Eight competing riders announced for the new season opener
The new 2025 winter season starts as soon as this coming 21st December from 18:00, and from the Palacio Vistalegre which returns to host X-Trial Madrid after an absence of some seasons. The eight riders who will compete at this season opener from the Spanish capital can now be revealed.
Once again, the X-Trial field is headed by Toni Bou, who will hope to deliver a record nineteenth consecutive World Championship with the Repsol Honda Trial Team.
Bou has seen his advantage over the rest of the field steadily decrease as two riders a decade his junior have climbed the world rankings to occupy the other medal positions behind him. Jaime Busto (GasGas) is the current world number two, while Gabriel Marcelli took bronze in 2024 but at the last X-Trial Madrid in 2023 finished just two marks from his teammate in the battle for victory.
Between them, that top three locked out the podium places in four of the seven Rounds last season. But there is no shortage of other candidates for podium places. Fourth overall last year, Benoit Bincaz (Sherco) finished the 2024 campaign with back-to-back rostrum finishes including a career-best second place at the season finale in Pamplona. Spaniards Adam Raga (Sherco) and Miquel Gelabert (Vertigo) have also been podium finishers, although neither made it into the Finals last season. Veteran Raga in the twilight of his career is still chasing a record-breaking 125th podium, while Gelabert made a successful comeback at the two most recent Rounds in October and November.
In total four nations will be represented, with the inclusion of Sondre Haga (GasGas) of Norway and Jack Peace (Sherco) of Great Britain whose appearance in Madrid will be only his second at World Championship level.
These eight riders are eight big reasons to make sure you watch X-Trial Madrid either in-person from the Palacio Vistalegre with tickets at https://xtrialmadrid.com or live and on demand at www.x-trial.tv .
