29/06/19 – Temperatures set to soar at TrialGP Belgium this weekend…
Toni Bou (Repsol Honda) made it back-to-back Qualification wins at round four of the 2019 FIM Trial World Championship at TrialGP Belgium at Comblain au Pont today.
The defending TrialGP champion stayed feet-up in Q1 and then shaved over three seconds off his time at his second attempt to end the session comfortably clear of Britain’s James Dabill (Beta) with a clean score in 0:23.97.
Everyone gets two attempts in Qualification with a variety of routes depending on class. The emphasis is on staying feet-up in the fastest possible time with a rider’s best run counting towards their all-important starting position for the main Trial on Sunday with the highest-placed finishers rewarded with a valuable place at the back of the field.
Under a scorching sun in front of a big audience in the town centre, the Spaniard was in untouchable form over the man-made section comprising a series of big, imposing rocks. After taking his first Qualification win of the season last time out in Holland he was looking for more of the same and he did not disappoint.
“It was a very good Qualification for me,” said Bou. “James was very strong and very fast but I rode my best time and I think it’s very important for tomorrow to start in the last position.”
Dabill has excelled in Qualification since it was first introduced two years ago and his time of 0:26.66, although a distant second, was still over two seconds clear of third-placed Jaime Busto (Vertigo) with Benoit Bincaz (Beta) grabbing fourth ahead of Adam Raga (TRRS).
In Trial2 it was Toby Martyn (Beta) who easily topped Qualification. The British rider, who’s third in the championship standings following the first three rounds, is one of the favourites for the title and he ended Q2 more than a second up on Gabriel Marcelli (Montesa) who won in Holland with Alex Ferrer (Sherco) in third.
“We’ve had a good day in Qualification,” said Martyn, “and I’m looking to carry the momentum forwards for tomorrow and aim for the top and pull out a win.”
Italy’s Matteo Grattarola (Honda), the defending champion who currently leads the series, ended the session in fifth almost three seconds behind Martyn.
Alex Canales (Gas Gas) topped Qualification in Trial125 in Italy and the young Spaniard repeated his performance in Belgium to run out over a second ahead of championship pace-setter Kieran Touly (Scorpa) from France with Austrian Marco Mempoer (Beta) – who won last time out – in third.
Former top-flight TrialGP rider Albert Cabestany (Gas Gas) stayed clean at the opening round of the FIM TrialE Cup for electric motorcycles in Holland and he remained in charge in Qualification with his feet-up time of 0:23.81 giving him a comfortable win of almost six seconds from Japan’s Kenichi Kuroyama (Yamaha).
“Today has been fantastic,” said Cabestany. “I’m feeling good with the bike but tomorrow will be much harder than last week so we will see.”
All the action from TrialGP Belgium gets under way at 9am tomorrow CET. You can keep up with the day’s events by checking into www.trialgp.com or by downloading the free TrialGP Live app and across our social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – just search for TrialGP.
