Toni Bou conquers Barcelona and gains the X-Trial World leadership

Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou got back on the winning trail in a thrilling Barcelona X-Trial, notching up a tenth triumph in the Catalonian capital. Fujinami missed out on the final by a single mark and Busto finished the day in eighth spot.

The final podium photo shot in Barcelona’s Palau Sant Jordi was a repeat of those of the previous ten years of Trial Indoor, with Toni Bou occupying the upper step. Astride the Montesa Cota 4RT, the champion continued to assert his command at Trial World Championship’s top venue. In doing so, the Spaniard storms back to the top of the X-Trial overall leader-table.

Toni Bou set out his stall early, cruising round the course and into the final to become the only rider to finish mark-free. The final itself once again produced a vibrant duel with an in-form Adam Raga, with Bou managing to distance himself from the competition in a highly demanding Barcelona event. Such was the difficulty of some of the sections that the Repsol rider was even forced to overcome a three metre fall in section five – an obstacle that proved insurmountable for the entire field.

Repsol Honda team-mates Jaime Busto and Takahisa Fujinami failed to make it through to the final. Although the young Basque rider had improved on last year’s outing, his 22 marks left him out of the decisive phase, finishing the event in eighth position. Similar fortune befell Takahisa Fujinami, who narrowly missed the final with just a one mark difference over Jeroni Fajardo. The Japanese rider settled for fifth place overall but comes away from the event in more buoyant spirits than after the world championship’s opening GP.