Cycle News Staff | September 19, 2021
Toni Bou wins a 29th Trial World Championship title in Portugal
This is a press release from Honda…
The Repsol Honda Team rider has been proclaimed the 2021 TrialGP World Champion. Toni Bou–who also won the day’s trial in Portugal–takes his GP victories to 125 triumphs and 15 consecutive TrialGP titles, plus 14 indoor: 29 championship wins for the greatest rider of all time.
The Repsol Honda Team ace set the benchmark from the start in a trial filled with natural yet demanding sections, where the first 12 sections had been made quite slippery by the water which flows through the Portuguese town of Gouveia. Bou made it through to the end of the trial with sufficient advantage to claim a 125th victory in the Trial World Championship for the Montesa Cota 4RT rider. This season saw him victorious in seven 2021 Trial World Championship events to clinch the top TrialGP World Championship honors for a 15th time in a row.
Today was also a very special event for Japanese Repsol Honda Team rider Takahisa Fujinami who brings to an end his career in the Trial World Championship. Fujinami rode a trial that went from strength to strength, improving considerably on the second lap before eventually posting seventh place on the day. “Fujigas” thus wraps up the world championship in sixth place overall.
Takahisa Fujinami (above) bid farewell to the Trial World Championship this weekend in Portugal, with the announcement of his retirement. Visit the photo gallery HERE.
With this final trial in Portugal, Repsol Honda Team bids farewell to this year’s TrialGP campaign. The next appointment for Toni Bou will be tomorrow, held in the same Portuguese town, where the champion will represent the Spanish national team in the Trial des Nations event.
TrialGP Women World Championship
This is a press release from GasGas…
After eight years away from the Trial World Championship, Laia Sanz has returned to the top of the podium once again, winning the final round of the 2021 season on her GasGas TXT GP 300 to become TrialGP Women World Champion for an incredible 14th time.
Proving once again that she’s unquestionably the queen of trial, Laia Sanz did exactly what she needed to do at the all-important final round of the 2021 TrialGP World Championship, winning the day and claiming an incredible 14th trial title. Coming into the Portuguese event one point behind her closest championship rival Emma Bristow, Laia set her sights on winning from the moment she entered the day’s opening section.
Knowing that there was no room for error, she completed the opening lap having lost just four marks. In doing so she put one hand on the women’s title. Holding her nerve, her best was yet to come as she dropped just two marks on the second lap and delivered her best ride of the season, when it mattered most. Securing her third win of the championship, in never finishing lower than second this season Laia’s composure and consistency ultimately ensured she won her 14th trial world title.
Laia Sanz: “It’s been an incredible day, to win is amazing. It wasn’t the hardest trial of the championship, but the hard thing for me was to stay 100% focused, so mentally it wasn’t easy at all. Coming back to TrialGP after so many years away, to return and finally be successful and win another world title, it’s amazing. Apart from section three on the first lap, I think I had one of my best days of the championship today. It’s not been an easy year for me, so I am proud that I have been able to do what I hoped I would. Also, I want to thank the team and GasGas, they have been so, so good to me. It’s the result that we all worked really hard for.”
Albert Cabestany – GasGas Factory Racing Trial Team Manager: “It feels amazing to be a part of what Laia achieved today. It was a really tough goal because Laia has been suffering all the year with illness, so she wasn’t able to train and prepare like she wanted. That made this weekend tough for her. But she dealt with the pressure like Laia does and why she has won so many titles. She handled the race perfectly. She proved why she is number one. With our TrialGP riders we again fought for the podium, which is never easy. There was some good mixed with some mistakes, but now we look forward and we will work hard to improve and be stronger next season.”
TrialGP of Portugal Results
1. Toni Bou (Montesa) 20 marks
2. Adam Raga (TRRS) 24 marks
3. Jaime Busto (Vertigo) 26 marks
4. Gabriel Marcelli (Montesa) 33 marks
5. Matteo Grattarola (Beta) 38 marks
6. Miquel Gelabert (GasGas) 39 marks
7. Takahisa Fujinami (Montesa) 41 marks
8. Jeroni Fajardo (Sherco) 42 marks
9. Jorge Casales (GasGas) 53 marks
10. Benoit Bincaz (Beta) 62 marks
TrialGP of Portugal Women Results
- Laia Sanz (GASGAS) 6 marks
- Berta Abellan (Vertigo) 11
- Emma Bristow (Sherco) 14
2021 FIM TrialGP World Championship Standings
- Toni Bou (Montesa) 172
- Adam Raga (TRRS) 150
- Jaime Busto (Vertigo) 122
- Matteo Grattarola (Beta) 112
- Miquel Gelabert (GasGas) 95
- Takahisa Fujinami (Montesa) 94
- Gabriel Marcelli (Montesa) 92
- Jeroni Fajardo (Sherco) 80
- Jorge Casales (GasGas) 57
- Benoit Bincaz (Beta) 38
2021 FIM TrialGP World Championship Women Standings
- Laia Sanz (GASGAS) 111 points
- Emma Bristow (Sherco) 107
- Berta Abellan (Vertigo) 94
