Italian Championship Round 6 – Montorio Vomano
For the third round in a row, James Dabill brought his Future
TRW Montesa Cota 4RT home in a close second place behind his
more experienced team mate Fabio Lenzi. Despite never having
finished lower than runner up in the six counting events to
date, Dabill finally surrendered his series lead to Lenzi,
after having led the Italain domestic championship since the
opening round back in March.
Dabill did little wrong at the latest competition in Italy
and posted three identical lap scores of just eight marks
as he visited the ten sections three times during what was
an extremely hot day. With the exception of the first man
made hazard, the remaining sections lacked variety with them
all consisting of dry and grippy rocks.
The young British rider held a one mark lead over his main
rival as they went into the final lap, but Lenzi produced
an amazing closing performance to snatch the win from Dabill
by just two marks.
James collected one five on each of his three laps, with
section three proving to be his bogey hazard. It was not until
the penultimate hazard on the first lap that Dabill recorded
his first maximum, as his rear wheel slid away on the cambered
face that followed the final step.
Whilst James put amends to this mistake on the following
two laps, he suffered two identical failures at the third
hazard on his last two visits. Here Dabill was unable to get
sufficient drive on the loose approach to a massive step,
and without enough speed a five was the only result that was
ever on the cards.
Slightly dejected with his recent run of form in the Italian
series Dabill commented. “Compared to my performances
at World level, my results in the Italian championship have
not been good. With no disrespect to Lenzi, I really should
have won more of the rounds than I have to date. Obviously
losing the series lead is a disappointment, but I have still
got two rounds to make amends. I am just glad there is a break
now as that will give me a chance to regroup and come back
with a fresh approach.”
“It has been a tough period, and has been non stop
since before Scotland. I am looking forward to going home
this week, and having a weekend off before I return to Italy
for the first domestic indoor event and then the Italian Grand
Prix.”
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