U.S. team wins International Trophy in FIM Trial des Nations

By Shan Moore
Photo by Mario Candellone

The U.S. team of Geoff Aaron, Chris Florin, Cody Webb and Keith Wineland topped a 13-team field to win the International Trophy at this year’s Trial des Nations held in Sestriere, Italy on September 25.

The Americans were in a class of their own on the slippery, mountainous course and led from start to finish, eventually topping the Australian team with nearly 100 points to spare (69 to 164), while Norway finished third, another four points back.

The finish was the best ever by an American squad and avenged last year’s narrow defeat, after being penalized for arriving late at the finish. The victory will no doubt move the Americans up to the World Trophy division for next year.

In the World Trophy division, the favored Spaniards, represented by Toni Bou, Albert Cabestany, Marc Freixa and newly crowned World Individual Champion Adam Raga, came from behind to beat the British team of Dougie Lampkin, Sam Connor, Graham Jarvis and Shaun Morris for the title. The World Trophy was a three-horse race all the way, with the Japanese team finishing a close third, but a full 64 points ahead of the Italian team in fourth.

The Trial des Nations is a team competition, pitting country against country, similar to the Motocross of Nations, with each nation represented by its best four riders. The top nine ranked teams compete in the World Trophy division over an 18-section, two lap course, while the remaining teams vie for the International Trophy.