Bou dominates at Adam Raga’s farewell celebration

Toni Bou took his eighteenth victory in Barcelona with Adam Raga runner-up in his last appearance

Toni Bou (Repsol Honda Trial Team) completed a hat-trick of consecutive victories in the 2025 calendar year as he dominated X-Trial Barcelona by a three-mark margin over his oldest rival Adam Raga (Sherco).  Gabriel Marcelli (Repsol Honda Trial Team) claimed the scalp of Benoit Bincaz (Sherco) to move a clear fourth in the Championship.  

All eyes were on Adam Raga (Sherco) as he made his record 159th and last X-Trial appearance, and he put his fans through another night of high drama.  Missing out on automatic transfer from Q1 only after a tie-break with Benoit Bincaz, Raga put in an incredible Q2 performance to eliminate the fancied Jaime Busto by less than four seconds.  And the veteran then saved his best for the Final, taking a four-mark lead over Gabriel Marcelli in Section Two and defending successfully to end on a high – with his best result since X-Trial Bordeaux in April of 2023.  

Marcelli missed an opportunity to tie with Raga as he notched a single mark score in Section Six, but he had already done enough to beat Benoit Bincaz and move three points ahead of the Frenchman in the Championship.  But the biggest change in the Standings overall was for Jaime Busto, who arrived in the Catalan capital just five points behind Bou, but took just two points to Bou’s twenty and now sits 23 behind overall.   

Busto was only seventh in Q1, behind both Aniol Gelabert (TRRS) in his first appearance of the season and Matteo Grattarola (Beta).  Harry Hemingway (Beta) rounded out the finishers in a competitive line-up.  

Toni Bou (1st): “It is incredible to win what is the best event in the world, in front of my home crowd; it’s always special to compete here.  And especially riding the way I did in the Final, giving this win a special taste.  I am only sorry that my minder picked up an arm injury.  For me, without wanting to think too much about the Championship, a third consecutive win is really valuable.”  

Adam Raga (2nd): “To finish my career in Barcelona, on the podium and competing for the win is a real dream – it has been fantastic and I am very happy.  I really felt the love of an exceptional crowd.  I gave it everything in the Final after almost failing to qualify and having to go via Q2.  All of that makes this a very special podium.”  

Gabriel Marcelli (3rd): “Returning to the podium is a good result and I am happy about it, even if I am a little bit disappointed that after riding an impeccable Q1 I made a few mistakes in the Final that cost me second place.  Anyway, I am pretty satisfied.”  

In the opening Round of the inaugural Women’s World Trophy, Berta Abellán (Scorpa) claimed a comfortable victory with a six-mark score ahead of Denisa Pechakova (TRRS) on 17 and Andrea Sofia Rabino (Beta) on 18.  Naomi Monnier (Montesa) and Alice Minta (Beta) completed the field.   

Berta Abellán: “This is the best possible way to start the first FIM Women’s Trophy.  I have won in Barcelona for the second consecutive year and above all felt comfortable and appreciated by the crowd.  It’s the best possible way to face the second Round next week.” 

The second half of the X-Trial World Championship gets underway in Stavanger on 8th February, alongside the second date on the FIM X-Trial Women’s Trophy calendar.