Toni Bou and Gabriel Marcelli face the first round of the 2026 season this Saturday, October 4th.
The 2026 X-Trial World Championship season will kick off this weekend with the first round of the season, held at the Poliesportiu d’Andorra (Andorra la Vella). World Champion Toni Bou is back for another season, with teammate Gabriel Marcelli also fighting for glory.
Bou, the 38-time champion -19 in X-Trial and 19 in TrialGP-, is approaching this new season in delicate condition, following a shoulder injury sustained during the summer. The Repsol Honda HRC rider has been working hard to arrive in Andorra in good shape. The event is a very special one for him, where he achieved his 36th world title in 2024. This weekend, the goal will be to continue improving his fitness and start his title defence well.
Marcelli is the newly crowned Spanish champion and will be looking to continue his streak of good results on the world stage. Last season, the Montesa Cota 4RT rider finished third overall in the X-Trial World Championship, and this year he has a clear goal: to achieve his first victory in the indoor discipline, in addition to fighting for the title at the end of the season.
Regulation Changes
This season there are four major changes to the X-Trial World Championship regulations that will come into effect at the opening round in Andorra. The first of these is that each competitor will only be allowed to use one bike during the event. This means that in the case of a mechanical issue, riders will no longer be able to switch to another machine as was historically permitted. Instead, they must either continue with the same bike or retire if they are unable to carry on. In addition, time will no longer be stopped for repairs, removing the two-minute window that was previously granted. This new rule adds an extra layer of difficulty and demands even greater precision from both riders and teams.
The second modification refers to the competition itself. In 2026, the course for Q2 and the Superpole will be exactly the same in order to increase the pace of the event and make it more attractive for fans. The third change will see the winner of Q2 exempt from taking part in the Superpole, preventing additional fatigue and allowing them to arrive in the final in the best possible condition. Finally, riders will no longer be able to drop their worst result from the overall standings, meaning that every single round will have a direct impact on the outcome of the 2026 season.
The 2026 X-Trial World Championship calendar will feature 10 rounds. After the opening meeting in Andorra, the riders will compete again in Madrid (Spain), Saint-Denis (Reunion Island), a double round in Ponte di Legno (Italy), Leeds (Great Britain), Barcelona (Spain), Chalon-sur-Saône (France), Lisbon (Portugal) and Tarragona (Spain).
Toni Bou
“It’s a slightly different year for me, because I'm not in the best shape due to my shoulder injury. We've worked hard to get into the race in good condition, and the Andorra race will be a test to see what our level is. For me, Andorra is a very special race, and we've always achieved good results there. Our goal for 2026 is to start more calmly. The first few months will be important, and we hope to gradually become more competitive and reach our best level so we can fight for the title.”
Gabriel Marcelli
“I'm coming to Andorra in very good shape, continuing the momentum of the last few races. It’s a different discipline, but I'm feeling very good and I think I can achieve a good result. I haven't had time to think about the goals for the 2026 season yet, because I finished the 2025 season less than a week ago, but we'll look to give our best in every race and improve on last year's results, as well as take our first X-Trial win. Last year I finished third in Andorra, but I feel very good both physically and mentally, so I'll fight to improve on that result and be on the top step of the podium.”
Takahisa Fujinami
“We're starting the 2026 season with great enthusiasm and the goal of continuing the same trajectory we've had in recent years. Toni isn't in the best shape, but we've worked hard to ensure he can be competitive from the start. We're confident that he'll gradually get back to his best, as he's always done. As for Gabri, he's coming into the season in great form after being crowned Spanish champion, and his challenge will be to fight for his first Grand Prix victory.”
Location Information
| Location | Poliesportiu d’Andorra (new venue from 2019) |
| Seats | 4.000 |
| Organization | FMA |
Records
| Podium 2024 | Toni Bou (Montesa) - Jaime Busto (GasGas) - Gabriel Marcelli (Montesa) |
| Podium 2023 | Toni Bou (Montesa) - Jaime Busto (GasGas) - Gabriel Marcelli (Montesa) |
| Podium 2022 | Jaime Busto (GasGas) - Toni Bou (Montesa) - Adam Raga (TRRS) |
| Podium 2021 | Toni Bou (Montesa) - Adam Raga (TRRS) - Jaime Busto (Vertigo) |
| Podium 2019 | Toni Bou (Montesa) - Adam Raga (TRRS) - Jeroni Fajardo (GasGas) |
