Trial Outdoor Portugal
The Repsol rider Toni Bou was the winner of the first round of the Portugal Grand Prix, the second of the meetings for the World Championship, which took place today, Saturday, in Paços de Ferreira.
Also the winner of the first event last Sunday which kicked off this Championship’s 35th competition, Bou extended his lead at the top of the general leader board, in an event at which his team mate Takahisa Fujinami finished only one point short of a podium position.
Over some easy zones in which any errors were unrecoverable, Toni Bou completed both laps of the course without incurring even one penalty point.
Takahisa Fujinami was in second place at the end of the first round (5 points), but a mistake in the second round cost him the podium by a minimal difference. Laia Sanz, riding in the Junior category, finished in 21st place.
Tomorrow, Sunday, the third World Championship event will be battled out in the same place.
Toni Bou says: "I’m really happy with how things went, scoring another victory and some very important championship points. I think I had a good ride but it was a shame that the competition zones aren´t, in my opinion, worthy of a World Championship event. In the end though, as all that counts is the result, I can’t ask for more."
Takahisa Fujinami says: "I think my problem was that this event was too easy. I rode the first round which was fine and in the second, which is usually easier, a made a bad mistake in the fifth zone. I wanted to take a bit of a risk on one of the steps to pass with a zero and doing that cost me five points. I’ve missed out on a podium position again, so I hope that tomorrow things will improve for me."
Classification Paços de Ferreira Trial
1. Toni BOU (REPSOL MONTESA HONDA)
0 (0 + 0)
2. Albert CABESTANY (SHERCO)
8 (7 + 1)
3. Adam RAGA (GAS GAS)
10 (9 + 1)
4. Takahisa FUJINAMI (REPSOL MONTESA HONDA)
11 (5 + 6)
5. James DABILL (GAS GAS)
14 (6 +8)
Classification Outdoor Trial World Championship
1. Toni BOU (REPSOL MONTESA HONDA)
40 points
2. Adam RAGA (GAS GAS)
32 points
3. Albert CABESTANY (SHERCO)
28 points
4. Takahisa FUJINAMI (REPSOL MONTESA HONDA)
26 points
5. Jeroni FAJARDO (BETA)
24 points