Zelhem, Holland, hosting the third TrialGP of the season, today witnessed Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou clinch his first pole of the year. Team-mate Takahisa Fujinami was tenth.
It wasn’t the best of starts today for Toni Bou, which saw the rider heading out in second place to tackle the qualifying section. Bou picked up a point on the first of the two attempts through the zone. Nevertheless, second time around, the Repsol Honda Team rider not only cleaned the section, but also managed to clock up the fastest time to earn the campaign’s first pole position.
Repsol Honda Team stable-mate, Japanese rider Takahisa Fujinami, started well, setting one of the best times in Q1, but erred towards the end of the second pass, to finish the qualifying in tenth spot.
Tomorrow, Sunday, sees the main event, with a total of fifteen sections to be taken over two laps on a short one-kilometre course. The first riders start out at 09:00 CET. Toni Bou heads out at 10:15 and Takahisa Fujinami at 10.06. The trial is scheduled to end at around 15.45 in the afternoon with the prize-giving podium.
Toni Bou
I failed in the first qualifying so we had to push to get a zero in the second. Everyone went pretty quickly so a zero was not enough, we had to really push. In the end I got the pole, the first of this season, so I'm very happy. Tomorrow I start out from behind, but we do not think it is a great advantage as the rocks will be very slippery. The trial is expected to be quite easy and, consequently will also be easy to make mistakes. It will be tough, but we are prepared.
Takahisa Fujinami
I had a very good first qualifying section, finishing the first three, but I saw that in the second everybody clocked up better times, so I came out to give it everything. I started well; I was quite fast but on the final corner I made a mistake. I do not think it will change much starting from ahead or behind tomorrow. Keep a cool head and give it everything.
Qualifying results TrialGP of Netherlands
| Pos. | Rider | Num | Nation | L1 | L2 | L3 | T3 | Team | Constructor | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bou Toni | 1 | SPA | 0 | Repsol Honda Team | Montesa | 0:37.71 | |||
| 2 | Fajardo Jeroni | 2 | SPA | 0 | Gas Gas | Gas Gas | 0:39.13 | |||
| 3 | Busto Jaime | 69 | SPA | 0 | Vertigo Factory Team | Vertigo | 0;40.15 | |||
| 4 | Dabill James | 22 | GBR | 0 | Beta Factory Racing | Beta | 0:41.16 | |||
| 5 | Raga Adam | 67 | SPA | 0 | TRRS Factory Team | TRRS | 0:41.23 | |||
| 6 | Kadlec Franz | 66 | GER | 0 | TRRS Factory Team | TRRS | 0:41.71 | |||
| 7 | Price Jack | 34 | GBR | 0 | Gas Gas | Gas Gas | 0:41.89 | |||
| 8 | Casales Jorge | 33 | SPA | 0 | Vertigo Factory Team | Vertigo | 0:42.92 | |||
| 9 | Bincaz Benoit | 73 | FRA | 0 | Beta Factory Racing | Beta | 0:43.52 | |||
| 10 | Fujinami Takahisa | 6 | JPN | 0 | Repsol Honda Team | Montesa | 0:44.15 | |||
| 11 | Gelabert Miquel | 9 | SPA | 0 | Sherco Factory Team | Sherco | 0:44.91 | |||
| 12 | Peace Dan | 38 | GBR | 0 | Sherco Factory Team | Sherco | 0:46.34 | |||
| 13 | Farre Arnau | 19 | SPA | 0 | Team Jotagas | JTG | 0:52.51 | |||
| 14 | Riva Andrea | 96 | ITA | 0 | TRRS Factory Team | TRRS | 0:53.63 | |||
| 15 | Noguera Oriol | 13 | SPA | 3 | Team Jotagas | JTG | 0:50.24 |
