Trials: Toni Bou Achieves Milestone 75th Win at U.S. Trial GP

Repsol Honda factory rider Toni Bou doubles up at Stepping Stone Ranch in Exeter, Rhode Island.

After enduring a run of three consecutive FIM Trial World Championship rounds without visting the podium, reigning FIM World Trials Champion Toni Bou celebrated a milestone 75th career at the seventh stop on the series calendar with wins on both days at Stepping Stone Ranch, in Exeter, Rhode Island, July 25-26.

The Repsol Honda-backed Bou scored convincing victories aboard his factory Montesa Cota 4RT. In doing so, he extended his lead in the series standings to the point that he now has a 34-point lead over closest title rival Adam Raga.

“This weekend has been a really good one,” Bou said after the event. “The trial was quite a complicated, one but I was riding really well. I’m very pleased with it. These two victories will make me feel a lot more confident because we have increased the advantage over my rivals, and I will be able to take it more calmly in Portugal. We wanted to win, and the result has been unbeatable. I felt very good in the sections, especially after all the work that I’ve done this pre-season with the non-stop rule. Here, today, I was able to apply all of that training that I had done last winter.”

Indeed. It took Bou all of two loops to pull clear of the field and cruise to the win on Saturday. He mastered the tricky, rain-soaked sections en route to carding a total of 37 points, while Raga picked up nearly double that tally, 69 points, en route to a second-place finish for the day. Sunday’s leg was just as easy for Bou, who enjoyed a 10-point advantage over Raga by the end of the first loop. Bou continued to increase that margin throughout the rest of the day to score another easy win and earn the prestigious famous Wagner Cup for the overall GP victory. Raga managed to fend off Jeroni Fajardo to secure the runner-up spot.

The FIM Trial World Championship returns to Europe for round eight at Portugal’s Paços de Ferreira, September 5-6. The penultimate round in the championship, it could also be the place where Bou clinched his ninth career outdoor trial title.

2015 FIM Trial World Championship
Stepping Stone Ranch
Exeter, Rhode Island
Results: July 25-26 (Round 7 of 9)

Overall

1. Toni Bou (SPA)-Mon
2. Adam Raga (SPA)-GG
3. Jeroni Fajardo (SPA)-Bet
4. Albert Cabestany (SPA)-She
5. Takahisa Fujinami (JPN)-Mon
6. Jaime Busto (SPA)-Mon
7. Jorge Casales (SPA)-Bet
8. James Dabill (GBR)-Ver
9. Alexandre Ferrer (FRA)-She
10. Eddie Karlsson (SWE)-Mon