01/06/25 - BOU,GELABERT AND LAND DOUBLED UP IN CALVI, DAY 2

Toni Bou (Montesa) maintained his vice-like grip on the premier TrialGP class on the concluding day of the TrialGP of France – round four of the 2025 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship – at Calvi on the island of Corsica as Miquel Gelabert (Honda) enjoyed a double win of his own in Trial2 and Ryon Land (Sherco) also remained unbeaten in Trial3.

It was another hot, sunny day on the north-west tip of the Mediterranean island, but defending champion Bou kept his cool in a tense opening race despite relentless pressure from fellow Spaniard Jaime Busto (GASGAS).

With the rest of the field collecting early maximums, thirty-eight-year-old Bou and his twenty-seven-year-old rival went head-to-head with only a single mark separating them until Busto incurred a five on section eight, situated on the steep and rocky mountainside overlooking the town, when he slipped off the side of a sharp-tipped boulder.

With the pressure off, Bou cruised to victory on just three marks lost as Busto’s maximum threatened to put him within striking distance of third-placed Matteo Grattarola (Beta), but he held his nerve to take second on fourteen, three ahead of the veteran Italian.

All-action Spanish rider Gabriel Marcelli (Montesa) started the day third in the points table, but he was forced to concede more ground to second-placed Busto in the championship when he came home fourth on twenty-one, just two ahead of Britain’s Jack Peace (Sherco) who was riding with a new-found confidence following his solid performance on Saturday.

Bou started race two in dominant fashion and after the first nine sections he looked in complete control with just two marks lost compared to Busto’s total of eight at this point. However, uncharacteristic back-to-back maximums from the eighteen-time champion reduced the deficit to a single mark with just section twelve left to ride.

A long and twisting hazard plotted on Calvi’s rocky coastal defences, Busto went clean to shift the pressure back on Bou before the sport’s most decorated rider of all time put the result beyond doubt with a precise clean of his own.

Holding a solid third with three sections remaining, a five on section ten threatened to spoil Grattarola’s second race of the day, but he held his nerve to take another third-placed finish ahead of Marcelli, although this time it went to a tie-break after both riders finished on a total of twenty-one.

Also going down to a tie-break, Peace continued his run of great form in fifth after ending the day on twenty-eight, the same total as Spanish rider Aniol Gelabert (TRRS). The day ended with the Power Section – an against-the-clock race over a series of concrete blocks – where Busto secured the extra championship point up for grabs.

“This weekend has been close to being perfect,” said Bou. “I have lost just a point in the Power Section so I am super-happy. It has been an amazing weekend.”

The competition in Trial2 has been fiercely fought all season with Britain’s Harry Hemingway (Beta) able to pull out a slim advantage heading into Corsica, but today belonged to Gelabert who swept both races on the all-new RTL Electric machine.

The twenty-seven-year-old from Barcelona won yesterday’s second race and on Sunday morning he picked up where he left off with his first race total of just four earning him victory from compatriot Arnau Farré (Sherco) by three marks with Italy’s Francesco Titli (TRRS) third on eight.

Home favourite Benoit Bincaz (EM) maintained his run of good form in fourth on ten, one mark ahead of Hemingway, but 2023 champion Billy Green (Scorpa) – who started the day in second in the championship – lost ground on the series leader when he ended the race in eighth on fourteen.

Race two was a four-rider fight with Hemingway holding the advantage after staying clean through the first eight sections with Gelabert and Spanish rider Gerard Trueba (Beta) on one and Farré on four. With the leaders’ scores remaining incredibly low, the slightest lapse in concentration would prove pivotal and it was Hemingway who faltered when he dropped two marks on section nine.

That was all Gelabert needed and he kept his composure to claim victory on just a single mark, one ahead of Hemingway and two clear of Trueba with Farré fourth on four before a seven-mark gap to Bincaz, but Green’s hopes of regaining his title suffered a body blow when he was unable to complete the race.

“Today has been unbelievable,” said Gelabert. “I have ridden very well and I couldn’t be happier with the team. This class is very tight and the pressure is intense so I am very happy.”

After running one-two in yesterday’s races, Trial3 championship leader Ryon Land (Sherco) dominated today with back-to-back victories extending his advantage at the top of the points table.

The American teenager claimed a comfortable win in the first race of the day with his score of two putting him six clear of Alessandro Ame (Beta) who was two ahead of his fellow Italian Fabio Mazzola (TRRS).

