Jaime Busto blasted back into contention on day two of the TrialGP of Italy – round three of the 2024 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship – with a sensational victory.
Conditions were considerably drier in Valsassina for day two following yesterday’s rain, but an overnight downpour ensured that grip was still in short supply for riders on the opening lap, especially on the steep, slick bankings and tree roots of sections five and six which claimed big scores from everyone apart from defending champion Toni Bou who skipped through with a single dab and a clean.
Having won the first five scoring days of this year’s series with relative ease, it looked to be business as usual for the superstar Spaniard who wasted little time opening up a healthy lead, but his momentum came to an abrupt halt when he reached the river sections. A run of four consecutive maximums put the seventeen-time champion on the back foot and at the end of the first lap his total of twenty-two was just three ahead of Busto with home favourite Matteo Grattarola best of the rest on thirty-one.
Bou had started the day complaining of feeling unwell, but he maintained his advantage until section six on lap two where, following Busto’s faultless ride, he lost a five and with it the event lead and another maximum on section seven after his compatriot had produced a brilliant clean looked to have dropped him out of contention.
Busto then had a maximum on section eight where a huge step out of the riverbed caused problems for most of the field and Bou seized this lifeline by escaping with just a dab, but with the remaining sections relatively straightforward it was Busto in the driving seat and he kept his cool to record his first win of the season on a total of thirty-nine.
“I’ve had a much better weekend, I felt really confident in my riding so I could push a lot harder,” Busto reflected. “The sections suited me well, especially the muddy ones and the river, which worked to my advantage. It was a really technical trial with some big steps and stream sections, and I feel like I rode well all weekend. I made a few mistakes but used the second lap both days to pull it back and get into the top 10. On to the next one!”
Bou looked almost relieved to get the event over on a total of forty-three to extend his championship lead with Grattarola maintaining his brilliant home form to end the day in a hugely-popular third on fifty, ten marks clear of Adam Raga with Gabriel Marcelli a disappointed fifth on sixty-one.
“It’s been a positive weekend as we have achieved many points in the championship,” runner-up Bou said. “Today was not our day and, in fact, yesterday we were not at 100% either, but we had a very good race. Today it wasn’t to be, but the best thing is to be second when things are not going well. I am very happy with the work the team have done today and the points are good for the standings.”
Next stop on the 2024 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship calendar is the TrialGP of Germany on 5-7 July at Neunkirchen.
