Italy to kick off the TrialGP World Championship.

Repsol Honda Team, all set for the greatest

challenge

The TrialGP World Championship gets underway this coming weekend in Italy. Toni Bou
and Takahisa Fujinami, the two Repsol Honda Team riders, are poised to tackle a new
season with many fresh challenges in store for both of them.

Italy will once again host the TrialGP World Championship, this time for the opening round
of the championship, due to start this coming weekend with two points-paying days of
competition.

The biggest unknown in the current trial environment is about how well Toni Bou will be
able to cope with the season opener after the left leg fibula fracture suffered several weeks
ago while training on the bike. After undergoing an operation at the Mi Tres Torres clinic,
performed by Dr. Josep Torrent and Dr. Maurise Saur and overseen by team doctor Dr.
Joaquim Terricabras, the Repsol Honda Team Trial rider embarked on a rehabilitation
programme which saw him back on the bike, for the first time, just a few days ago. The rider
himself cited good initial sensations and is confident as he begins the defence of the world
championship title at the TrialGP season opener in Tolmezzo, Italy, on June 12-13. With
fourteen titles already under his belt, Bou will be looking to improve upon the figure in what
promises to be a highly unpredictable season. Toni Bou has been victorious in Italy on
fourteen previous occasions, having won the last twelve races consecutively.

Meanwhile, Repsol Honda Team brother-in-arms, Japanese rider Takahisa Fujinami, will start
a 26th consecutive season in the elite class competition. 'Fujigas', world champion in 2004,
will be looking for a positive season with the podium as his main aim, after the shortened
2020 calendar with its concentration of races hampered his performance in the opening
races. Fujinami’s track record so far in Italy includes five wins and a record 22 podium
finishes.

The 2021 Italy TrialGP will be held in Tolmezzo, in the Udine region, at the foot of the
Eastern Alps. The season’s new regulations will affect the route, which will have, unlike last
season, just two laps with a total of 12 sections. The maximum permitted time to complete
the first round will be two and a half hours. After 15 minutes for rest and refreshments,
riders will have one hour and 45 minutes to finish the second lap of the sections, with the
maximum total time allowed per rider being 4h30m. On Saturday, the event will get
underway at 10:00, while on Sunday the trial kicks off at 09:00.

TrialGP World Championship

12-13 June TrialGP Italy Tolmezzo
4 July TrialGP France Charade
21-22 August TrialGP Andorra St Julia
29 August TrialGP France Cahors
11-12 September TrialGP Spain Baiona
10-11 October TrialGP Great Britain Tong

TONI BOU
There are a lot of unknowns as we tackle Italy, but after the injury I have been very careful to
make it to the opening championship event, making sure that the bone has held well.
Anything could still happen because it has only been a month and a half since the operation,
but the goal is clear: get to Italy and get as many points as possible. I will try to make it
through the weekend, which will be pretty tough as a month off can really take its toll on
your fitness. On the other hand, we know from experience, as it’s not the first time that I’ve
been through this, what could happen, but we will try to make the most of the good
sensations and focus on the championship.

TAKAHISA FUJINAMI
I am very happy to return to the Outdoor World Championship for another year. I’ve already
had 26 seasons in the top-flight competition and in the same team too, and that makes me
very confident. I am also highly motivated because since the end of last year we have
worked well as a team and have improved the bike and now it is running like a dream. I’m
very eager to get this opening trial underway, as for me personally at 41, I want to know
how far I can get. Everything is up in the air, but we start very well prepared both physically
and technically.