Sublime Spaniard Toni Bou (Montesa) took another major step towards his nineteenth consecutive TrialGP title when he dominated the men’s premier class on the opening day of the TrialGP of USA – round six of the 2025 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship – as his compatriot Berta Abellan (Scorpa) doubled up in TrialGP Women and Harry Hemingway (Beta) extended his Trial2 lead.

  • Hertz FIM Trial World Championship returns to the USA after eight-year absence
  • Record nineteenth consecutive title almost in reach for Toni Bou
  • Berta Abellan and Harry Hemingway strengthen holds on TrialGP Women and Trial2

With the series returning to the USA for the first time since 2017, there was an electric atmosphere throughout Saturday’s hot and humid opening day of action at the beautiful LeGrand Reynolds Horseman’s Area in Exeter, Rhode Island, where fans did not have long to wait to see Bou’s incredible skills pushed to the limit.

With the majority of the sections plotted on a super-steep, wooded hillside, the third hazard featured a series of imposing steps on the exit that, coupled with a minimal and virtually gripless run-up following rain leading up to the event, stopped everyone at their first attempt.

A maximum for Bou on section four then handed Jaime Busto (GASGAS) a brief lead when he got through for a brilliant dab, but as we have seen so many times before Bou simply raised his game and incurred just three more marks – all single dabs – to pull comfortably clear from the chasing pack before the end of the first race.

Busto’s time in the lead lasted until section five when he picked up a maximum and in the final seven sections he added another twenty-two to his score to finish the race nineteen marks adrift of the defending champion on thirty-three. A further seven marks back including five time penalties, British class newcomer Jack Peace (Sherco) was delighted to finish third after defeating Gabriel Marcelli (Montesa) on a tie-break with Italy’s Matteo Grattarola (Beta) fifth on forty-two.

After starting the second race with a surprise dab on section two, Bou dropped all the way back to eighth position – although, of course, it didn’t last.

With a new line emerging at the top of section three, Busto was fortunate to get through for a three before Marcelli stunned the crowd with a sensational single dab and then Bou danced his way through for an impossible clean.

A maximum for Marcelli at section four saw Bou move into a clear lead and from here he produced a series of stunning rides that served to underline his sheer class. Not even a maximum on section eight could derail his performance as he won on a total of nine, seven clear of Busto and eighteen ahead of Jorge Casales (Honda) who impressed in his first appearance of 2025.

“To be back in the USA is amazing for me,” said Bou, who had been feeling ill at the start of the day. “I felt better in the races than I expected to and I’m super-happy with victories in both.”

Marcelli missed the podium for the second time when he fived the logs and rocks that comprised the man-made final section, ending the race fourth on twenty-eight to finish four ahead of Grattarola.

The final hazard was also used for the timed Power Section at the end of the day where Bou hopped and skipped his way to the extra point up for grabs, finishing over two seconds up on Busto.

After taking a break following the TrialGP of Japan, competitors in the TrialGP Women class returned to action in the USA and after finally establishing a clear advantage at the previous round, Abellan maintained her momentum to twice defeat main title rival Andrea Sofia Rabino (Beta) from Italy.

With both riders clean following the opening three sections of race one, Abellan’s two cleans and a dab on sections four through six compared to Rabino’s two fives and a three gave her a sizeable lead and not even a maximum on section eight looked likely to threaten her as she won on seventeen, seven clear of Rabino who was challenged by her compatriot Alessia Bacchetta (GASGAS) in the closing stages.

Strong performances in the final three sections saw Bacchetta close to within two marks of Rabino with Denisa Pechackova (TRRS) from the Czech Republic taking fourth on a tie-break with French rider Alycia Soyer (TRRS) after the pair both ended the race on thirty-nine.

Race two was much closer and Rabino led Bacchetta by two and Abellan by five at the halfway stage. However, Abellan – a five-time vice-champion – kept her cool during a nervous second half to record a final total of sixteen and take the win by a single mark from Rabino.

“It’s been a perfect day for me,” said Abellan. “The first race was so good and the second was much closer, but I still won. My riding has been good today and I’m so happy.”

Bacchetta claimed her second third-placed finish of the day on twenty, three marks clear of Pechackova who in turn was four ahead of Britain’s Alice Minta (Beta).

Abellan then completed her dominant performance by posting the fastest time in the Power Section to pick up the extra point on offer.

Championship leader in Trial2 since round two in Portugal, Britain’s Harry Hemingway (Beta) has seen his advantage eaten away by Miquel Gelabert (Honda) on the all-new RTL Electric model in France and San Marino and the Spaniard appeared to move to the top of the table after finishing second in the opening race behind fellow countryman Arnau Farré (Sherco) with Hemingway an initial fifth.

However, a rule infringement after issues with his battery resulted in Gelabert’s disqualification from the day’s opening race and Hemingway, after being elevated to fourth, was able to strengthen his series lead with victory in race two on a total of fifteen while Gelabert was forced to retire with a technical problem.

Farré continued his run of fine form with second on seventeen to secure the best combined result of the day with Norwegian former champion Sondre Haga (GASGAS) third on his battery-powered machine on twenty-one.

“It feels amazing to win today and I’m so happy,” said Farré. “The sections were very difficult and in the first race I made some mistakes, but so did all the other riders. I had a better feeling in the second race, but just made one big mistake.”

Focus now shifts to tomorrow’s points-scoring action that is scheduled to get under way at 10:00 (local time).

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