In dominating fashion, Cody Webb won the 44th running of El Trial de España, America’s most prestigious non-championship observed trials event, on his American Beta Evo 300 Factory. Webb scored his sixth ETdE win, breaking his tie with Geoff Aaron and taking sole possession of second place in all-time wins behind eight-time winner Bernie Schreiber, America’s only observed trials world champion.
The event, put on by the Southern California Trials Association, consisted of five loops through the MotoVentures Off-Road Rider Training Center in Aguanga, Calif., followed by six exhibition rides in front of a throng of boisterous spectators. Riding nearly flawlessly in the final four loops, where he dropped only a single point in 38 rides, Webb went into the exhibition with an insurmountable 48-point lead over Gas Gas-mounted Colton Haaker, a fellow Endurocross competitor.
Webb quickly established his dominance in the difficult exhibition sections, taking only one-point in the first two sections, compared to Haaker’s eight-point card. Webb went on to wow the crowd with Haaker, who gathered to watch the NATC National riders compete using the controversial FIM no-stop rules.
After winning the exhibition sections 8-21, Webb took home the perpetual trophy – a Spanish sword donated by El Trial de España founder Fred Belair. Webb also went home with the lion’s share of the $1000 purse, with Haaker in second and local SCTA Expert Ty Cullins (a third Endurocross racer, and an UltimateMotorCycling.com test rider) rounding out the exhibition podium.
“We tried the new no-stop rule and that was interesting,” Webb said afterward. “It lets the best rider shine when the sections are laid out correctly. I like no-stop – it’s just a matter of getting everyone on the same page. I felt good on the bike and I had a great weekend. It was fun to be here and win another pretigious El Trial event.”
Photography by Don Williams
2014 El Trial de España Results
Pro
Cody Webb – Beta
Colton Haaker – Gas Gas
Expert – Reid Davis
Advanced – Bruce Davis
Clubman – Clive Hannon
Intermediate – Michael Salsman
Sportsman – Kyle Fike
Novice – Cole Cullins
