The Repsol Honda Team rider did not fail and took the first opportunity to get the outdoor Championship and secured his ninth title, which is added to the other 9 in X-Trial.
Repsol Honda Team was able to celebrate yet another success for Toni Bou, this time at Paços de Ferreira, Portugal: the ninth World Championship crown, which he secured when there is still one Grand Prix –two races– left to finish the World Championship season. This was a hard-fought title, as during the whole year he kept a tough duel with Adam Raga, which forced him to increase his level even more. In Portugal, Bou won both days with an extraordinary riding, avoiding mistakes and taking very few points to control the race and end on the highest step of the podium. Today, after the first lap with 6 points, he completed the rest of the race with no penalty points.
The young rider of the Repsol Honda Team, Jaime Busto, also delivered a great performance today and repeated the fourth place he took yesterday in this Portugal Grand Prix. Only one point kept him out of the podium. The Basque rider was very comfortable and after the first two laps he fought for a podium that in the end he could not take.
Takahisa Fujinami tried to overcome the back pain he also had yesterday, but he suffered a lot in the zones. Under those conditions, the Japanese was not able to achieve his objective and finished ninth, although he keeps the fifth overall provisional position in the World Championship.
The last race of this Championship will be held next weekend, the Spain Trial GP, which will take place at the Galician town of Teo (A Coruña).
Toni Bou will return tomorrow to Barcelona in a flight from Porto (Portugal) with arrival scheduled at 11:30am to the T1 Terminal of the Barcelona-El Prat Airport.
Toni Bou
1st – 6 points
“Nine titles! I’m very happy. Today it seemed that the race could be more complicated but in the end it was quite easy. Victory in these easy trials is morally very important and, as I said, my rival’s level made me improve mine. I want to thank my parents, my girlfriend and the whole team for their support to get this title. Thank you very much to all of you.”
Takahisa Fujinami
9th – 89 points
“Today I tried to improve yesterday’s result, but my back still bothered me a lot. It was frustrating, because I couldn’t improve in most of the zones. Now I just hope I’ll be able to recover this weekend to end the year in the best way and forget about this result.”
Jaime Busto
4th – 25 points
“I missed the third place by very little, but it was due to a mistake in zone two and I lost the podium by 1 point. It was a pity, because I felt very well and it would have been great to accompany Toni on the podium today. I had very good feelings on the bike the whole weekend and I think that was reflected in my riding and the result. There is still one round left to try and end the year with a podium!”
