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2010 World Championship Round 7 |
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The Italian Grand Prix is always an important stop on the SPEA FIM Trial World Championship calendar, and this year it maybe even more significant as Toni Bou - Repsol Montesa looks favourite to claim his fourth outdoor title in Foppolo this Sunday. Bou who was victorious both in France and San Marino over the last two weekends heads to the Italian mountains above Bergamo with a thirty point cushion.
In reality only an absolute disaster will prevent the twenty-three year old from becoming FIM Trial World Champion on Sunday, as Toni continues to dominate the current era of the sport, a position he has held since joining Montesa back in 2007. Bou's team mate Takahisa Fujinami - Repsol Montesa will be looking for a good result in Italy following his fifth place in San Marino, as he looks to secure a Repsol Montesa 1 - 2 in the championship and move clear of Adam Raga - Gas Gas with whom he is currently tied with in the general standings.
Raga's second place last weekend was a welcomed return of form for the Gas Gas teamster after poor results in Great Britain and France which saw his title hopes fade in a matter of two rounds. Adam appeared to have Bou under pressure following his win on the second day in Japan, with just eight points separating the young Spanish duo after the opening three rounds. Realistically the best Raga can hope for now, is to overcome Fujinami in the fight to become vice champion as he was last year.
The battle for fourth place in the general standings remains a fierce contest between two more Spanish riders, with Albert Cabestany - Sherco curently holding a seven point advantage over Jeroni Fajardo - Beta as the series heads to Italy. Fajardo missed a great opportunity to close the gap further on his more experienced rival, when a five in the very last section in San Marino dropped him from second to fourth and allowed Cabestany to take the final podium place.
Further down the order exists another tussle between two competitors from the same country, with the younger rider holding the upper hand on this ocassion. James Dabill - Gas Gas recent poor run of form has allowed veteran campaigner Dougie Lampkin to close in on him with just two rounds remaining. Whilst it will be difficult for Lampkin to overcome the ten point deficit, history would tell us that Dougie will not give up on the chance to claim sixth spot in the series until the final section has been ridden.
Although Bou will travel to Foppolo knowing he has a good level of comfort in his title fight, his younger compatriot Alfredo Gomez - Montesa will not have that level of luxury. A mere five points is all that splits Gomez from Jack Challoner - Beta going into the penultimate round as the British rider looks to add the FIM World Junior title to the Youth crown he claimed back in 2008.
In the Youth category it is again Spain versus Great Britain, with Pol Tarres - Gas Gas having taken control of this title race thanks to his fifth win of the year in San Marino. Although Jack Sheppard - Beta trails Tarres by fourteen points going to Italy, the situation is actualy much closer and more complicated due to both the Youth and Junior championships being determined from the best nine of eleven counting days.
The small town of Foppolo that sits approximately sixty kilometres north of Bergamo will host the fifth round of the 2010 UEM Trial European Championship the day before the almost seventy strong entry take part in the main World event.
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