Currently running high up the order in this week's Scottish Six Days Trial, reigning TrialGP Women World Champion Emma Bristow - Sherco is coming into this year's series with a point to prove after her shock defeat at the final round of the 2017 championship.
Her four-mark loss to Germany's Theresa Bauml - Beta at TrialGP Italy last September ended a win-streak that began in May 2015, but the British star has turned a negative into a positive and used it as motivation as she prepares to compete for a fifth consecutive FIM Women's Trial World Championship title.
"I don't like losing, but it happened and I have to deal with it and if anything it's spurred me on. It's not as if I wasn't on form because the week before in the Czech Republic I had probably my best ride of the whole championship. I only lost five marks and there were some tough sections."
"So I don't quite know what happened in Italy. I just made a few mistakes and you can't afford to do that when it's a low-scoring event, but I still won the championship and that was my main aim - that's what sticks in my mind."
At twenty-seven years of age Emma is the oldest rider in the premier TrialGP Women class, but with age comes experience and she is in probably the best form of her life heading into TrialGP Japan at the beginning of June when the feet-up females fire into action for the first time this year, and will mark the Women's initial visit to the land of the rising sun.
Only last month she recorded a career-best fifth competing against the men in the Expert class of the British Trial Championship and she also has the security of a new deal with Sherco that will see her stay with the leading manufacturer until at least 2019.
"It's good to carry on with something that I know works well for me and I'm more than happy to have signed for another two years with Sherco. I'm at one with the bike and I've got a great set-up behind me which can be difficult to find, but the most important thing is that it works for me."
"I can't wait for the start of the championship. I'm one of those people who isn't happy to stand still so I'm always looking to improve my level. I'm as hungry and motivated as I've ever been to ride my best."