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Trial European Championship, Women, Over 40 and Junior Cup at Lazzate (Italy) – Preview

The final rounds of the FIM European championships are on the go in the upcoming week-end in Lazzate, near Milan, in Italy. About 160 riders have entered the two-day event, which will proclaim the winners in all the categories in these ever green series.
Starting from Saturday on the scene, the best females Trial riders, some of them just coming from Arizona, since they rode few days ago two days of the FIM World Championship.


Together with the Women, the youngest Trial riders, in the Youth class.
Three times world champion British Emma Bristow (Sherco) and present leader with 285 points, cannot do any mistakes because her number one rival German Theresa Bauml (Beta, photo1) is just behind and having already beaten the number one in the last round in Latvia, will try to ride as good as she can to repeat her success.
Between the two, Norwegian Ingveig Hakonsen (Beta) always on podium in the previous events might play the role of outsider.


More uncertain the situation in the Youth class. Leader is Swedish Linus Almthen (Scorpa) who did not win any round but was very constant in getting high position places. His leadership is just 5 points (230 against 225) on French Hugo Dufrese (Gas Gas, photo2), the winner of the last round, so the fight will be very intense and open to others just few points behind as Norwegian Mats Nilsen (Sherco) or German Rudi Florian (Beta). Both are chasing with 220 points and 200 respectively.
As tradition, at the start on Saturday there will be the two International classes, one step below, for the beginners.


On Sunday the most difficult obstacles will be faced by the top riders, in a very close battle to clinch the 26th European title, since the first organization in 1993. Spanish Arnau Farrè (Gas Gas, photo3) has a smooth gap on a couple of Brits: Iwan Roberts (Beta) and Toby Martin (Vertigo). Local rider Pietro Petrangeli (Sherco) currently in fifth position could also find great motivation for playing on home soil and take the chance to climb on podium.
Italian affair with a French outsider the Junior class. On top Manuel Copetti (Vertigo), then Kieran Touly (Sherco), Sergio Piardi (Beta) and Luca Corvi (Scorpa). All of them are potential candidates to the victory. To grasp the title Copetti could even not win, depending on what his rivals do.
Last but not the least the Over 40 class: German Markus Kipp (TRS) has a consistent advantage on
Slovakian Vladimir Kothay (Beta) and Dutch John Van Veelen (Gas Gas), but for this single event we cannot forget the two Italians on podium in the last round: Valter Feltrinelli (Beta) and Angelo Più (Vertigo).
There will e also the International class 1 and 2, for riders at the start. Following the competition will be very easy for the spectators because all the sections are grouped together in a 2 km square area not far from Lazzate, where there will be the paddock.