The first round of the World Championship will feature an updated competition format
The X-Trial in Andorra la Vella, which will take place on October 4 starting at 6:00 PM (local time) at the Poliesportiu d’Andorra (Toni Martí Sports Hall), will not only mark the spectacular start of a new season, but will also introduce some improvements to the competition format, designed to increase competitiveness in each event.
The two main changes for this season are as follows: first of all, the course for Q2 and the Superpole will be identical, which will increase the speed, spectacle, and appeal for fans, who will be able to see the riders tackle a familiar course. Second one, the Q2 winner will not compete in the Superpole, and his score will serve as a benchmark for the three riders qualified from Q1. The top rider from Q2 will also avoid the additional strain of ride in the Superpole and repeating the course, arriving at the final in better condition than in the previous season. This measure will help to balance the potential of the four finalists.
The other stages of each round remain unchanged: there will be a Q1, with the top three riders qualifying for the Final; a Q2 contested using the Sprint system (time-based scoring), which will determine the fourth finalist; a Sprint Superpole, which will determine the starting positions for the final; and, finally, the head-to-head competition between the four best riders, section by section, fighting for the win.
This will be the format in which Bou, Busto, Marcelli, Bincaz, Grattarola, Hemingway, Peace and Titli will compete in the six challenging and spectacular sections of XTRIALAND.
Regarding the final Championship standings, riders will no longer be able to discard their worst result, meaning that each event will directly influence the final standings of the 2026 season, which is going to start in Andorra la Vella.
If you want to experience the passion and excitement of the season opener live, you can buy your tickets now at https://tickets.x-trial.com . And if you can't be there in person to watch the world's best riders in, you can still follow the competition on FIM-MOTO.TV as if you were sitting in the stands at the Toni Martí Arena.
