The Estonian city will host the X-Trial World Championship for the first time, as Toni Bou arrives with his 18th title and Gabriel Marcelli lies third.
The countdown is on for the end of the 2024 X-Trial World Championship season, which will hold the penultimate round of the calendar this Saturday. In addition, it will be a special event as Tallinn makes its debut as a venue for the indoor competition. Toni Bou arrives in the Estonian city fresh from winning his eighteenth title in this discipline in Andorra. His teammate, Gabriel Marcelli, is in the fight for the runner-up position alongside Jaime Busto.
Bou has achieved his overall target for the campaign, but the Montesa Cota 4RT rider will be looking for his sixth consecutive win of the season this weekend, and add Tallinn to the list of venues where he has achieved victory on the world stage.
Marcelli, faces the penultimate round of the season tied on 68 points with Busto in the fight for second place. The Repsol Honda rider is currently on a run of five consecutive podiums, and his goal for Saturday will be to seek his first Indoor win and increase his lead in the standings.
The race will start at the Unibet Arena at 5pm local time.
Toni Bou
“Tallinn is a city where we have already participated in exhibitions and where I have been able to take two victories. There have been some very good races there, so it is a source of motivation that we are having a World Championship race there for the first time. It is a slightly different round for me, as I am arriving with the World Championship already won and the pressure is not the same, but we will look for the best possible result and to put on a great show. The other riders are pushing very hard, so it will be tight and every point will count.”
Gabriel Marcelli
“We have already been to Tallinn for some exhibitions and the fans were incredible, so we are really looking forward to returning with the World Championship. The objective for this weekend is to get my first victory. So far we have had a great season and I feel very strong, so we will give 100% this weekend. We had a great feeling in Andorra, which gives us extra motivation. We have a bit more pressure due to the fight for second place, but both the team and I go round by round, without losing sight of the standings.”
Takahisa Fujinami
“This weekend we are faced with a new challenge with the penultimate round of the season in Estonia. Toni arrives with his objective already fulfilled, although as always he will seek to do his best and get to the top of the podium. It will be an important race for Gabri, who is currently tied on points with Jaime and in the fight for the runner-up position. It will be important to be focused during the three rounds and maintain the great level he has shown in 2024. The goal will be to get his first victory in the X-Trial World Championship.”
Location Information
Unibet Arena, Paldiski maantee, Tallinn, Estonia - View in Google Maps