| After winning both his races yesterday, Bou started the day in the scenic town of Benahavis, around twenty kilometres north-west of Marbella, in confident mood and established an early lead when he became the first and only rider over both days to conquer the massive step of section two, escaping with a brilliant single dab.
With his rivals all incurring a maximum, it was an advantage that the eighteen-time champion maintained all the way to the end of Race One with his total of four handing him victory ahead of Busto by a commanding fourteen marks with Aniol Gelabert (TRRS) matching his finish in yesterday’s opening race on twenty-eight to complete the all-Spanish top three.
Following his pair of second-placed finishes on Saturday, Bou’s team-mate Gabriel Marcelli slipped to fourth on thirty-three, two clear of Italy’s Matteo Grattarola (Beta).
It was all change in Race Two when a refreshed Busto, who was disappointed with his pair of third-placed finishes on Saturday, took full advantage of a mid-race dip in form by Bou who picked up two maximums in the space of three sections to briefly drop to fourth behind Marcelli and Grattarola.
Leading Bou and Marcelli by eight marks with three sections to go, Busto then scored a maximum on the twisting rocky maze of section ten, but just one more mark lost over the final two sections ensured the twenty-seven-year-old ran out winner by three marks on a total of seventeen.
“Today started much better than yesterday,” said Busto. “I was feeling much more like myself and I was able to put two good races together. My win in Race Two is very good for the championship and I’m looking forward to Portugal.”
An additional two marks on the final section dropped Grattarola to fourth on twenty-six, one behind Marcelli who signed off with a clean, as Britain’s Jack Peace (Sherco) completed his debut weekend in TrialGP with a fighting fifth on thirty-one.
The result means Bou leaves Spain having already opened up a ten-point lead over Busto with Marcelli a further five points behind.
After slipping to a surprise fifth in Saturday’s TrialGP Women opening race, Abellan recovered to win Race Two and the twenty-five-year-old carried this momentum into today’s first race when her winning total of five was half that of Italy’s overnight class leader Andrea Sofia Rabino (Beta).
Continuing to adapt well following her switch to two-stroke power over the winter, France’s Naomi Monnier (Beta) was third on twelve, one ahead of Britain’s Kaytlyn Adshead (Sherco) with Czech rider Denisa Pecháčková (TRRS) fifth on fifteen.
Abellan held a slim lead for the first half of Race Two before a maximum on section eight handed control to Pecháčková. However, the seventeen-year-old dropped a five on the penultimate section and when Abellan went clean her second victory of the day – along with the championship lead – was assured with her score of six putting her four clear of the talented Czech rider.
“Today I am very, very happy,” said Abellan. “I hope I can continue like this and I am very excited for the rest of the season.”
A solid seventh in Race One, Britain’s Alice Minta (Beta) was third on thirteen – three adrift of Pecháčková – with Rabino losing ground in the championship in fourth on fourteen, one clear of Monnier.
Trial2 is always close and competitive and following his pair of race wins yesterday, Britain’s Billy Green (Scorpa) had a much tougher day. It was Bincaz, who this year has dropped down from TrialGP and gone electric, who won Race One on a tie-break from seventeen-year-old George Hemingway with Green one mark behind on fifteen followed by Harry Hemingway on sixteen and Spain’s Arnau Farré (Sherco) on eighteen.
Only twenty-ninth in Race One, Czech rider Fabien staged an amazing comeback to win Race Two on a score of twelve, one ahead of Harry Hemingway and three clear of George Hemingway who won a three-way tie for third with Green – who retains the series lead – and Spain’s Miquel Gelabert (Honda) who is looking for consistency on the new RTL Electric machine.
“I honestly can’t believe it,” said George Hemingway, “I’m not sure I have the words to describe how I’m feeling. I’m very proud, now let’s try and keep this going and see what I can do.”
Among the pre-season favourites in Trial2 Women, Trentini started the day tied with British rider Matilda Arbon (Sherco) before the Italian claimed a commanding win in Race One on a total of twelve, seven clear of Spain’s Daniela Hernando (Beta) who won a tie-break from Margaux Pena (Electric Motion) as Arbon struggled to ninth.
Race Two saw Pena finish on nine to take a comfortable win from Trentini on seventeen and Britain’s Sophie Bailey (GASGAS) on nineteen and in a class where consistency will be key this season, Trentini now leads Pena by ten points with Arbon – who was seventh in Race Two – another eleven points off the pace in third.
“I’m really happy with my form today,” said Trentini. “My goal today was to have fun and it feels great to win.”
Setting the pace yesterday in Trial3 with one-two finishes, Norwegian Jonas Jorgensen (Beta) had to settle for second in the first race of the day after losing a tie-break with Japan’s Jin Kuroyama (Sherco) after the pair finished locked together on sixteen, four ahead of Britain’s Euan Sim (Sherco).
In Race Two he reestablished his dominance and extended his championship lead with a score of fourteen giving him victory by a single mark from the USA’s Ryon Land (Sherco), winner of Saturday’s second race, who emerged on top of a three-way tie-break with Spain’s Oriol Garcia (Beta) and Harison Skelton (Scorpa) from Britain.
“This weekend has been wonderful,” said Jorgensen. “We will see what happens in Portugal, but I would be very happy with the same results.”
Global focus now moves to Viana do Castelo this coming weekend (11-13 April) for the TrialGP of Portugal where all five classes will again be in action. |
