The Palau Sant Jordi hosted the fourth round of the
X-Trial
World Championship 2022, coinciding with the break that the calendar will take until next October, when the last two races will be held.
In Barcelona, Toni Bou achieved his fourth consecutive victory of the season, leaving the title in sight, as he accumulates a total of 30 points ahead of his closest rival, Adam Raga, who was second in Barcelona.
A HIGHLY DEMANDING ROUTE
The six proposed zones proved to be at a higher technical level than usual. In this first lap, led by Toni Bou in a draw with Adam Raga, he left us with a zone two that no one could overcome. And to give us an idea of the difficulty, the fifth to eighth classified scored more than 20 points out of a possible 25.
Out of the first round were Toby Martyn and Gabriel Marcelli. Interestingly, two of the riders who have managed to get on the podium this season. A fact that, without a doubt, is a good example of the volatility of results that this new X-Trial regulation yields.
In the case of Marcelli, still convalescing from a broken foot: “The truth is that the fall in Madrid has conditioned me a bit. Also, I’ve made a couple of pretty big mistakes, it’s my fault, there’s no doubt about it. Maybe I’ve started a little more nervous than usual, I’ll have to start controlling my nerves a little more and I’m sure that in the next races everything will be much better. We were very close to getting into the semi-final and, despite not being 100%, I think I did a lap to be in the semi-final, but that’s racing.”
BOU ALSO LEADS IN THE SECOND ROUND
The second round started with the “S3” zone, and as in the first lap, Toni Bou was the only one able to overcome the central obstacle, achieving an advantage over his rivals that would end up being decisive. Raga and Grattarola were better in the two, evening things up, but Bou again made the difference in the third and managed his advantage intelligently to go into the final as the leader. He was accompanied by Raga and Grattarola.
Left out was Jaime Busto, who didn’t have his night in Barcelona. Neither Bincaz nor Haga made it past the phase.
"Toni Bou remains unbeaten in this X-Trial 2022 season, which will resume its activity from October with the last two championship races."
A VERY CLOSE FINAL
Once again, zone one was a talisman for Bou. He was the only one to pass it and with it his first lead in the grand final. However, a mistake in zone three by Bou, together with a zero by Raga, opened the race again, putting the Tarragona rider provisionally ahead. A lead that was short-lived, as Raga was not able to overcome the “Vertigo” zone in the opposite direction and Bou took the lead again.
The last two zones were less decisive, and Bou needed to add less than three in the “Montesa” zone to take his 15th win at the Palau Sant Jordi. And it didn’t fail. In this way, he consolidates his position at the top of the provisional standings with a margin of 30 points over Adam Raga, who also consolidates his position as provisional runner-up. Grattarola’s third place allows him to climb positions and he goes to the “X-Trial break” also third, eight points ahead of Busto.
The 2022 X-Trial World Championship now takes a break until October 8, the date scheduled for the X-Trial in Andorra la Vella.
Xtrial Barcelona Classification
BARCELONA - xtrial
- TONI BOU (MONTESA)
- ADAM RAGA (TRRS)
- MATTEO GRATTAROLA (BETA)
- JAIME BUSTO (VERTIGO)
- GABRIEL MARCELLI (MONTESA)
- BENOIT BINCAZ (GASGAS)
- SONDRE HAGA (BETA)
- TOBY MARTYN (TRRS)
