Toni Bou bounces back with a GP win and tops world championship table.

Even carrying a serious shoulder injury Toni Bou is still capable of pulling a
surprise out of the bag. Today, in Olvan and Cal Rosal, the Repsol Honda Team
rider was able to ratchet up the pressure and make off with the winning prize.
Bou, albeit an off-form version, is now the new championship leader.

Mighty Bou is back. The rider took the bit between his teeth for day two of the
opening round of the FIM Trial World Championship season in Olvan and Cal
Rosal. The day was far from easy though for the Montesa Cota 4RT rider
struggling all weekend with an injured right shoulder. Today, however, a
determined Bou took a firm, error-free command of the event. Yesterday’s pain
had eased up enough to enable the Repsol Honda Team ace to set his usual high
standard in a GP which saw him accumulate less than half the marks of second
place Adam Raga.

Jaime Busto, like team-mate Takahisa Fujinami, had a change of fortune today,
notching up more mistakes than yesterday and making chances of a podium
place ever more slim. The two had set out hoping for a productive season start
but were unable to accomplish the task. The Basque rider repeated a fourth place
finish with Fujigas pulling back positions but not reducing the points as much as
he had previously hoped.

Next stop for Repsol Honda Team will be the Japanese Grand Prix on 23 th and
24th April. Toni Bou will arrive in Motegi overall leader with 37 points, five more
than Adam Raga and eight points clear of Albert Cabestany in third place. Jaime
Busto is fourth in the standings with 26 and Takahisa Fujinami seventh with 20
points.

TONI BOU
I had a bad night; it’s been a really complicated weekend, but today the pain let
up a bit and was more bearable. I don’t know how, but today I was able to
compete with Adam at the highest level. The changes to the four sections turned
out to be a good thing especially in section six, which I was able to get over three
times and not Adam. I was able to battle on in spite of the injury and I’m really
pleased with the final result as I wasn’t expecting to be the leader in the world
championship ten days ago.

TAKAHISA FUJINAMI
The only positive thing to come out of today is that I was able to finish in fifth. I
think that everything is in my head as I’m on top form and my technique is right
up there too. I’m much better than last year, but for all the good things that I’ve
done on the difficult parts, I’ve come undone on the easy ones. I need to be up.
Today I could have finished in third but I didn’t make it. In the two forthcoming
weeks before Japan I will work on the psychological aspect to be at my best for
the home GP.
JAIME BUSTO
Today was completely different to yesterday: it went really badly. The result is
the same but not the sensations. Today went horribly and from the first lap I
made a lot of absurd mistakes. I was very consistent but with many marks. Now I
will have to prepare well for Japan, which I hope goes better than here.

MIQUEL CIRERA
It has been an incredible week. Toni has achieved an extraordinary win
especially for the condition that he is in. The team couldn’t ask for any more. Last
Friday we weren’t even sure if he could compete. With yesterday’s second place
and today’s win we really couldn’t have wished for better. As for Busto and
Fujinami’s results, it seems that they are having more trouble moving up
positions than they did last season, but I have faith that with the Japanese trip,
they will be able to turn the results around. I would like to thank the team and
those who have treated Toni over these last few days and there have been a lot of
them. Thanks to them for getting Toni here and in a good enough state to
compete. Thanks a lot to all of you.