Aussie success at Trials des Nations
Australia’s mens team at the 2017 Trials des Nations (TdN) are on a high after winning the International Class category.
The Aussie team of Kyle Middleton, Connor Hogan and Christopher Bayles, all on Gas Gas bikes, triumphed over 12 other nations, including teams from Ireland, Sweden, the Czech Republic, Belgium, Switzerland and the USA.
In the main TdN Championship for the top-flight trials teams, Spain triumphed for the fourteenth consecutive year, defeating Great Britain and Japan, despite a poor performance from individual trials world champion, Toni Bou.
Held at Baiona on Spain’s Atlantic coast in September, this year’s TdN International Class saw the Czech Republic get the early advantage over Australia following an unpenalised first lap of the tough waterfront course that comprised fifteen individual sections.
On lap two, the USA took the lead when the Czech challenge crumbled, but two maximum mark penalties late in the lap sealed their fate and Australia’s cleaner riding through both laps saw them come out on top, with 16 marks against 20 from the USA and 25 from the Czech Republic.
Australia’s team manager, Phil Whittle, said: “All three men rode exceptionally well, each stepping up to the plate to get the job done. I couldn’t ask for a better result.”
In the women’s class, the Aussie squad of Sofie Kraft, Sarah Chivers and Nicole Casey finished eighth overall, but they were up against the elite women’s teams from Spain, Germany, Norway, Italy and Great Britain.
Whittle also praised the girls for their efforts against tough competition and a challenging course: “All three girls had exceptional rides throughout the day, when the team needed a good score, one of the girls stepped it up to cover the other.
“Two full-on laps – they handled it so well physically and mentally.”
Spain won the women’s class with a solitary mark, with Great Britain second (4 marks) and Norway third (6 marks).
In the men’s world championship, Spain qualified comfortably, meaning they would take to the course as the last of seven teams, giving them an advantage.
After the first seven sections of the opening lap, Spain had already opened up a commanding lead, ahead of Great Britain by 10 marks, despite Bou crashing heavily on section three. Fortunately, only the best two results count towards the team result, so clean runs from Bou’s team mates, Adam Raga and Jamie Busto, put Spain in the box seat.
Despite rain on the second lap, Spain added only one more mark for a total of six overall, while Great Britain was battling to keep third-placed Japan at bay. This they eventually did, taking second overall with 42 marks to Japan’s 45. Italy was fourth (84) and France fifth (86).
