La Chatre revisited

Although the town of La Chatre, which sits in central France approximately three hundred kilometres south  of Paris, has never previously hosted the FIM Trial des Nations as it will do this weekend, it is not a stranger to welcoming top line events. Back in 2006 the French venue was home to a round of the FIM Trial World Championship.

Significantly on that day in June seven years ago a certain Dougie Lampkin recorded his last ever and ninety-ninth Grand Prix win in some wet and sticky conditions. His margin of victory was a mere two cleans as he defeated his then Repsol Montesa team-mate Takahisa Fujinami on a tie-decider. Just two marks back from the leading duo, a now familiar name in the form of Toni Bou then on his two stroke Beta completed the podium.

In what proved to be a very close competition Adam Raga – Gas Gas placed fourth, whilst Albert Cabestany – Sherco rounded out the top five as only ten marks covered the first to fifth places. Other riders of note on that day in history were Marc Freixa – Beta who finished seventh, but has now retired from the sport and Tadeusz Blazusiak – Scorpa whose highly successful move to extreme enduro has been widely documented.