With a well-deserved reputation for being fiercely competitive, the Trial2 class of the Hertz FIM Trial World Championship is a category where consistency is rewarded and with five different winners from the four rounds and eight days of points-scoring action staged so far, the 2026 series is shaping up to be another close-fought campaign.
The winner of the opening day’s competition in Japan in mid-May, Spain’s Alex Canales (Montesa) has held the series lead ever since through subsequent rounds in Andorra, Italy and Great Britain and although the twenty-one-year-old from Barcelona saw his advantage cut to just two points last time out, with three rounds remaining he knows he is in an extremely favourable position if he doesn’t get complacent.

“Leading the championship is an incredible feeling,” he said, “especially after all the hard work that’s gone into it, but there’s still a long way to go in the championship and we can’t afford to relax. I know there are some incredibly talented riders and that anyone can win a round. I feel prepared and confident, but we have to keep taking it one race at a time and maintain the same mindset.”

Introduced to Trial by his father, Canales got his first motorcycle at the age of four and hasn’t looked back.

“From a young age, I experienced the sport at first hand and gradually gave it a go until I got hooked. In the end, what started as a hobby became my passion and my profession. I grew up with the sport, progressing through the different categories until I reached world-class level.”

Following two promising seasons in Trial3 Junior, Canales made his Trial2 debut in 2021 and ended the season ranked fourteenth, a performance he matched the following year before breaking into the top ten in 2023 when he finished eighth.
After improving to fourth in 2024 he looked to have the title within reach, but instead switched from Sherco to Montesa and moved up to the elite TrialGP class for 2025 where he more than held his own, ending the season ranked seventh before returning to Trial2 at the start of this season.

“After several years in Trial2, I felt I needed to take a step forward and take on a new challenge. TrialGP was the next level and I wanted to find out where my limits lay by competing against the world’s best riders. It was a big decision, but I think I needed that experience to keep growing as a rider. I’m pleased with my performance and, above all, with everything I learnt during that season.

“Competing in TrialGP helped me improve a great deal as a rider [but] we decided to return to Trial2 because I think it was the right time to aim for a very specific goal – to win the championship. I’m back with more experience, more confidence and a better understanding of what I need to stay at the front.

“What’s more, if I manage to win the Trial2 title I’ll secure a place to compete in the FIM X-Trial World Championship which is also one of my major goals. That’s why I think this year is a very important opportunity for me and I want to make the most of it.”

With just three rounds and five days of points-scoring competition remaining, beginning with the TrialGP of France at Cahors on 29-30 August, Canales is under intense pressure from the chasing pack with just eleven points separating the top four, although he appears to be taking it all in his stride.

“It’s proving to be a very evenly matched season. There are lots of riders capable of winning and the margins are very narrow. When the scores are so low, any small mistake can cause you to drop a lot of places. That’s why it’s so important to be consistent and stay focused throughout the weekend.”

Round five of the 2026 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship – the TrialGP of France – takes place at Cahors on 29-30 August.

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