World Indoor Trials Championship Marseille, France
 Dougie
Lampkin achieved his first podium finish of the 2007 World
Indoor series, with a fighting third place at the third round
held in the French city of Marseille. Lampkin held his nerve
fantastically to beat his team mate Fujinami in the head to
head race to take his spot in his first final of the year.
Dougie had no answer to eventual winner Raga or runner up
Cabestany on the second lap, but although he slipped out of
the battle for the lead he fought right through to the end
to gain six valuable series points.
As was the case in Russia just six days earlier, the heat
was a nervous affair with everyone knowing that it was going
to be a low scoring qualifying round. Raga was by far the
best on the initial lap, his single mark total setting him
apart from the others. Behind him it was a three way scrap
for the remaining two places.
Lampkin adopted a cautious approach on his first lap his
total of seven marks all being made up of dabs without a single
failure in the seven observed sections. This was in contrast
to his two nearest challengers, namely Cabestany and Fujinami
who both suffered maximums with one or other of the ultra
technical hazards catching them out.
With Lampkin’s new team mate Bou having ruled himself
out of the final, after his loss of concentration following
a pit stop to change his front brake system, it was left to
Dougie and Takahisa to fight it out to be the sole Repsol
Montesa HRC in the main event. Fujinami took the initial advantage
in the dual lane section, but Lampkin found some late rhythm
to over take his Japanese counterpart just when it mattered.
Fresh from the podium Lampkin commented. “Tonight I
have achieved my goal, I wish I could have ridden better in
the final, but to be fair both Adam and Cabestany were on
another level. With the standard of riding, it is really difficult
to qualify for the final, so I am happy to have made it onto
the rostrum. With what has happened to Bou this evening, it
just shows no one is guaranteed to qualify.”
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