The British repeat the title for the third year in a row, Germany finish second and Spain third
Great Britain has confirmed its hegemony with its victory in the women’s Trial of Nations that took place today in Vandellòs i l’Hospitalet de l’Infant. The British, who repeat their victory for the third consecutive edition, have won with 19 penalty points ahead of Germany (39 points) and Spain (41 points).
The British, who formed with Emma Bristow -world champion the last two years-, Becky Cook -runner-up in 2015- and Donna Fox -third classified-, have led the race since the first round, followed closely by Germany, only one point behind, and Spain, five.
It was in the second of the laps, made up of 15 sections – the two best from each country scored – when the British made the difference with respect to the Germans and the Spaniards, who competed with Mireia Conde, Elisabeth Solera and the debutant Berta Abellán. Spain had been runners-up in the last two editions.
Missing out on the podium were France (42 p.), Norway (50 p.), Italy (71 p.), the United States (104 p.), Australia (116 p.) and Ireland (195 p.).
In the history of the event – it has been held since 2000 – Great Britain, with its six victories (2006-07-09-13-14-15), is now equal with Spain (2000-02-08-10-11-12). The other victories are shared by Germany (2, 2003-05), Norway (2001) and France (2004).
This Sunday, the men’s TDN with Spain as the big favorite
This Sunday, from 11:00 a.m., the queen race of this Trial of Nations held in Vandellòs i l’Hospitalet de l’Infant will take place: the men’s team race that Spain has won consecutively for the last 11 years.
The event will bring together pilots from 22 countries: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Guatemala, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.
The riders will face a 20-kilometre route, with 18 sections, which they will have to do two laps. Only the top three from each country will score.
The Spaniards will once again start as the top candidates for victory with a team full of stars: Toni Bou (Piera, 1986), Adam Raga (Ulldecona, 1982), Jeroni Fajardo (Caldes de Malavella, 1985) and Albert Cabestany (Tarragona, 1980), who finished the recent individual trial world championship in the same order.
Bou, Raga, Fajardo and Cabestany compete together in the TDN, having been part of the Spanish team since 2006; Since then, they have always won the last nine editions of the race. Cabestany has 16 participations and 13 titles; Raga, 14 and 12, respectively; and Bou and Fajardo, 10 wins in the ten times he has participated.
The British have been runners-up in the last three editions. In Vandellòs they will train with James Dabill, Jack Sheppard, Alexz Wigg and Sam Haslam. The latter is the main novelty with respect to the 2014 edition, instead of Michael Brown.
Spain and Cabestany, the dominators
The Spanish team has dominated the men’s Trial of Nations since it began in 1984 in Poland. Although he did not get his first victory until 1989, in Belgium, he leads the list of winners with a total of 21 victories out of a possible 31. It has won the last 11 editions consecutively, since 2004. The other victories are shared by France (5, 1984-85-86-88-90); United Kingdom (4, 1997-99, 2002-03) and Italy (1, 1987).
In the individual section, Albert Cabestany is, with 13 victories, the most successful rider in the history of the Trial of Nations. The Tarragona native won the first in 2000, along with Marc Colomer, Marc Freixa and Marcel Justribó; he repeated in 2001 (with Colomer, Freixa and Adam Raga) and since 2004 he has only known the triumph (he has accumulated 11 in a row). The now retired Diego Bosis, with 22 appearances with the Italian national team, is however the rider with the most participations.
