Another exciting season of the FIM X-Trial World Championship gets underway in Barcelona
X-Trial Barcelona provides the curtain-raiser for the second consecutive campaign, as the sport returns to its birthplace. X-Trial was conceived in the Catalan capital in 1978, with current venue the Palau Sant Jordi the host since the early 1990s.
As such, the majority of our competing riders in 2024 hadn’t yet been born when this stadium first opened its doors to the sport. Only three exceptions: now 17-times World Champion Toni Bou was born in 1986 when Jordi Tarrés took his first Barcelona crown, 4-times Champion Adam Raga was born in 1982 when Belgium’s Eddy Lejeune topped the podium, Matteo Grattarola the only other 80s baby still in the line-up.
The more youthful contingent completes an eight-rider field; Busto, Marcelli, Martyn, Bincaz and Aniol Gelabert - with an average age of just 24 - continue to move up through the world rankings. The format will, as ever, see three stages of competition: in each rider’s first run they will have a five-minute time limit to complete five spectacular Sections, then in the night’s second round they will have a reduced four-minute allowance. The Grand Final to settle the podium places will be contested over six Sections.
The evening’s entertainment will also include the fourth edition of the Barcelona Women’s Trophy, with no less than five riders – Emma Bristow (Sherco), Berta Abellán (Scorpa), Andrea Sofia Rabino (Beta), Naomi Monnier (Montesa) and Alice Minta (Scorpa) - competing between the first and second Round of the World Championship event.
The 2024 edition of X-Trial Barcelona starts at 5pm local time on Sunday 4th February. Remember, if you can’t make it to the arena itself you can follow all of the action live on www.x-trial.tv
