsol Honda Team Montesa
2 RAGA Adam 2 SPA 32 TRS Factory Team TRS
3 CABESTANY Albert 4 SPA 29 Sherco Factory Team Sherco
4 BUSTO Jaime 6 SPA 26 Repsol Honda Team Montesa
5 DABILL James 8 GBR 22 Vertigo Factory Team Vertigo
6 FAJARDO Jeroni 3 SPA 21 Vertigo Factory Team Vertigo
7 FUJINAMI Takahisa 5 JPN 20 Repsol Honda Team Montesa
8 CASALES Jorge 9 SPA 17 Beta Factory Racing Beta
9 GUBIAN Loris 21 FRA 11 Beta Factory Racing Beta
10 GRATTAROLA Matteo 18 ITA 11 Gas Gas FG Italia Gas Gas