Marseille - Ten plus one

When the 2012 FIM X-Trial World Championship rolls into Marseille for tomorrow's third round two-day clash, it will be the eleventh consecutive time that the Palais des Sports has staged a top level competition. Present in the calendar as far back as 2002 it was Marc Freixa - Sherco who was the victor on that occasion, which was to mark the start of a decade plus of Trial action in this French port city.
 
Adam Raga - Gas Gas was then to make this event his own over the next five years, winning all five on the bounce from 2003 to 2007 inclusive on route to him claiming his four FIM Indoor Trial World Championships. Runners-up to Raga over that period included Dougie Lampkin on a Montesa, Takahisa Fujinami - Repsol Montesa, Albert Cabestany - Sherco and Jeroni Fajardo who was then Gas Gas mounted.
 
Although Toni Bou - Repsol Montesa was to dominate the sport from 2007 onwards, ironically Marseille was to prove a bogey venue for the Repsol rider as he was defeated three times in a row by Cabestany from 2008 through to 2010 inclusive. So Bou had to wait until late last January to record his first triumph in the Palais des Sports, and will want to add to that tally starting with a solid qualification tomorrow evening.