Results World Outdoor Trials Championship, De Loria, Andorra

2007-09-02 11:23
Toni Bou - Repsol Montesa HRC rounded off his 2007 title winning campaign aboard his factory Cota 4RT with a convincing victory at the final round held in Andorra. Bou's team mate Dougie Lampkin - Repsol Montesa HRC made a welcome return to form after recovering from a hand injury sustained earlier in the season, to take third spot at the last Grand Prix of the 2007 FIM SPEA Trial World Championship. In contrast Takahisa Fujinami - Repsol Montesa HRC recorded his worst result of the year, with a disappointing fifth place.

On a hot and dry day, Bou once again proved
himself a worthy champion and took the
opportunity to claim his title in style at this,
the now last counting event, with the series
having seen what should have been the climax at
the Belgium GP cancelled at short notice. All,
but four of the fifteen sections were set on dry,
steep and dusty rock outcrops high above the town
of Sant Julia De Loria. The other hazards could
be found in the local river, which at least offer
some variety in the lengthy course.

Bou and Adam Raga - Gas Gas, the 2006 World
champion would eventually finish as runner up,
found themselves locked on thirteen marks apiece
after the first lap. Four stroke mounted Bou was
actually the best on observation, but saw his
clear lead lost as he incurred five time
penalties at the end of a lap that had been
conducted at great speed during the later stages.
Lampkin held third position at the same point,
just ahead of Albert Cabestany - Sherco and
Jeroni Fajardo - Beta, with Fujinami back in sixth spot, well off the pace.

With the temperature dropping slightly, Bou
increased the heat on his rivals to complete his
final tour for the amazing total of just six
marks, to make himself a clear and popular winner
in front of the many Spanish fans who had made
the short journey to the small principality. Both
Raga and Lampkin produced performances that
matched their morning scores, to comfortably take
second and third positions respectively. Fujinami
recovered brilliantly to post the third best
score on the last lap and doing some moved up to
fifth spot by the end of the trial.

The day was completed with Montesa once again
taking the Manufacturers World title, with all
three of their riders placed in the top five of
the final individual standings. This team result
further reinforcing the performance of the four
stroke Cota 4RT on the World stage.

Bou - 1st : "Obviously I was happy to hear that
I had become World champion when they cancelled
Belgium last week, but it was not the perfect way
to take the title. Today has been fantastic, as I
have had the chance to win it properly and in
front of my family, friends and many, many fans.
It was a nice day because I had no pressure, but
I still wanted to win, especially at the last GP.
I want to take this moment to thank everyone who
has supported me this season, especially my
family and the whole Repsol Montesa HRC team."

Lampkin - 3rd : "For the first time in a long
time I felt comfortable on the bike, as only in
the last two weeks have I been able to practice
since I dislocated my finger in Japan . It's nice
to finish the year with a good result as I think
a lot of people have begun to write me off. At
this moment my future is not clear, I would like
to continue to ride, but only under the right
circumstances, so we will have to see what
happens over the next few weeks. Anyway it was
nice to be on the podium and to be apart of the
celebrations, let's just hope it wasn't the last
time I will get the chance to enjoy that feeling. "

Fujinami - 5th : "This was not the result I was
hoping for. OK I knew I was safe in third place
in the championship before I came to Andorra, but
I thought this was a positive position as I had
no real pressure. Maybe without the pressure I
also rode without any real fight. This morning I
rode very bad, the worst for a very long time.
The only point I can be happy about is my second
lap performance, although this was still my worst position of the season."

Ladies World champion Laia Sanz - Repsol Montesa
HRC finally showed the form that has taken her to
the top of her sport, when she took a respectable
sixth place in the Junior class. This, her second
best result of her 2007 campaign (Sanz finished
fifth in Japan) gives Laia eighth position in the
final championship rankings. "This is a great way
to finish off the season, and is a performance
that I can be happy with. My aim for 2008 is to
be more consistent, and to try and finish in the
top five or six riders at all the rounds, not just a few as per this year."


RESULTS:

1. Toni Bou (E-Montesa), 19 ;
2. Adam Raga (E-Gas Gas), 25 ;
3. Dougie Lampkin (E-Montesa), 42 ;
4. Albert Cabestany (E-Sherco), 48 ;
5. Takahisa Fujinami (JPN-Montesa), 59 ;
6. Jeroni Fajardo (E-Beta), 60 ;
7. Marc Freixa (E-Scorpa), 88 ;
8. Daniel Gibert (E-Montesa), 104 ;
9. Michael Brown (GB-Beta), 105 ;
10. Jordi Pascet (E-Beta), 106 ;
11. James Dabill (GB-Montesa), 107 ;
12. Daniele Maurino (IT-Beta), 113 ;
13. Jerome Bethune (FR-Beta), 126 ;
14. Daniel Oliveras (E-Sherco), 130 ;
15. Christophe Bruand (FR- Sherco), 132

World Championship final positions ;
1. Bou, 214 ; 2. Raga, 191 ; 3. Fujinami, 155 ;
4. Cabestany, 135 ; 5. Lampkin, 134 ; 6. Fajardo, 104 ;
7. Freixa, 95 ; 8. Dabill, 94 ; 9. Oliveras, 52 ;
10. Bruand, 37 ; 11. Bethune, 31 ; 12. Maurino, 29 ;
13. Pasuet, 24 ; 14. Gibert, 22 ; 15. Morris, 18

Source: Honda Pro Image

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