The FIM X-Trial series which represents the indoor trials riding World Championships is about to enter its third round of the year this coming weekend in Austria at Weiner Neustadt. It is a very interesting series in that the same three Spaniards have hopped on the podium at the end of the season for the past ten years – Toni Bou, Adam Raga and Albert Cabestany. And it gets even more interesting in that Toni Bou has claimed the top overall spot in X-Trial for the past nine years with the other two riders alternating second and third place – which is also where they stand going into the third and penultimate round of the 2016 season.
Toni Bou rides for the Repsol Honda team in X-Trial while Raga is with TRS and Cabestany rides with the Sherco flag. After competing in the indoor series the outdoor series starts shortly after – a series where Bou has also dominated the podium for many years.
It is good to read that Bou maintains his humility in the face of unprecedented success as he says going into this X-Trial round:
“Over the next ten days the indoor championship will be decided and I will have to perform well in both competitions to be able to win the title. It won’t be easy, I’m convinced about that. Adam showed in Sheffield and Barcelona that he is really strong and I will have to improve more and not make any mistakes, if I want to win in Wiener Neustadt.”
While pictures illustrate the point, the attached video of the 2nd round of 2016 in Barcelona clearly illustrates all the pointy bits that await the riders should they and the bike become separate. Fortunately there are spotters to try and minimize the damage.
See the video here.
