Toni Bou wins in Leeds to increase 2026 X-Trial World Championship lead

The Repsol Honda HRC rider secures his fifth victory of the year on the series’ return to the UK, while Gabriel Marcelli misses out on the podium for the first time this season.

The 2026 X-Trial World Championship officially returned after the winter break with the six round of the season, held in Leeds. The UK returned to the calendar after a ten-year absence and, on a highly demanding night, Toni Bou once again demonstrated his dominance, taking another victory that extends his lead in the overall standings. Gabriel Marcelli failed to reach the podium for the first time this season.

From the start, the sections presented a very high level of difficulty, with no room for error. Bou approached Qualifying 1 with calm and determination, managing each obstacle with precision to complete the first lap with 12 penalty points. This placed the Repsol Honda rider in second position, just behind Jaime Busto. He qualified directly for the final alongside his teammate, Marcelli, and Busto. In Superpole, which determined the starting order, the Montesa Cota 4RT rider was second fastest, securing a strategic position of starting second to last in the final.

In the final, Bou proved unstoppable. He corrected the minor errors made on his first run and stood out in a very demanding and close final. Ultimately, the Repsol Honda rider took the victory by a single point over Harry Hemingway. It was the reigning world champion’s fifth win of the season, adding 20 more points to his tally and widening the gap in the overall standings.

The night wasn’t as positive for Gabriel Marcelli, who for the first time in the campaign missed out on a podium finish. He qualified directly for the final after completing the first lap with 17 points.

However, in the final, a mistake on Zone 2 hampered the rest of his ride. Despite fighting until the very last section, the Montesa Cota 4RT rider couldn’t recover the lost ground and missed out on the rostrum. He maintains second place in the overall standings, as a show of his consistency at the start of the season.

Bou continues to lead the overall standings with 115 points, followed by Marcelli with 81. The next round will take place on February 8th in Barcelona, where Repsol Honda HRC will look to continue setting the pace for the season.