The 2021 TrialsGP series is over, with Toni Bou and Laia Sanz winning the male and female championships respectively last weekend.
Toni Bou started the season with an injury, but still managed to win seven of nine events, including the final showdown in Portugal. Going into the final contest, he only needed a single point to clinch, but he took the whole weekend, and once again showed he’s likely the Greatest Of All Time in observed trials. Even if you disagreed, you’d have to admit that he’s the best in recent history; since 2007, he’s won 15 TrialsGP championships in a row, as well as 14 indoors trials championships. That’s a pretty GOAT-worthy record.
Bou was riding a Montesa Cota 4RT; he’s part of the HRC empire, but now that Honda controls Montesa, he gets the best of both worlds, a Honda budget on a Montesa trials bike.
Laia Sanz could also be a GOAT, when it comes to female motorcycle competition. She made her mark in observed trials several years back, winning a long series of titles, but focused on rally raid after her move to KTM. Since then, she’s consistently beat all the other female riders at Dakar, and most of the men, too.
Now that KTM owns GasGas, it’s keen to get Sanz back into trials; the current deal sees Sanz riding a GasGas-branded rally raid machine (which is really a KTM under all that red paint) as well as the company’s trials bikes.
Despite her legendary status, Sanz did not have an easy season. She suffered from Lyme disease in late 2020, and was still recovering in the 2021 Dakar. As she went into the TrialsGP series, she faced stiff competition from Emma Bristow, who has won all seven female titles since Sanz left TrialsGP. Going into the final weekend, Bristow had the points lead, but Sanz was able to claw back into the front with a smooth, clean ride, and take the championship.
Bou is on the right, Fugigas is on the left