The 2023 FIM X-Trial World Championship finishes in France
Toni Bou (Repsol Honda Trial Team) heads to X-Trial Vendée on Saturday as 17-times World Champion following his latest victory in Madrid.
Bou has won five of the six Rounds of the 2023 season and his sole defeat will be discounted from his Championship result should he take a sixth this weekend. Bou’s teammate Gabriel Marcelli will hope to make it a 1-2 in the Championship for the Repsol Honda Trial Team having closed on Jaime Busto in the battle for silver with a fine podium last time out. Busto, fourth at X-Trial Madrid a week ago, will hope to bounce back into the rostrum places in Vendée. Meanwhile Adam Raga (TRRS) is yet to make it to a Grand Final since the series returned from the summer break.
Toby Martyn (Montesa) claimed the scalp of Raga with a fine performance at the Madrid Arena for third. As such he has taken command of the season-long scrap for fifth position, ahead of Benoit Bincaz (Sherco) who tends to excel in his homeland and Aniol Gelabert (Beta) who had a strong first run in Madrid. Luca Petrella (GasGas) returns to the World Championship to replace injured Matteo Grattarola.
The line-up is completed by Hugo Dufrese (GasGas) who makes his top-flight debut. At just 20 years of age he is among the top three French trial riders and is building his career in a sport in which he debuted at just twelve years of age on 125cc machinery.
The final Round of the season is sure to be exciting and competitive, plus a great atmosphere is almost guaranteed with the Vendéespace sure to be full as it receives the world’s best. X-Trial Vendée gets underway at 20:00 local time.
Don’t miss the final fight of the 2023 Championship; follow all of the action live at www.x-trial.tv