Very good areas!
I haven’t forgotten, no. We have the eighth edition of this classic trial just a few days away and the time has come to comment on everything about this wonderful race. Not because of its places and areas, but because of the cordiality of its people and its traditions.
“Ladies and gentlemen”, I leave you with this entry “in the first one” of the 2 Days of MAEZTU Classic Trial.
It is the only trial in which I have participated in each and every one of its editions (7 times). I have seen it grow and improve edition after edition, they have been changing the date of celebration, but always so that the trialists, every time we approach Alava, can enjoy the best edition of the Maeztu trial.
Those first editions that were held in autumn with rain, cold and an unpleasant wind are far away, but now, when I remember it, I can’t stop thinking that they were the best, also the hardest. The Maeztu trial, like others already mentioned, has become one of the classic two-day trials that I like the most within the peninsula and, above all, one of my favorites because it is not only classic trial, which is also much more: they are moments of family, friends, laughter, good food and drink, in short, to have a good time and always remember it.
As I said, I have attended all the editions. The +Gas motorcycle club has been able to create a trial of national reference. Hundreds of friends, odysseys and anecdotes, each one more varied, but I’ll stick with these:
November 8, 2009
First edition. It was part of the last round of the 2009 Spanish Cup.
Our daughter Marta and Asier had started their romantic relationship a little over a year ago and the visit to my first trial in the Basque Country was on this occasion. Orbiso, the village of Asier (Puy and Serafín) is just 10 minutes from Maeztu, so we were very kindly invited to their house, getting to know and delighting what it means to eat a good steak.
For this occasion I chose the Bultaco Sherpa 199B, and I finished the trial by the skin of my teeth, with engine breakage included. It rained so much that water came in everywhere, the Sherpa’s brand new engine couldn’t stand it.
I’m going to expand a little more about the trial.
Maeztu did not have to be the last round of the Spanish Cup, but the cancellation of Alcañiz made the friends from the north get their act together to have a trial in their area again after many years, although the date chosen for the celebration of the trial (arrival of rebound), already predicted that we were not going to be able to go in short sleeves.
The forecasts were the worst you could expect, wind, rain and cold, come on… that a trial of the “authentic” was coming. 12 areas in a beautiful route of about 10 km.
12 areas that were reduced to 9 in the second round, due to the good judgment of the organization to cancel them, since the controls were about to suffer hypothermia. Some did not like this decision, but we have to remember that the integrity of the drivers is important, but that of the controls is sacred. The last three zones were on the four winds and neither umbrellas, nor warm clothes, nor water clothes, made the poor zone judges warm up at any time.
As a pilot you didn’t get hot at any time, since the prevailing temperature in the morning was no more than 5-6 degrees, but the feeling was very cold because it didn’t stop raining and winding.
October 17, 2010
Second edition. It was also part of one of the races of the 2010 Spanish Cup. For this occasion I chose the Honda TLR 250.
First of all, congratulations to my Basque family, buffff! A piece of people, of good people.
They know that I would never leave their house (that I already feel it is mine) because of how well they treat us every time we stay there. Once again that weekend was recorded on my “trial hard drive” as those difficult to forget and above all to digest, hahahaha….
As far as the trial is concerned.
I knew it, I knew that so much food, ribeye, chanterelles, peppers, etc. would take its toll on me. Some areas crossed me, I scratched myself more than ever and “birds” entered one after the other. Maybe I was overconfident when I commented to a member of the organization that the trial had been too high (in green), but I was the one who convinced himself that I was getting older at a forced pace.
I retired, I hadn’t done it in any trial since I compete assiduously in classics and the fact is that trial has a lot of technique, but also of “coconut” and I had it… We don’t even know where. In any case, it is what is most fun to be among friends / family / motorcycle / trial, leaving the competition theme in the background.
October 2, 2011
Third edition, which was the fifth and penultimate scoring event for the Spanish Classic Trial Cup. For this occasion, the chosen bike was the Bultaco Sherpa Kit Champion.
This edition was marked by the state of health of my in-laws. This would mean that Mercè could not travel to Maeztu and would have to do it only with our daughter Marta. She was responsible and in charge of taking the photos that her mother would not be able to take.
This year I had decided to do the entire Spanish Cup in the Pre-72 category. The result of this test would condition the general classification. The pressure of this, together with the fact that I understand less and less the journeys without Mercè, took a toll on my condition and everything and I think I didn’t do it badly, there were those who did it better.
