Reigning World Champion Toni Bou delivered another masterclass in control and consistency, claiming a convincing victory at round two of the 2026 FIM X-Trial World Championship in Madrid.
The Repsol Honda Trial Team star topped qualifying before sealing the win in the Final with just two penalty points, marking a perfect night in the Spanish capital.
The result replicated the Andorra la Vella podium, with Gabriel Marcelli again finishing runner-up ahead of Jaime Busto. Marcelli kept the pressure on Bou until the final section, arriving with six penalty points to Bou’s two, but picked up two more before the finish to cement second place. With both riders comfortably ahead of Busto, the order at the top was decided well before the end.
Fourth place went to Arnau Farré, matching his strong performance from Cahors last season, although he slipped out of podium contention from the fourth section onward. Harry Hemingway claimed fifth after missing the final this time around, while Benoit Bincaz followed in sixth. Italians Francesco Titli and Matteo Grattarola rounded out the order, with Grattarola’s night ending early after a heavy fall in the fifth section of Q1 left him nursing a painful left hand.
Bou now leads the provisional World Championship standings with 40 points, followed by Marcelli on 30 and Busto on 24.
Reflecting on his flawless night, Bou said, “It was a perfect X-Trial for me because I rode at a high level and everything went perfectly, as evidenced by the only two penalty points in the final. I’ve worked hard since the first round of the season with my team, and my injured shoulder has caused me less discomfort, just occasional pain.”
Marcelli was also pleased with his performance, saying, “This second place is very good and positive. I’ve ridden very well in all the X-Trial rounds and in the end, I finished second, which is a great result for the Championship. I felt very good and the feelings have been very positive regarding the future.”
For Busto, who hadn’t competed since Andorra, a podium finish was a strong return. “I’m very happy because reaching the final was already a good result for me,” he said. “I had a very good Q1, and in the final I made a few more mistakes, but considering how I got here, I’m happy with my result and performance.”
The 2026 FIM X-Trial World Championship now heads to the island of Réunion for round three, taking place in Saint-Denis on November 8.
