Toni Bou Claims 20th X-Trial Indoor World Title

Toni Bou, the Andorran resident and trial riding legend, claimed his 20th X-Trial indoor world title on Friday with a commanding victory at the Chalon-sur-Saône round in France. The win secured the championship mathematically with two events left, bringing his career total to a record 39 world titles.

Competing for Repsol Honda HRC, Bou topped the eighth round with 12 penalty points, ahead of teammate Gabriel Marcelli in second on 16 points. Britain's Harry Hemingway earned third place with 21 points, followed by Jaime Busto in fourth on 25.

The result boosted Bou to 155 points, opening a 47-point gap over Marcelli that cannot be bridged. It highlighted a near-flawless season where the Catalan rider won seven of eight rounds, with his only non-victory a second place at the Réunion Island event. Bou achieved this despite ongoing shoulder injury challenges that forced intensive recovery efforts.

After the race, Bou described the title as one of his proudest, noting it came from "a different season for me, as I've had to work incredibly hard with the shoulder injury." He added that "winning the title is always very special" and thanked everyone who supported him through "a tough season."

Bou's X-Trial supremacy remains unparalleled since 2007, with 20 indoor crowns, 98 victories, and 116 podiums from 128 starts. Combined with 19 outdoor TrialGP titles, his 39 championships at age 39 stand alone in the sport's history.

He now turns focus to the 2026 TrialGP season opener in May.