X-Trial Madrid: Busto opens the 2025 season with victory in Madrid
Words and images courtesy X-Trial
X-Trial Madrid, the opening Round of the 2025 FIM X-Trial World Championship, resulted in GasGas star Jaime Busto’s fifth career victory.
Toni Bou (Repsol Honda Trial Team) finished four marks behind him, while Adam Raga (Sherco) completed the podium by virtue of a run-off against teammate Benoit Bincaz.
In a Grand Final characterised by its extreme level of difficulty, there were never more than six marks separating all four competitors.
Ultimately, Section Two proved decisive in Jaime Busto’s win as he managed a clean there while each of his rivals failed.
By successfully defending this lead, Busto had sewn up victory before his final ride.
Busto said: “Starting the season with the win is special and to do so in such a demanding Final, where any mistake was vital, makes it even more important. Truthfully, I was a little nervous at the start, but the more Sections we went through the better I felt on the bike. Now the important thing is to deliver consistently.”
Toni Bou found himself in a close-fought battle for second after a dramatic Section One failure.
A further dab in Section Four where the other three Finalists were clean left him fourth heading into the last Section.
He was the only rider successfully through and nosed in front of the Sherco duo by just a single mark!
Bou commented: “It has been a tough Final, further complicated by Section One which I felt I completed clean but I was given a five for what I still think was a misunderstanding. From there I rode nervously. But it could have been worse than second place so I now just need to look ahead.”
Adam Raga made a fairy-tale return to the Palacio Vistalegre, where he was crowned World Champion for the first time aged 21 back in 2003.
On this visit, he delivered his first podium in ten Rounds since X-Trial Bordeaux last year.
Raga said: “This podium is very special for me because this is where I was World Champion in 2003 and because this is my last appearance in the Spanish capital before I retire after X-Trial Barcelona. I have proven I am still riding at a high level and I enjoyed myself a lot.”
Benoit Bincaz missed out on what could have been a third consecutive podium…
As he failed the tie-break Section, handing Raga his dream return to the rostrum.
Bincaz had made it to the Final as the last chance qualifier from Q2.
Eliminating Gabriel Marcelli by a 13.7 second margin including a 10 second time penalty in the new Sprint Format.
Sondre Haga (GasGas) finished 10 marks away from the qualification cut in Q1.
Jack Peace (Sherco) and Miquel Gelabert (Vertigo) one mark further behind in a disappointing start to the season for the Spaniard.
The next round of the X-Trial World Championship will be X-Trial Chambéry on January 11.
FIM X-Trial World championship standings
1 Jamie Busto (SPA), GasGas, 20
2 Toni Bou (SPA), Montesa, 15
3 Adam Raga (SPA), Sherco, 12
4 Benoit Bincaz (FRA), Sherco, 9
5 Gavbriel Marcelli (SPA), Montesa, 6
6 Sondre Haga (NOR), GasGas, 4
7 Jack Peace (UK), Sherco, 2
8 Miguel Gelabert (SPA), Vertigo, 1.
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