2021 French TrialGP Results
Press Release | July 7, 2021
Heavy rain over the weekend ensured that conditions were treacherous at Charade for the first French TrialGP of the season, July 4, with mud getting dragged onto the imposing rocks that formed the predominantly man-made sections. The French TrialGP was the third round of the 2021 FIM TrialGP Championship.
Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou came away with the victory for his 120th career Trial World Championship win.
The opening lap of 12 sections proved to be expensive for the 14-time champion, Bou, but the Spaniard still led at the halfway mark—despite a maximum on the super-tough, natural section on the face of a cliff—on a total of 19, two clear of Italy’s Matteo Grattarola (Beta) and a comfortable 21 marks ahead of his compatriot Adam Raga (TRRS).
Both Spanish riders upped their game on lap two to part with a miserly five marks apiece, as Bou increased his championship lead and Raga hunted down Grattarola only to lose out on a tie-break to the 2020 Trial2 champion.
“This victory is very important,” said Bou. “My feeling today on the second lap was incredible, and it’s great to now be 10 points ahead of Adam (in the championship). It’s been a very good weekend for me.”
The rejuvenated Japanese veteran Takahisa Fujinami (Repsol Honda)—winner last time out in Italy—was just four marks adrift in fourth as Miquel Gelabert (GasGas) completed the top five.
After trading wins with returning trial legend Laia Sanz (GasGas) at the opening round in Italy last month, Emma Bristow had a point to prove in France and the British rider—who’s lining up her eighth-straight TrialGP Women title this season—came out swinging.
Seven clear of the 13-time champion after lap one, Bristow rode with her head on the second circuit to end the day with a six-mark advantage as Sanz overtook her fellow Spaniard Berta Abellan (Vertigo) to claim second with Spain’s Sandra Gomez (TRRS) and Norway’s Ingveig Hakonsen (TRRS) finishing a distant fourth and fifth.
The action resumes with the Andorran TrialGP on August 20-22.
PRO
- Toni Bou (Mon)
- Matteo Grattarola (Bet)
- Adam Raga (TRS)
- Takahisa Fujinami (Mon)
- Miquel Galabert (GG)
- Jorge Casales (GG)
- Jeroni Fajardo (She)
- Jaime Busto (Ver)
- Gabriel Marcelli (Mon)
- Dan Peace (She)