Adam Raga's amazing run at the World Indoor Trials Championship continued at the penultimate round, held in Nice, France. Although Adam didn't win this time, his cautious approach put him even closer to the 2003 Indoor Crown. It must have been somewhat frustrating for Adam, as a second place would have assured him victory in the series. His third place, alongside Dougie's second, means that mathematically Dougie could still win. However, if Adam does anything other than DNF the final round, the title is his. Any points at all will ensure victory! The final round will take place in Madrid, Spain, so Adam will have the full support of his home crowd, and the entire Gas Gas Factory will be able to cheer him on!
Keep your eyes peeled for upcoming TrialsTV DVD's featuring highlights from every round of this series!
The following is from Octagon's press release:
Freixa adds his first victory with Montesa and Raga sentences the title.
Nice, 7th March - Adam Raga has become the virtual world indoor champion 2003 after clinching third place this night in Nice, combined with second position of Dougie Lampkin. With these results, The Spaniard rider maintains his average over ten points, and only finishing the qualification lap in Madrid next 21th March he will reach the title, no matter his position in the last round.
The win today was to Marc Freixa, who achieved his first victory of the season and also the first with his new team, Montesa-HRC. Anyway, Raga fnished the qualification lap as the best rider of eight in competition, with only five penalty points, one less than Freixa and the Japanese Fujinami. The last rider to overtake the first lap and pass to the final was Dougie Lampkin with seven failures.
The leader in outcome showed himself very nervous in the final, there was a lot to win today, and committed some failures that didn't let to fight for the victory. Freixa completed the circuit with two penalties less than Lampkin. Everybody thought that, in a strategical team decission, the Brit became the winner and forces to Raga to achieve fourth place in Madrid as a minimum to be the champion. In spite of losing the race, Freixa took the triumph.
More than 5,500 witnessed the Nice Indoor Trial at the Nikaia Palace. The circuit had six observed sections and one double lane race. In the qualification lap, the time limit was fixed in nine minutes. The sections were attempted in the reverse order in the final, except the hazard number five, with a time limit per section between one minute and one minute and a half depending on the section.
The coming round and the last in Indoor Series 2003 will be held in Madrid Palacio Vistalegre, which will see its second spaniard world indoor champion in a row, after Cabestany clinched the title last year.
