World Trials - Preview Italian GP
Lampkin brings championship alive
The Italian Grand Prix to be held in the town of Darfo Boario
Terme this coming weekend, arrives a point in the championship,
when the battle for the title has really come to life. Dougie
Lampkin’s – Repsol Montesa HRC first victory this
year, in France last Sunday could not have come at a more
important point in the series for the British rider.
Followed home by his team mate Takahisa Fujinami –
Repsol Montesa HRC, Lampkin must thank both his Japanese counterpart
and Antonio Bou – Beta for keeping championship leader
Adam Raga off the podium and down in fourth place. Raga lost
seven valuable points in the title race as he failed to finish
in the top two for the first time this season.
The Italian Grand Prix has a special tradition in the championship
and is one that the riders universally look forward to. This
year promises to be no different, with the trial returning
to a region it knows well, in the valleys just North of Bergamo
and one hundred and fifty kilometres North West of the fashion
conscious city of Milan.
Although it is Raga and Lampkin who have emerged as the main
contenders at this point, Bou, Fujinami and Albert Cabestany
– Sherco will be looking at the closing half of the
championship knowing that they still have a good opportunity
to play their part in the final outcome that will be decided
in Belgium in late September.
The Junior championship has its own battle to decide, with
Daniel Oliveras – Gas Gas having taking control of this
class after his win at the French GP. Michael Brown –
Beta knows that he must re-find his early season form if he
is to keep Oliveras and Daniel Gibert – Montesa at bay
and regain the lead that he had held since the opening round
in Spain back in April.
Alfredo Gomez – Gas Gas is the man on the move in the
Youth category and will be arriving in Italy hoping to close
the gap on Loris Gubian – Sherco, who currently holds
the top spot in this particular title fight, whilst also increasing
his advantage over Matteo Grattarola – Sherco who will
be competing on home soil.
The Italian venue will host a European event the day prior
to the World trial over a similar, but varied course.
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