Repsol Honda HRC prepare for Round 2 of the season in Andorra
Saint Julià de LòriaToni Bou heads into the second round off a clean sweep in Japan, while Gabriel Marcelli will look to return to the podium in Sant Julià de Lòria.
The TrialGP World Championship heads into its second round this weekend in Sant Julià de Lòria, Andorra. Repsol Honda HRC have Toni Bou leading the overall standings with 80 points, after a perfect start to the season in Motegi, Japan. Gabriel Marcelli sits in fourth place with 56 points -and aims to move closer to the podium positions.
Bou is the current series leader, 16 points ahead of Jaime Busto, his closest rival, after winning all four races at the opening round. Although the outdoor World Championship did not visit Sant Julià de Lòria last season, the Montesa Cota 4RT rider knows the course very well, having achieved victory on both days in the most recent event held in Andorra.
Marcelli also arrives at the second round of the season with positive momentum after securing his first victory of the season in the Spanish Trial Championship. In the opening round of the World Championship, held last month in Japan, he steadily improved throughout the competition to finish fourth on Day 1 and third on Day 2. Furthermore, on the World Championship's last visit to Andorra, he took a second and a third place.
The action begins on Friday with technical and administrative checks and a visit to the course. The competition will take place on Saturday and Sunday.
"I'm really looking forward to the Andorra round, because it's one of the most important events on our calendar. Starting the season with as demanding races as Japan and Andorra always adds extra pressure, but after the great result we achieved at Motegi, we have a lot of confidence and motivation. It's a course we know very well and where we've always been competitive, so the goal will be to fight for the win again. With the new regulations, we've already seen that any small mistake can make the difference, especially in Race 2, so it will be crucial to be focused from the very first zone. This season, consistency will be key due to the large number of points up for grabs each weekend, so our objective will be to consistently stay near the front."
"I'm really looking forward to the Andorra round, because it's one of the most important events on our calendar. Starting the season with as demanding races as Japan and Andorra always adds extra pressure, but after the great result we achieved at Motegi, we have a lot of confidence and motivation. It's a course we know very well and where we've always been competitive, so the goal will be to fight for the win again. With the new regulations, we've already seen that any small mistake can make the difference, especially in Race 2, so it will be crucial to be focused from the very first zone. This season, consistency will be key due to the large number of points up for grabs each weekend, so our objective will be to consistently stay near the front."
"After the victory in Gironella in the Spanish Championship, I'm arriving in Andorra highly motivated. I've been able to reset after Japan, where things didn't go as planned, and now I'm approaching this race focused and with renewed confidence to aim for a good result. I think it's a surface that could suit me, although the altitude will be an important factor for all the riders. The last time I competed in Andorra, I achieved a great result, so the goal will be to get back in the fight for the top positions. In Japan, the rule changes affected me quite a bit, and we weren't able to show our true potential, but we've worked hard and we're ready to give it our all this weekend."
"After the victory in Gironella in the Spanish Championship, I'm arriving in Andorra highly motivated. I've been able to reset after Japan, where things didn't go as planned, and now I'm approaching this race focused and with renewed confidence to aim for a good result. I think it's a surface that could suit me, although the altitude will be an important factor for all the riders. The last time I competed in Andorra, I achieved a great result, so the goal will be to get back in the fight for the top positions. In Japan, the rule changes affected me quite a bit, and we weren't able to show our true potential, but we've worked hard and we're ready to give it our all this weekend."
"We arrive in Andorra highly motivated after our strong start to the season in Japan. Toni has begun the campaign in the best possible way, and now the goal is to maintain this momentum in a round that has always been special for him. Gabri has taken a step forward in recent races and took an important victory in the Spanish Championship, which has given him a lot of confidence. We know it will be a demanding weekend, but we're confident about the work we've done."
"We arrive in Andorra highly motivated after our strong start to the season in Japan. Toni has begun the campaign in the best possible way, and now the goal is to maintain this momentum in a round that has always been special for him. Gabri has taken a step forward in recent races and took an important victory in the Spanish Championship, which has given him a lot of confidence. We know it will be a demanding weekend, but we're confident about the work we've done."
