The 2024 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship concludes this coming weekend (13-15 September) with the TrialGP of Spain at Ripoll in the north-east of the country and with three titles still to be decided – and the event taking place alongside the third edition of the FIM Trial Vintage Trophy competition – the atmosphere promises to be electric.
TrialGP of Spain concludes 2024 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship Emma Bristow on pole in TrialGP Women and Jack Peace heads Trial2 Martina Brandani goes for glory in FIM Women’s Trial2 World Cup The event concludes the fiftieth anniversary of the FIM Trial World Championship as well as the twenty-fifth anniversary of female involvement in the series.
With the TrialGP title already claimed by Spain’s Toni Bou (Montesa) for a record eighteenth time and British teenager George Hemingway (Beta) having successfully defended his crown in the Trial3 competition that concluded last month, focus shifts to the premier TrialGP Women category and the Trial2 and Trial2 Women classes.
Aiming to make it ten titles in eleven years, Britain’s Emma Bristow (Sherco) sits in pole position in TrialGP Women with a ten-point cushion over Berta Abellan (Scorpa) from Spain. With a maximum of forty points up for grabs over the two days of competition, it should be sufficient for the thirty-three-year-old to sign off on top in what she has announced will be her final season in top-flight Trial – although Abellan will not give up without a fight.
The twenty-four-year-old has defeated Bristow twice this season, most recently last time out in France, although she will need to do this on both scoring days in Spain and hope her fellow competitors can step up and push the British lioness further down the order if she is to have a chance of claiming her first crown.
Also still in with an admittedly slim mathematical chance of taking the title are Italy’s Andrea Sofia Rabino (Beta) and Naomi Monnier (Montesa) from France who sit third and fourth in the standings and while both have stood on the podium this season, only Rabino has finished ahead of Bristow in 2024.
In recent seasons Trial2 has deservedly earned a reputation for being incredibly close and competitive, but this year Britain’s Jack Peace (Sherco) has shown cool consistency to open up a twenty-one-point advantage with eight podiums – including four victories – from ten scoring days.
The twenty-four-year-old’s closest rival is Arnau Farré (Sherco) from Spain, but he is in a very similar position to Abellan in TrialGP Women and two victories will not be enough to snatch the championship from Peace unless other competitors can get between them on both days and restrict the British rider’s scoring.
Mathematically, Spain’s Alex Canales (Sherco) and defending champion Billy Green (Scorpa) from Britain who sit third and fourth could also still win, although both will be more focussed on closing down Farré for the silver medal.
Competition is fierce in the FIM Women’s Trial2 World Cup where Italian rising star Martina Brandani (Sherco) has been the dominant force across the three points-scoring days riders in the class have contested so far this year.
The seventeen-year-old’s double win in Germany and second-placed finish in Belgium give her a twelve-point lead over Spain’s Laia Pi (Beta), although the rider carrying the most momentum into this weekend is Italy’s Sara Trentini (TRRS) who won last time out after below-par performances on both days at the opening round.
With Bou already assured of the title, the battle for the remaining TrialGP medals looks to be a three-way fight between the Spanish trio of Gabriel Marcelli (Montesa), Jaime Busto (GASGAS) and Adam Raga (Sherco).
Marcelli is currently on course for a career-best second place with a seven-point lead over two-time silver medallist Busto with Raga a further sixteen points adrift, but these three are by no means the only riders aiming for podiums this weekend and riders including Italian veteran Matteo Grattarola (Beta), Miquel Gelabert (Vertigo) and Jorge Casales (TRRS) will all be hoping for finishes in the top three.
The action is due to get under way at 09:00 local time on Saturday and will be streamed LIVE on FIM-MOTO-TV with a season pass covering all seven rounds and the FIM Trial des Nations priced at €34.90. For more information click here.