The Repsol rider begins on the first step of the podium the defence of a title he has won the last seven years. His teammate, Takahisa Fujinami, was fourth.
Toni Bou won the first round of the X-Trial World Championship that started yesterday in Sheffield –England–, the series that he has dominated the last seven seasons. The Repsol Montesa Honda Team rider achieved his 37th victory –an absolute record– in World Championship indoor rounds, the last 22 consecutives.
The main novelty of this year’s Championship rules is that the four finalist start from zero in the final phase, they do not add their results from the semi-final. Nevertheless, the several times champion finished with zero points both the qualifying and the semi-final, and secured a new success by finishing the last area of the final with one point and the second area with two. After those areas he already had the advantage over the second that allowed him to win.
His teammate in the Repsol Montesa Honda, Takahisa Fujinami, was sixth in the qualifying –15 points– and second in a very close semi-final –5 points–. Nevertheless, in the last area of the final phase he suffered the consequences of the cruciate ligament injury he suffered on the right knee three months ago, and that cost him a podium position.
The second of the six rounds that compose the X-Trial World Championship will be held in the French city of Marseille next January 25th.
Toni Bou
“It was very important to start the season with a victory and continue the winning streak for which we are fighting. It will be a hard championship, as with only four areas in each finally and starting them with zero, it will be complicated to make a difference. We saw that clearly here in Sheffield: it was an easy round but you could make small mistakes that were difficult to recover against a strong rival such as Albert [Cabestany].”
Takahisa Fujinami
“When I received the injury in the cruciate ligament of the knee I decided not to undergo surgery, because the recovery would not have allowed me to take part in the X-Trial Championship and would also compromise my participation in the outdoor. That is why I chose to work on the muscles. I only trained for a week and my knee is at 75%. Each area I finished was a relief, but in the last step of the night my knee was at the limit and I lost the podium.”
