15/09/18 – Reigning and newly-crowned twelve-time kingpin Toni Bou – Repsol Honda lit up the second…

Reigning and newly-crowned twelve-time kingpin Toni Bou – Repsol Honda lit up the second qualification session at TrialGP Italy – the eighth and final round of the 2018 FIM Trial World Championship – at the Metzler Offroad Park at Pietramurata Di Dro tonight.

Competing under floodlights for the first time ever, which proved to be a huge success thanks to the latest innovative twist by championship promoter Sport7, the Spanish legend – who clinched the 2018 title last time out with victory at TrialGP Great Britain – signalled his intention of signing off on top this season with a commanding night-time performance in the foothills of the Alps.

It was Bou’s compatriot Jaime Busto – Gas Gas who set the benchmark in the Q1 session, but a maximum at his second attempt over the huge boulders that comprised the imposing man-made section dropped the teenager down the order to a lowly twelfth. Bou, however, was impeccable to record his fifth Q2 victory of the season with his cocktail of pace and perfection leaving no-one in any doubt as to who is the boss!

“I’m very happy because I try to do my best,” says Bou. “Jaime is very fast so it’s incredible for me and the show is very, very special. I don’t have the pressure this weekend so I can enjoy this moment.”

Veteran Albert Cabestany – Beta matched his best result of the 2018 campaign to take second, finishing over a second-and-a-half behind Bou but still three-and-a-half seconds ahead of Jeroni Fajardo – Gas Gas in a Spanish one-two-three.

With a big crowd surrounding the section, France’s Benoit Bincaz – Scorpa shocked the audience drinking in the night-time atmosphere by taking fourth ahead of Spanish duo Miquel Gelabert – Sherco and Jorge Casales – Vertigo as former champion Adam Raga – TRRS also recorded a maximum to end the session in thirteenth and third man away tomorrow.

With the Trial2 championship on the line, home hero Matteo Grattarola – Honda, five points down heading into the series finale, succumbed to the pressure and picked up a maximum to finish twentieth as his title rival Toby Martyn – Montesa recorded a perfect ride to top the Q2 session. The rising British star finished over half-a-second clear of Norwegian Hakon Pedersen – Gas Gas with Spain’s Gabriel Marcelli – Montesa taking third.

The result sees veteran Grattarola start fourth tomorrow and hands him a significant disadvantage as the Trial2 crown goes down to the wire.

In Trial125 the clear series leader Billy Green – Beta from Britain stayed feet-up to come home fourth as French pocket-rocket Hugo Dufrese – Gas Gas pulled out all the stops to match his best Q2 result of the year at TrialGP Portugal in June, winning from fellow countryman Arthur Rovery – Sherco and Spain’s Eric Miquel – TRRS.

Follow the final day of the 2018 TrialGP series via the free TrialGP Live app and the regular live updates on the TrialGP Facebook page.