Nice, 7th March - Adam Raga has
become the virtual world indoor champion 2003 after clinching
third place this night in Nice, combined with second position of
Dougie Lampkin. With these results, The Spaniard rider maintains
his average over ten points, and only finishing the qualification
lap in Madrid next 21th March he will reach the title, no matter
his position in the last round.
The win today was to Marc Freixa, who achieved his first victory
of the season and also the first with his new team, Montesa-HRC.
Anyway, Raga fnished the qualification lap as the best rider of
eight in competition, with only five penalty points, one less than
Freixa and the Japanese Fujinami. The last rider to overtake the
first lap and pass to the final was Dougie Lampkin with seven
failures.
The leader in outcome showed himself very nervous in the final,
there was a lot to win today, and committed some failures that
didn't let to fight for the victory. Freixa completed the circuit
with two penalties less than Lampkin. Everybody thought that, in a
strategical team decission, the Brit became the winner and forces
to Raga to achieve fourth place in Madrid as a minimum to be the
champion. In spite of losing the race, Freixa took the triumph.
More than 5,500 witnessed the Nice Indoor Trial at the Nikaia
Palace. The circuit had six observed sections and one double lane
race. In the qualification lap, the time limit was fixed in nine
minutes. The sections were attempted in the reverse order in the
final, except the hazard number five, with a time limit per
section between one minute and one minute and a half depending on
the section.
The coming round and the last in
Indoor Series 2003 will be held in Madrid Palacio Vistalegre,
which will see its second spaniard world indoor champion in a row,
after Cabestany clinched the title last year.