Trials Action

Indoor WTC 2006 Round 1 Preview

Wednesday the 4th of January 2006 by Trials Action

Season 2006 of the Indoor Trial World Championship (FITWC) will begin next Saturday 7th of January with the Grand Prix of Great Britain in Sheffield, a city that will inaugurate the World Championship for the second consecutive year. The venue for the event will be the Hallam FM Sheffield Arena.

Adam Raga (Gas Gas) will begin in Sheffield his fight for achieving a fourth World Title. Albert Cabestany (Sherco) and Jeroni Fajardo (Gas Gas) are the other spanish Riders competing the whole Championship. Dougie Lampkin (Repsol Montesa-HRC), who has won seven out of nine rounds held there, and Takahisa Fujinami (Repsol Montesa-HRC) complete the group of permanent riders in the FITWC.  Spanish Toni Bou (Beta) and British Shaun Morris (Gas Gas) will be the wild cards riders participating in this Grand Prix.

Adam Raga (Gas Gas) was the 2005 winner in, and he was accompanied in the podium by Albert Cabestany (Sherco) and Takahisa Fujinami (Repsol Montesa-HRC).

Adam Raga (Gas Gas): “I face 2006 with the same high motivation than always. After three World Titles, I would be very happy of achieving a fourth one. I don’t feel any special pressure as I understand that is normal that people expect me to win, and I will fight for it.  My rivals are very hard, but I know I have chances as I arrive to the first Grand Prix in a very good moment and I also think that I have the more competitive bike of the World Championship.”

Albert Cabestany (Sherco): “After being Sub Champion in 2005, my aim for 2006 is becoming World Champion. This is my second year in Sherco and, contrary to last season, we begin the Championship with more experience and better prepared. I feel we have given an step forward, regarding the set up for the bike and also regarding our mentality, as now we are much more confident.”

Jeroni Fajardo (Gas Gas): “Season 2005 turned to be really surprising as nobody expected that I would finish third, so in 2006 my objective will be, at least, to finish within the three first positions again. Last year I took a victory in Argentina and this year I;ll try to take more wins from the very first Grand Prix.”

Dougie Lampkin (Repsol Montesa-HRC): “This season I am very happy as we have the proper factory bike for the whole World Championship. Last year it was very hard because we used the four-stroke engines for the first time, and furthermore we began with an standard bike. But in 2006 we are better prepared after one year of experience, and I am very confident as I have good feelings with the machine. I am also very motivated because we start racing at home. Sheffield is a very special place for me, so it would be very nice to take again a victory there. I know I will have more than eight thousand fans pushing for me and I don’t want to fail in front of my public.”

Takahisa Fujinami (Repsol Montesa-HRC): “Last year I already achieved the podium in Sheffield, and I am convinced I have chances to repeat it in 2006. We need to improve our results this season, because in 2005 our performance was not as good as we would have desired. However, now we are better adapted to the bike so I face Sheffield GP feeling very confident.”

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