The outcome of the 2014 FIM Trial des Nations held today in Andorra was never really in doubt with their line up of Toni Bou – Repsol Honda, Adam Raga – Gas Gas, Albert Cabestany – Sherco and Jeroni Fajardo – Beta, Spain were always going to be far too strong to stop. Harnessing the might of the current top four riders in the World, the Spanish squad marched easily to its eleventh straight win in this season-ending team competition and took their outright tally to twenty one victories since the first FIM Trials des Nations was held in Poland back in 1984. Confirming their absolute supremacy, Spain’s winning margin on the day was eighty-two marks over Great Britain.
Great Britain’s quartet of James Dabill – Beta, Michael Brown – Gas Gas Alexz Wigg – Gas Gas and Jack Sheppard – Beta once again occupied the runners up spot for the sixth time in a row. Coincidentally, the last time that the British team failed to follow Spain home was in Andorra back in 2008 when the Japanese contingent took a surprise second place. Whilst Dabill and the other British riders put up a brave fight on the eighteen steep and dusty sections that were ridden twice throughout the day, in truth they had no answer to Spain’s might and instead had to concentrate on keeping the French at bay.
Loris Gubian – Gas Gas, Alexandre Ferrer – Sherco, Steven Coquelin - Gas Gas and Quentin Carles de Caudemberg – Beta did a good job of flying the flag strongly for France as they maintained the pressure on the British team, closing out the opening lap just nine marks behind their European cross-channel neighbours. The French rode an improved second lap to hold to third place and to take their place on the rostrum for the second year in a row alongside Spain and Great Britain respectively.
Italy’s Matteo Poli – Ossa, Francesco Iolitta – Montesa, Matteo Grattarola – Gas Gas and Luca Cotone – Sherco finished forty-six marks behind their French rivals in fourth position and truthfully were never in the hunt for a podium place as they have been in previous years. Norway rounded out the World Championship Trophy class with Kristian Sorensen Ole – Sherco, Norum Ivar – Ossa, Pedersen Hakon - Ossa and Ib Andersen – Beta all putting in fighting performances to end their day in fifth spot.
In the International Trophy Group, Germany were once again the winners with this year’s victory following on from the win they achieved twelve months ago in France. Jan Junklewitz – Sherco, Franz Kadlec – Beta, Micro Kammel – JTG and Jan Peters - Beta had to come from behind as they trailed Sweden by two marks after the first lap. The German team was outstanding on its second visit to the dry hazards losing just nine marks for the entire lap to overhaul and beat their Swedish counterparts by seven marks come the close of play. Sweden’s Eddie Karlsson – Montesa, Marcus Eliasson – Beta, Emil Gyllenhammar – Gas Gas and Anton Lorensson – Beta equalled their previous
best result as runners up having occupied this position four times in the past.
As in 2013 the United States of America beat their overseas rivals Australia to the final podium place in the International Trophy Group, this time by the comfortable margin of eighteen marks. With Australia in fourth spot Ireland rounded out this year’s top five in the subplot in what was undoubtedly another highly success edition of the FIM Trials des Nations that celebrated thirty years since it was first organised in Poland back in 1984. Today saw the close of the current Trial season, however the action will resume early next year with the 2015 FIM X-Trial World Championship kicking off the new year.
Trial des Nations FINAL RESULTS
1. Spain - 11
2. Great Britain - 93
3. France - 104
4. Italy - 150
5. Norway - 190
International Trophy Group FINAL RESULTS
1. Germany - 33
2. Sweden - 40
3. USA - 53
4. Australia - 71 (102 cleans)
5. Ireland - 71 (97 cleans)
6. Belgium - 81
7. New Zealand - 136
8. Switzerland - 150
9. Andorra - 151
10. Canada - 204
11. Latvia - 206
12. Denmark - 238
13. Luxembourg - 240
14. Portugal - 255
15. Slovenia - 375
16. Brazil - 380
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