Miquel Gelabert @ Candellone
In the first round of the FIM Europe Trial Championship held in Pietramutata (Italy), the 18 year old Spanish rider Miquel Gelabert (Sherco) – second in the last year’s World Junior class – beated Francesc Moret (Vertigo) who in 2015 had contested the European title to Italian Gianluca Tournour.
Moret’s country mate, Gelabert, today showed a good maturity, both as riding skill and ability to maintain concentration. He started an excellent first lap, in which he lost just 2 points. Moret was not far, having scored 7, but all the others were quite behind. Gabriele Giarba (Montesa) scored 13 and was ahead of Dan Peace (Beta) with 14. The second lap did not offer any surprises. Gelabert made some more mistakes but his score was still the best: 11 penalities. Moret had just one point more. Giarba kept the third place, scoring 20.
In the Junior class British Jack Price (Beta) capitalized his experience of the second place of the day before: he rode very well on this dry but trickery rocks and won this first round. At the turning point Luca Corvi (Scorpa) was leading with 5 marks ahead of Peace. Corvi made 7 mistakes but Peace made only 4, so he overtook Corvi.
German Markus Kipp (Beta) topped the Over 40 class with 6 points. Second position for italian Walter Feltrinelli (Beta) who was leading by one single point after the first lap. In third Petr Masek (Montesa) from Czech Republic.
In the International 1 class, there was a glorious return to the competitions: Italian Manuel Postal (Gas Gas) won easily, while in the International 2 class German Philipp Emonts (Beta) beated his countrymate Timmy Hippel. The two finished separated by 2 points.
During the price-giving, one minute of silence in honor of an unforgettable rider in our Trial era: Martin Lampkin, world champion in 1975 and father of the 7 times world champion Dougie, passed away the day before, succumbing to cancer disease at 65.
Next round will be held in Breal sous Montfort on 21st of May.
Manuel Postal @ Candellone
