The 2015 X-Trial World Championship headed to Pau, France, this past weekend for round three of six. And with it came the end of Toni Bou’s streak of winning 28-consecutive indoor rounds.
Though he earned second, Repsol Honda’s Bou – an eight-time World Champion – retained the overall lead in the X-Trial indoor series.
This was the first time the X-Trial series was held in the French town of Pau, which is at foot of the iconic Pyrenees mountains. Bou performed well from the outset, completing the opening five zones without penalty.
But his streak ceased after a small mistake in the penultimate obstacle. He was penalized seven points, three more than the eventual winner, Gas Gas’ Adam Raga. Taking the final podium position was Beta’s Jeroni Fajardo.
“When we checked the zones this morning I already saw that it was a very easy race. Any mistake would be impossible to recover and that’s what happened in the finale: few zones and very easy,” Bou says.
“I tried to complete the 4th zone with a zero, but maybe I was a bit too fast… it was close, but I couldn’t do it. I want to congratulate Adam Raga, who did a great performance and deserves his victory. I had won 28 consecutive indoor rounds and that’s what probably wasn’t natural: not making any mistake for so long and being always on top. Now I have to focus on the next race, where my aims will be the same: win the round and win the Championship. I feel comfortable and happy with the bike, so I’ll do my best in Barcelona.”
As the series heads to Barcelona (March 8), Bou now has 55 points – eight ahead of Raga.
2015 Pau X-Trial Championship Results:
1. Adam Raga Gas Gas 4 points
2. Toni Bou Repsol Honda 7 points
3. Jeroni Fajardo Beta 12 points
4. Albert Cabestany Sherco 20 points
5. Alexandre Ferrer Sherco 13 points
2015 X-Trial World Championship Points (after three of six rounds):
1. Toni Bou Repsol Honda 55 points
2. Adam Raga Gas Gas 47 points
3. Albert Cabestany Sherco 36 points
4. Jeroni Fajardo Beta 30 points
5. Alexandre Ferrer Sherco 18 points
