photo: FIM X-Trial
Glaz Arena hosts Round Two of the FIM X-Trial World Championship on Saturday 23rd November. The action continues on French soil but, having made the trip over thousands of kilometres from French overseas territory La Réunion (French Republic), the riders now return to European shores.
After last weekend’s curtain-raiser it is Toni Bou from Andorra (Repsol-Honda) who starts as the favourite, the 13-times World Champion having pocketed his 63rd X-Trial win and the first batch of 20 points available in this new season. Adam Raga (TRRS), his direct rival in the first Grand Final of the campaign, will again be out to topple the discipline’s biggest star and add to his own win record, having been the last man to defeat Bou at X-Trial Barcelona (Spain) earlier this year.
Consolation Finalists in La Réunion, the Vertigo duo of Jaime Busto and Miquel Gelabert will resume their rivalry for the podium places. Fourth at the season opener, Gelabert did enough to qualify as top event rider whilst also mixing it with the series regulars.
Home hopes rest with Benoit Bincaz (Beta) who struggled in La Réunion with an ankle injury and for the first time in his career failed to make it past the first round; he will hope to bounce back in front of a no doubt partisan crowd.
Gabriel Marcelli (Montesa) will also hope to challenge for a place in the Final stages, having proven himself with third place in the preliminary phase of competition last weekend before fading in the second round.
The field is further strengthened in Rennes by the return of Jeroni Fajardo, making his debut on board the Sherco having made the switch from Gas Gas. Completing the line-up as the Wild Card is Toby Martyn (Beta) of Great Britain who makes his first appearance of the season.