Land then produced a faultless clean performance in race two to take his second win of the day with Britain’s Harison Skelton (Scorpa) finishing as runner-up on a single mark, one ahead of Norway’s Jonas Jorgensen (Beta) who maintains his second place in the championship chase.

“I told myself this morning that I needed to push as hard as I could and that’s exactly what I did,” said Land. “I felt incredible this morning and I knew I could do better, although I was shocked to go clean in race two.”

The action now shifts to Baldasserona this coming weekend (6-8 June) for the TrialGP of San Marino where TrialGP, Trial2 and Trial3 competitors will again be in action.

photos by FUTURE7MEDIA

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BOU, GELABERT E LAND RADDOPPIANO NEL SECONDO GIORNO DI CALVI MA ITALIANI SUL PODIO IN TUTTE LE CLASSI

Toni Bou (Montesa) ha mantenuto saldamente la sua presa sulla classe regina TrialGP nell'ultima giornata del TrialGP di Francia – quarto round del Campionato Mondiale Trial FIM Hertz 2025 – a Calvi, in Corsica, mentre Miquel Gelabert (Honda) si è aggiudicato una doppietta nel Trial2 e Ryon Land (Sherco) è rimasto imbattuto nel Trial3.

È stata un'altra giornata calda e soleggiata sulla punta nord-occidentale dell'isola mediterranea, ma il campione in carica Bou ha mantenuto la calma in una gara d'apertura tesa nonostante la pressione incessante del connazionale spagnolo Jaime Busto (GASGAS).

Con il resto del gruppo che collezionava i massimi iniziali, il trentottenne Bou e il suo rivale ventisettenne si sono sfidati testa a testa con un solo punto a separarli, fino a quando Busto non è incappato in un cinque alla zona otto, situata sul ripido e roccioso pendio che domina la città, scivolando dal lato di un masso dalla punta aguzza.

Senza più pressione, Bou ha conquistato la vittoria con soli tre punti persi, mentre il massimo di Busto ha riavvicinato il nostro Matteo Grattarola (Beta), ottimamente in terza posizione, staccato di soli 3 punti dalla piazza d'onore.

Stessa musica per la seconda gara, con ancora Bou e Busto a contendersi la vittoria, andata al leader per un solo punto in finale. Ancora un'ottima prestazione per Grattarola che è riuscito a salire sul podio grazie a uno zero in più di Gabriel Marcelli (Montesa).

"Questo weekend è stato quasi perfetto", ha detto Bou. "Ho perso solo un punto nella Power Section, quindi sono felicissimo. È stato un weekend fantastico".

La competizione nel Trial2 è stata combattuta per tutta la stagione, con il britannico Harry Hemingway (Beta) in grado di accumulare un leggero vantaggio in vista della Corsica, ma oggi la vittoria è andata a Gelabert, che ha dominato entrambe le gare con la nuovissima RTL Electric.

Grande soddisfazione per il torinese Francesco Titli (TRRS) che si è guadagnato per la prima volta un podio mondiale nella prima gara, davanti a nomi illustri e nella categoria che ha visto al via ben 39 piloti. Titli era anche alla sua prima apparizione nel mondiale 2025.

"Oggi è stata una giornata incredibile", ha detto Gelabert."Ho guidato molto bene e non potrei essere più soddisfatto della squadra. Questa categoria è molto serrata e la pressione è forte, quindi sono molto contento".

Dopo aver conquistato due vittorie consecutive nelle gare di ieri, il leader del campionato Trial3 Ryon Land (Sherco) ha dominato oggi con due vittorie consecutive, ampliando il suo vantaggio in vetta alla classifica.

Ma in gara uno sul podio sono saliti ben due dei nostri: Alessandro Amè (Beta) e Fabio Mazzola (TRRS). Anche questa è stata la prima volta in questa stagione

Putroppo nella seconda gara non si sono ripetuti a questi livelli, ma comunque con Mazzola quinto e Amè sesto, l'Italia dei giovani ci lascia ottime speranze per il futuro.

"Stamattina mi sono detto che dovevo spingere al massimo ed è esattamente quello che ho fatto", ha detto Land. "Mi sentivo benissimo e sapevo di poter fare meglio, anche se sono rimasto scioccato nel concludere la seconda gara a zero".

L'azione si sposta ora a Baldasserona questo fine settimana (6-8 giugno) per il TrialGP di San Marino, dove i concorrenti di TrialGP, Trial2 e Trial3 saranno nuovamente in azione.

foto di FUTURE7MEDIA