The Pre-72 Spanish Cup would be decided in the last race in Pobladura de las Regueras and four riders had within reach of taking it, but discouragement took hold of me, renouncing the displacement and rebounding to not win the 2011 Spanish Cup of Classics in which in the end I finished third.
September 16, 2012
Fourth edition scoring for the Spanish Classics Trial Cup. On this occasion I participated with the Bultaco Sherpa Kit Champion.
Sadly, I was not sure about my presence in Maeztu. The death of Mercè’s mother 5 days before, everything and that was expected, left the family somewhat “touched”, but we decided that it was better to change “airs”, since she would not have liked, at all, that we modified the plans because of her “fault”.
Determined with unusual speed in me, we were accompanied by my nephew Daniel. Just then he started practicing trials and following this one, he would be the first with his uncle. It made me, it made us especially excited.
Once again, we felt very welcome at Asier’s place. Another time I had to remove a pair of pyjamas because I was left right after the “binges” of steaks and other delicacies of the area, since I will not tire of repeating that we have a country in which the best food in the world is eaten.
I wanted to thank my nephew Dani for the role of “backpacker”. She knew how to understand at all times when she needed refreshments and surely she was the “talisman” of this first and sought-after podium in the trial of Maeztu, but who I cannot forget is my mother-in-law “la Bibi”.
I’m sure that on more than one occasion she made sure that I didn’t miss that silly foot, that my bike didn’t stall in that complicated passage and surely it was responsible for me not having to retire, even with the chain tensioner broken all the second lap. She knew that I was especially excited to take one of the beautiful trophies of the +Gas (I had not achieved it in the three previous editions) and she put all the means to make it happen, in a big way, being the first classified, not only in my category (Pre’72), but in the entire yellow level.
September 14-15, 2013
Fifth edition, first in a 2-day format and valid for the Sotobike Team Trophy. I went with the Bultaco Sherpa Kit Champion. This year my son-in-law Asier made his debut as a classic rider, participating at the highest level with a Fantic 300. My nephew Daniel would be in charge of the assistance, this time with the “borrowed” Beta Factory from Asier.
It all started on Friday with a visit to Laguardia, where we were expected to take a guided tour of a winery, to end with a meal based on typical products of the Rioja Alavesa. This year I would manage to “drag” a large part of the motorcycle club, but if there was one thing I was happy about, it was the reunion with one of my best friends.
After six years of suffering, suffering, crying and cursing all God, we were finally able to count on the presence of Mary Dolors. He knew, he wasn’t at his best, but so what? It was there, between us and me (us) was the only thing that mattered to me.
On Friday afternoon, an amusing anecdote occurred. The great photographer Pep Segalés asked me for my helmet to go and inspect the areas. He gave it back to me more than sweaty, dripping with water. I reprimanded him, hahaha. Also on Friday afternoon, the appropriate verifications were made + hugs + laughter + Gas.
+Gas: a young motorcycle club, from 2007, but with an excellent trajectory and five editions (this one of two days) of the Classic Trial of Maeztu. Also that year with the presence of Amós Bilbao, Jordi Tarrés and on Sunday, also, Jaime Busto with a Merlin.
20 areas very well distributed over a route of about 22 km that delighted the nearly 90 riders. We are part of the “176 Years Old” team with Josep Soldevila, José Mª Martínez and myself. An unrepeatable team name, as indisputable was the victory.
Another weekend to frame in the trunk of memories, of good memories, which Mercè was in charge of immortalizing with more than 2,500 images.
June 28-29, 2014
Sixth edition, second in 2-day format. This year the date was brought forward again, being held at the end of June. On this occasion I participated with the Honda TLR 250.
My nephew Daniel was making his debut as a classic driver, participating with a Fantic 300. We were also joined for the first time by Margarita, my sister and Daniel’s mother. It would be the first time that Asier would run this trial as a “Basque-Catalan” since he had taken up residence in Barcelona more than nine months ago.
Jordi Tarrés and Manel Soler are welcome to be present.
I would like to highlight the detail that the +Gas gave me. A comfortable blue vest just like the ones worn by all the organizers. I will wear it with pride.
I would like to comment on how much fun the women had on the visit they made to Vitoria and the magnificent guide who was Javi Aldecoa’s wife. I’m not going to comment much about the trial since the video shows once again that a picture is better than a thousand words.
April 25-26, 2015
Seventh edition, third in 2-day format and valid for the Sotobike Trophy, now individual. This year the date was brought forward again, choosing the end of April. I rode the Honda TLR 250.
I knew it wouldn’t be a normal weekend. There were enough reasons to taste it again and not to forget it in life, so let’s take it one step at a time.
