The second round of the Outdoor Trial World Championship was held in Portugal, and the Repsol Honda Team continued their perfect podium record so far this season.
Toni Bou earned a victory and a second place in a hotly contested trial in Portugal. On Saturday, he was the clear dominant force, winning the first TrialGP race with a total of 26 points. On Sunday he paid the price for a mistake and was just a point behind the eventual winner, in second place.
Marcelli accumulated a total of 68 points between Saturday and Sunday and was on the podium on both days with third place. His target this season is also to finish amongst the top three overall.
Bou is joint leader of the series with 74 points. Marcelli is third, with 58. The Japan TrialGP takes place from May 19th-21st, the venue returning to the calendar after a three-year absence.
Rider Statements
Toni Bou
“Overall it was a good race. We knew that today would be more difficult, that all the other riders would make fewer mistakes, and that’s how it went. A mistake on the first lap meant that we dropped a few points, but then we were able to come back. On the second lap we were four points ahead and I made a mistake in a river area. We were riding on the limit. The position is good for the championship. The next round is in Japan where it is always a special race for our team. We have achieved great results there and we will be very motivated in a tight series, so we will give 100%.”
Gabriel Marcelli
“I think the day went very well. I made a few too many mistakes, which I would have liked to have avoided, but we rode very well and the team did a great job. We are happy with the result, the points are good for the championship and we must continue in the same vein. We have shown that we have a lot of perseverance and that we are very consistent. This is a very good sign for Japan and this result has given me a boost in confidence, which ensures that we can be on the podium in every race. Now we will have to go to Japan looking for a little more.”