Preview: World X-Trial - Austria
By John Dickinson on 11th Mar 15
WITH the 2015 FIM World X-Trial Championship now on a real gallop to the finish the big bash In Barcelona last Sunday is rapidly followed by a trip to Wiener Neustadt in Austria. And with a 13 point lead and only two rounds remaining, Wiener Neustadt and Oviedo back in Spain, Toni Bou now has one hand on his ninth consecutive X-Trial crown.
In turn, Adam Raga is in turn 14 points ahead of Albert Cabestany and Cabes is a handy nine points up on Jeroni Fajardo so in reality, short of a catastrophe to one or other of the contestants the top three places are pretty much solid.
Britain's James Dabill, after a promising start in Sheffield back in January, has had a pretty torrid time since on the all-new Vertigo and is looking for a breakthrough on a week by week basis and Wiener Neustadt, with unknown sections, could well be the setting. James needs some sections he can make his silky skills count rather than the crash, bang, big brutal steps as in Barcelona.
The organisers' wild card choice is interesting as it is young German prospect Franz Kadlec. The 17 year-old was runner-up to Jaime Busto (the wild card last week in Barcelona) in the 2014 World Cup. Franz was 2014 European champ and German National champ for the first time so it was a fantastic year for the Beta rider from Bad Tolz.
He has spent the winter practising and training in Spain ready for his assault on the 2015 World Champs and has also had the bonus of riding in the German Indoor series so isn't going into the event cold.
Full report and pics of course from Austria in next week's issue!
