The qualifying zone determines the starting order, at least until the 2019 season. In 2020, due to Covid-19 restrictions and the need not to generate accumulations around the same space, the qualifying area was not held and the starting order was determined by the classification of the last race.
HOW DOES THE QUALIFY WORK IN TRIAL?
Among the drivers with zero points, the one who completes the zone in the shortest time finishes last. This forces the riders to take risks to find a good starting place, which on paper translates into more references over the rest of the riders, knowing scores, cleaner and more lapped areas…
In each qualify, there are two passes per rider and the best result of both passes counts in order to determine the final classification. Therefore, you can do a first pass risking to get a good time, but if you fail, in the second you must be more conservative, and vice versa.
It’s a great opportunity for young riders to get behind and improve their performance in the race. Not all drivers are in favour of qualifying, as many of them say that “there is a lot to lose and little to gain”.
"In a speciality where speed is not a key factor, qualifying forces drivers to squeeze new skills to find a good starting place for the race."
HOW DOES TONI BOU TRAIN THE QUALIFYERS?
Qualifiers are very delicate. Normally they are not complex areas, but you need rhythm throughout the area and the speed that is printed on the bike means that you do not arrive as high as you would like to face the obstacles.
The World Champion, Toni Bou, like the rest of the riders, carry out specific speed training emulating these qualifying areas. In a sport where speed is not decisive, the fact that it begins to be so at such a critical point as the starting order, requires specific training to develop that skill.
In the following video we have an example of training by Toni Bou in his training area, in Andorra.
