Posted: Monday, 26th July, 2010 : 9:31 AM - - 1,933 Reads

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	2010 champion Toni Bou

The twenty-three year old Spanish rider on board his factory four stroke machine clinched his fourth successive outdoor title after winning the Italian Grand Prix and with one round still remaining.

In front of a massive Italian crowd Bou fought off a strong challenge by eventual runner up Adam Raga – Gas Gas to collect his crown in some style. Takahisa Fujinami – Repsol Montesa HRC completed the podium to keep his chances of becoming vice champion very much alive.

Set high in the Italian mountains some sixty kilometres north of the city of Bergamo, the ski resort of Foppolo last hosted a round of the SPEA FIM Trial World Championship back in 2001.

The surrounding landscape remains as stunning as ever, with the natural terrain once again providing a suitable challenge for the visiting riders. A good mixture of boulder-strewn streams and steep grassy bankings situated on the outskirts of the town gave the passionate Italian fans plenty of action to cheer about.

After heavy rain on Friday night, the sections had dried significantly ahead of today’s trial, meaning that it always promised to be a relatively low scoring event. Reinforcing this point, Bou on his Cota 4RT remained clean through the first eight sections before fiving the ninth hazard where others succeeded. Raga actually recorded the only clean here on the opening lap, but this only served to cancel out the maximum he incurred one section earlier. Fujinami was the only rider in touch with this leading duo at the end of the first lap, as the other contenders were really struggling to get to grips with the mountain course.

As has been the case throughout Toni’s career, he once again produced his best performance at the crucial moment with an almost perfect closing lap. Bou parted with just a single dab in section seven to move clear of his rivals and to secure his most important win of the season to date.

Raga fought bravely as did Fujinami on the second lap, but Toni proved to be too strong for both riders, as they eventually finished second and third respectively. With Bou already crowned champion, Fujinami now must beat Raga at the last round in the Czech Republic if he is to stand any chance of making a Repsol Montesa HRC 1 – 2 in the final general standings.

“Sometimes in these situations you can really feel the pressure, but today that was not the case," Bou said.

"I had a difficult job today, as riding first when the sections were at there most slippery was a real test. Anyway I was riding well and had a really good feeling on the bike. The only mistakes were in sections nine and fourteen on the first lap, which allowed Raga to be close to me. On the second lap I made a really good job, and it was a great way to seal the title. Now I can enjoy the summer break with a small holiday, before preparing for the final round.”

Next event: Round 8 at Kramolin (Czech Republic) on 05 September

RESULTS:

Sunday 1. Toni Bou (SPA-Montesa), 12
2. Adam Raga (SPA-Gas Gas), 18
3. Takahisa Fujinami (JPN-Montesa), 26
4. Jeroni Fajardo (SPA-Beta), 43 (14x0)
5. James Dabill (GBR-Gas Gas), 43 (13x0)
6. Dougie Lampkin (GBR-Beta), 44
7. Albert Cabestany (SPA-Sherco), 49
8. Matteo Grattarola (FRA-Sherco), 53
9. Loris Gubian (FRA-Gas Gas), 59
10. Daniele Maurino (ITA-Gas Gas), 80
11. Alexz Wigg (GBR-Beta), 85
12. Michele Orizio (ITA-Gas Gas), 87
13. Michael Brown (GBR-Sherco), 96
14. Mardon Moi (NOR-Beta), 130

World Championship positions after 7 rounds
1. Bou, 185
2. Raga, 152
3. Fujinami, 150
4. Cabestany,129
5. Fajardo,126
6. Dabill, 99
7. Lampkin, 88
8. Gubian, 60
9. Brown, 67
10. Grattarola, 51
11. Maurino, 47
12. Wigg, 42
13. Oliveras, 27
14. Kuroyama, 20
15. Ogawa, 15

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