Toni Bou was proclaimed World Champion this weekend by winning the penultimate round of the Indoor World Championship, held in Madrid. The rider from Montesa has won all five races that have been held so far, showing absolute superiority and a constancy in results that is dizzying.
There is still one race to be held and it will take place next weekend in Milan, where Bou, already with the title mathematically in his pocket, will try to continue making history and make everyone in attendance enjoy his riding.
We leave you with an interview with Toni Bou himself.
[Ver las mejores fotos de Toni Bou]
Arriving in Madrid with four victories in the first four rounds allowed you to face this Grand Prix with a certain peace of mind…
“It’s clear, I unintentionally took this race a little differently. The pressure in Marseille, Barcelona or Genoa was very hard, because the championship is very short and you know you can’t make mistakes. We’re lucky to have an amazing bike, which never fails, and all of that made me come here with less pressure.”
Five World Indoor Championships, four Outdoor. Do you have any particular goals in your sights?
“I try not to set goals, I just concentrate on working, which is the way things turn out. I would never have thought about winning nine world titles, so all that comes from now on will be to try not to get injured, to work, to enjoy this sport, to enjoy life, and to try to win as many titles as possible.”
Are you considering combining it with any other specialty, as has been seen in the case of Laia, or other trial riders who have switched to Indoor Enduro?
“It’s very difficult to combine trials with other competitions. Because of the schedule it’s impossible, but also because of the hours of training required to do it well, it’s very difficult.”
Who is the opponent who is making it more difficult for you?
“Right now Albert is second [Cabestany], who is always a very consistent rider and always makes things very difficult. Adam [Raga] has qualities that always make it very difficult for you to compete. And Jeroni [Fajardo] is showing that in peak areas, in areas with very high walls, he is working very well with the Ossa. It’s the first year with this bike and I’m sure it will get better.”
Do you see any young people who can reach your level?
“From the outside it seems that Pol Tarrés is the one who aims the best. He’s already training at our level, which at just 17 years old is already a lot. That makes you see that maybe, when he polishes the mistakes he makes, which is the most normal thing at his age, he can go very far.”
Why do Spanish riders have such a high level and are the great dominators of today’s trial?
“In the case of Pol [Tarrés], he has always had in view figures like Adam, myself, who live 20 minutes from each other, and obviously his uncle, who marked the history of trial. All this means that in our country there are many models to follow, and in addition, it is easier for brands, which are already in Spain, to notice you and support you before someone from abroad”.
Who did you have in sight? Who was your idol?
“Like everyone else, since I was a little boy I looked at Dougie [Lampkin]. He was the one who was on top of everything, he made the difference in everything. I was very lucky to start in the team with Albert Cabestany and to be able to train with him, who tried to teach me and motivated me to improve.”
And outside of trial?
“Everyone has their favorite athletes. There are football players, or sports figures who have marked an era, such as Lance Armstrong or Michael Jordan. You always look at these athletes.”
Five World Championships in a row and this one also adds five victories out of five races played. Can the bar be raised higher?
“The truth is that it is very high and I think that a year like this is impossible to repeat, everything has gone perfectly. I’ve done races making a difference in all the Grands Prix we’ve been in. Races set up by the organiser with very difficult sections, which have helped me to be able to show my riding and to be able to show that we are at a high level”.
This was precisely something you were calling for years before. What did you think of the level in the five tests?
“It was a very difficult race and that helped me to ride a bit looser. Perhaps the easiest was the first one, but after that, Marseille, Barcelona, Geneva and now Madrid, have been very complicated races, in which you go out on track knowing that you have the possibility of making mistakes that you can recover in other areas.”
In these tests, we often find areas that we could call “Toni Bou” level, where you are the only one who manages to do them. What’s the key to being that step above the others?
“Trying to do better than the rest of my rivals. It’s very complicated, but it’s clear that the one who wins, it’s usually because he doesn’t make mistakes, which is the most important thing, and then he makes the difference where the others don’t go up. Maybe the difference between going up or not going up is two or three fingers, the difference is very small, but it’s what allows you to win.”
How do you approach the outdoor season?
“Now, after this race in Madrid, we will start to work more towards the Outdoor World Championship, with the different conditions found in these competitions. I’m really looking forward to it and I’m motivated to get started.”
TONI BOU MENA
MONTESA COTA 4RT REPSOL
Date of Birth: 17/10/86
Place: Piera (Barcelona).
World Cup debut: Ireland, 2003; 15th.
HONOURS
1994
Bike Trial Champion of Catalonia “Promesas”
1995
2nd Bike Trial World Championship “Poussin”
1996
2nd Bike Trial World Championship “poussin”
1997
Spanish Bike Trial Champion “Benjamín”
1998
Bike Trial World Champion “Minime”
2000
Bike Trial World Champion “Minime”
2001
Spanish Trial Champion “Junior”
2nd place in the European Youth Cup, 250 cc.
2002
European Youth Cup Champion, 250 cc.
11th Spanish Championship “Mr. A”
2003
European Trial Champion
13th World Championship.
8th Spanish Championship “Mr. A”
2004
9th World Championship.
2005
Team triumph at the Trial of Nations
2nd Spanish Indoor Trial Championship
4th place in the Spanish Outdoor Trial Championship
5th in the Trial World Championship
2006
Team victory at the Trial of Nations (outdoor and indoor).
Absolute Spanish Champion
3rd Indoor World Championships.
5th place at the World Outdoor Championships
2007
World Champion.
Indoor World Champion.
Winner of the Trial of Nations.
2008
Outdoor World Champion.
Indoor World Champion.
Champion of the Trial of Nations.
Spanish Indoor Trial Champion.
2009
Outdoor Trial World Champion
Indoor Trial World Champion
Spanish Outdoor Trial Champion
Spanish Indoor Trial Champion
2o1o
Indoor Trial World Champion
Outdoor Trial World Champion
Spanish Trial Champion
World Team Champion.
2011
Indoor World Champion.
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