The presence of my sister Margarita and my nephew Daniel in his second classic Maeztu, the always pleasant company of my wife Mercè and my daughter Marta, the second edition of my son-in-law Asier, now more as a catatan than as a Basque, hahaha…, and meeting again with our “in-laws” family: Serafín, Puy, Toño and Grandma Concha, It was predicted that, at least on the family front, it would be a very rewarding two days.
But I want to have a special memory for Grandma Concha, Puy’s mother and Asier’s grandmother, who left us on August 31 of that same year. I will always remember his magical smile, his gaze, his voluntary silences, the warmth of his company and, of course, his charming personal treatment. Rest in peace Grandma!
On the way to Maeztu, with part of the “pandi” we had the opportunity to eat the first steaks, more specifically in Lodosa. Once again I had to check and go down the “fucking” stairs of the fronton the three motorcycles, Asier’s, Dani (this time with the Sherpa 199B) and mine, since they arrived later in Maeztu, after their corresponding working days.
The welcome pack (as always) was spectacular and it is appreciated that there are more and more registrants. Those who haven’t been to the Maeztu classics trial yet don’t know what they’re missing.
On Saturday, the first day of the trial, under a sky between clouds and clearings, one by one, we were climbing the stairs of the fronton to get to the starting ramp where, after an “aurresku” (typical dance of the country), we went out towards the 20 excellently marked areas.
The trial was not long, or even heavy, as it ran through an interzone and some places worthy of admiration. I’d fall short on adjectives, so I’ll only say one and in capital letters: FANTASTIC!
Saturday: refuelling and provisioning. As there were no queues in the areas, the atmosphere was very relaxed, WE HAD A GREAT TIME! We had all the time in the world to “savour” the comments of the zones in the restaurant Los Roturos, since it was also a good idea to take the hour of the race at the end of the last section.
Meanwhile, the women had been in Laguardia and Logroño making a magnificent cultural visit to the old town, but what they took away a pleasant memory of is the “fed up” of pinchos and ice creams that they put in their bodies in Calle del Laurel, “PAEXPLOTAR!”
In the middle of the afternoon and at the IZKI, the +GAS delighted us again with a succulent “pica pica”. We were also treated to an exhibition of “harrijasotzea” or stone lifters.
Sunday dawned cloudy, but it ended up raining. Asier preferred not to go out because on Saturday he hit his foot and, limping, all his fears came in, because barely a week later he was about to run in the 6 days of Scotland, the famous Scottish.
For this second day, we also made 20 zones. Back in Sabando we repeated refueling and provisioning.
Finally, we only needed to load the bikes, distribute the prizes, enjoy again a “pica pica” offered by the organization, say goodbye and hug each other until next year, since this trial… IT WILL ALWAYS BE PART OF MY AGENDA!
I don’t know what it is about this trial that has me hooked, I haven’t missed any edition. In fact, I do know, it’s all these people from the Basque Country who have me “trapped”. It doesn’t matter if their last name is Clemente or Goicoetxea, for me they are all Basque, hahaha… but above all they are VERY GOOD PEOPLE!
It is true that at the end of such an arduous trial full of difficulties, it is inevitable that you will be assailed by a very human egocentrism that leads you to concentrate most of the merit on the contribution that the (registered) trialists have made. However, if we make an objective analysis, it immediately shows us that the magnitude of this contribution would have been impossible without the participation of people who have facilitated the way for this trial to come to a successful conclusion.
For all these reasons, it is a real pleasure for me to use this space to be fair and consistent with these people, expressing my gratitude to them, but above all to comment to José Luis, Fernando, the two Jesús, Gaizka, zone judges, organization in general of the +Gas, that you have to be frankly proud because, when things are done well, Admittedly, they have been done well. The social and human “capital” that is breathed in this organization is worthy of admiration. The organizational climate and culture is so positive and healthy that it is reflected in the areas, but above all in the treatment (at least it seems that way to me), and also, with the substantial complement of being able to enjoy zones and interzones in the incomparable setting of the mountains of Alava.
As you may have seen, this event means much more than 2 days of classic trial. Meztu has been, is and will be very special for me and if I have to recommend a trial from outside Catalonia, it will undoubtedly be at the top of the list.
If you have never been, on April 16 and 17 you have another chance, you will not regret it.
David has provided the means to channel any comments, but if you want to make it more personalized, you will always find me at bonaigua@bonaigua-trial.com
Lots of zeros!
Victor Martin
“Bonaiguá”
