Repsol Honda Trial Team prepared for first round of TrialGP season
Toni Bou and Gabriel Marcelli will face the inaugural round of the Outdoor World Championship on April 14th in Arteixo
The 2023 TrialGP World Championship will hold its opening event on April 14th in Spain. The city of Arteixo, in Galicia, will host the start of the new season.
Toni Bou, who has more than 100 victories in this discipline, will attempt to retain the title again. The Repsol Honda Trial Team rider closed last season with a victory in Italy, and in 2023 he has 3 wins from 4 races in the X-Trial World Championship.
Teammate Gabriel Marcelli, will be competing in his second TrialGP season with the Repsol Honda Trial Team. The young talent, who has achieved several podiums in the X-Trial World Championship and is third in the overall standings of the indoor series, will target his first victory on the outdoor stage, and is competing in his native Galicia this weekend.
Changes have been made to the TrialGP regulations that include limiting the use of assistants to 6 of the 12 zones. In addition, there are limits to the time that the mechanics have to set up the bikes between the races on Saturday and Sunday.
The TrialGP World Championship calendar will consist of 7 rounds. After Arteixo, the riders will compete again in Gouveia (Portugal), Motegi (Japan), Baldasserrona (San Marino), Sant Julià de Lòria (Andorra), Sestriere (Italy) and Vertolaye (France).
Toni Bou 1
“We face the first race of the outdoor season with a lot of enthusiasm. We have had good results this year in the X-Trial World Championship, with three victories, and we want to keep up the pace. The title race is sure to be very tight because the other riders are at a high level, so it will be important not to make mistakes and fight for the top positions in each race. Both the team and I have done a great job in preseason and we are ready for the first round in Arteixo. Our goal, as in recent years, will be to win the TrialGP Championship title. We have the motivation and the desire.”
Gabriel Marcelli 38
“I think we have had a good preseason and I feel very confident and secure. We face the first race excited and with big aims. Starting at Arteixo is like riding at home. A lot of people are going to be cheering me on and that obviously is extra motivation and also pressure, but I think I can handle it well. I have ridden well there and I think I can have a good season opener. The goal this year is to be on the podium as many times as possible and get some victories, as well as getting into the Top 3 in the overall standings.”
Takahisa Fujinami
Team Manager
“We have been waiting for the first Outdoor World Championship race for a long time. The team are really looking forward to it, and I think Toni and Gabri can have a good season. Both riders are prepared to give everything and have shown that they are performing well. This year getting any victory will not be easy. The rule changes will make every mistake very important, so the key will be to make as few errors as possible. The objective for Toni this season will be to win the title again, and for Gabri it will be to fight for his first victory and end the year in the Top 3 overall.”
