World Outdoor Trials Championship Darfo Boario Terme, Italy
Round 6 Day 1 Sunday (1 day event) 02/07/06
* Dougie Lampkin experienced the bitter taste of defeat at
the Italian Grand Prix today when he slumped to sixth place,
just seven days after having clinched his first victory of
the season in France. On an otherwise black day for Lampkin,
the only positive news was that despite his poor showing he
only lost one point to Raga in the championship race, as the
Spanish rider endured an equally bad day to finish in fifth
spot.
* Lampkin arrived in the small town of Darfo Boario Terme,
approximately one hundred kilometres North East of Milan,
full of confidence after his win at the French Grand Prix.
However his day was over before it had even begun properly,
with Dougie clocking up three maximums in the first five hazards.
* Normally one of the best rounds of the year, this edition
of the Italian Grand Prix was poor compared to previous years.
Usually the sections are located high in the mountains, but
this time around, at a much lower altitude the hazards lacked
both variety and imagination, with there being no break from
the dry and dusty rocks.
* Dougie languished down in seventh place on a massive forty
marks at the end of the first lap, whilst eventual winner
Fujinami had only dropped fifteen marks on observation and
five on time for the same period.
* The second lap started better for Lampkin, but by section
five he was beginning to lose his way and confidence once
again. Four more maximums on this tour quickly increased his
tally. His day was to become even worse as a big crash forced
running repairs to his bike, which would lead to much unwanted
time penalties come the finish.
* “Days don’t come much blacker than today, I
simply couldn’t do anything right at all. It has been
a nightmare from start to finish. I never felt right all day,
or found any kind of confidence, I wish I had something to
blame, but I haven’t, it was just a bad day all round.
In terms of positives there has been none, but I suppose I
have top count myself lucky that I have only lost one point
to Raga in the overall standings given the circumstances.”
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