A two-time FIM TrialGP World Champion, Adam Raga (TRRS) has been the man who has pushed reigning king Toni Bou (Repsol Honda) the hardest over the last 13 years.
The sublimely-skilled Catalan topped the podium on day two of the French TrialGP – his first win in over three years – and now heads into round two of the 2020 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship this coming weekend in third place in the premier class, just two points behind Bou and only one adrift of Jaime Busto (Vertigo).
We caught up with Adam on the eve of the Spanish TrialGP, where two scoring days at Pobladura de las Regueras await him, to find out a little bit more about what makes him tick.
TrialGP: Congratulations on your win in France – your first since the Czech Republic in 2017. How much pressure have you put on yourself to win again and how did it feel to return to the top of the podium?
Adam Raga: “I really wanted to win again! I always train and prepare to win. Winning again has made me very excited because it has been a hard year with tough and difficult injuries.”
TrialGP: Your determination is incredible. How hard is it to stay motivated?
Adam Raga: “It is easy! I really like what I do and I like to win in everything! I am 38 years old and I am still competitive – it is incredible! At 20 I would never have imagined it.”
TrialGP: Can you make it a hat-trick of World titles this year?
Adam Raga: “Of course that is my goal but it is not easy at all. The rivals are very strong!”
TrialGP: Toni is the best rider the sport has ever seen. How hard has it been to compete in his era?
Adam Raga: “It has been difficult because you know that to win you have to be very strong but at the same time it has made me a better pilot since it has pushed my level to the maximum.”
TrialGP: Please tell us a bit about the TRRS. How cool is it to have a made-to-measure motorcycle and what part do you play in its development?
Adam Raga: “To enter with a brand-new bike and from the first race to be competitive was incredible. It is a motorcycle that is at a high level and I try to contribute the maximum of my experience to improve the motorcycle more every day.”
TrialGP: Although you’re still at the top of your game, do you think about the future and what you will do after Trial? Dakar maybe? Or Extreme Enduro?
Adam Raga: “I feel really good riding at the moment. I have no idea what I’ll do in the future but I’ll like to still be involved in the Trial world to try to make it better!”
The 2020 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship resumes tomorrow with the opening day of the Spanish TrialGP. For regular updates and live results go to the new-look www.trialgp.com website or check out our social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – just search for TrialGP.