Dynamite Bou, the nickname given to the brand new World Trial Champion by his friends, exploded onto the trial scene with his arrival at the Repsol Montesa – HRC team. This season at the age of 20 Toni Bou signed for one of the best teams in the world of trial, and in his first champioship season, riding a Montesa Cota 4RT, he swept the board in an astonishing manner.
AudioNine victories in eleven dates. Two second positions were his worst results. This is the impressive record of the Repsol rider who when he won the World Indoor Trial warned the other riders that he is in impressive form and of his possibilities with a 4 stroke machine in his hands.At the beginning of the year, with a new bike, new team and just 20 years old. Did you expect the last 8 months to be like you have been?The truth is no. Not even with a bike that had always served me well could I have expected it. It has been a great year and I am thrilled. Grateful for the work done by the whole team, the support that they and Repsol have given me.What would you say has been the key this season? Your mentality, your form, the bike, maybe your rivals relaxed a little…?I do not think they have relaxed and they have worked a lot too. Personally I have been really motivated by the change of manufacturer and the new bike. Moreover I think that the fact that a new rider appeared in the team also motivated them and is something that helps too. I also felt happy with the bike soon after getting it, it was not at all difficult to get used to it, and that meant that I was even more motivated. Everything just went right.In fact, Adam Raga`s season was also good, much better than last year`s when he was crowned champion. Do you think that the level in the World Indoor Trial has risen, thanks in part to you?I think that both Adam and I have got a bit better this year. If I had not been here he would have won the World Championship this year really easily, giving all his rivals a hiding. You also have to look at that, because he has always been with the leaders and has had a great championship.What has most surprised you with the 4 strokes?It surprised me at the beginning when I tried it, right away I was able to get out of places that I thought would take much more effort. It is a bike that if you give it a little speed it gets you out of situations that sometimes you do not even expect.And about yourself?I noticed that I was very nervous before the races. I knew that I was taking risks and I tried to be as relaxed as possible. I sought ways to calm myself down and the truth is that I was able to do so. I have had a great season, I put up with the pressure and that is always difficult.After winning the World Indoor, did you think that you would also win the Outdoor?The truth is that I said to many people with me that night that we had to take advantage of that moment, because it is something that may never happen again. They told me that I was very young and that I would be bound to win the Outdoor sometime. But it is obvious that it takes a lot to win a world title and when you win it you realise just how difficult it is. The truth is that I was very strong, but I knew it would very difficult.Did you think that you would win as many rounds as you did?No. I was busy trying to win the world title. I realised that it would be very difficult and I fought hard to win. When you win and what is more, in the way I did, it is incredible because it will be very hard to equal, although we hope that it can be repeated or even bettered.Can a year like this be improved on?Well, there are two rounds that I still have not won yet! But the truth is that it will be very difficult. I think that it will be almost impossible to repeat a year like this, winning and being with the leaders in every race. What you have to think about is just to try and work towards winning the world title, something that in itself is quite difficult.What is your next objective in the short term?In the short term I have the Spanish Championship scheduled and then the team Championship called the Trial of Nations. I am the leader of the Spanish Championship, but just three points ahead and there are four rounds left. That is a lot and we will have to work hard to win it.And in the long term?Then it is time to think about the World Indoor, which begins in January. We still do not have the final calendar, but we will carry on working for things to turn out how they did this year.Even further in the future, Do you see yourself following in the steps of Tarrés or Lampkin, with seven world titles each? It is very difficult to win a world title. When you win you realise the work and sacrifices you have made to achieve it even more. If I can I will try to win it next year, looking beyond that is a mistake I think.
