Dougie Lampkin finished in sixth place today, on the opening day of the Portuguese Grand Prix that marked the second round of the 2010 SPEA FIM Trial World Championship. The thirty-four year old veteran campaigner produced one of the best closing lap scores to get within touching distance of a top five placing after having not enjoyed the best of luck during his initial tour.

 

Lampkin recorded lap scores of twelve and four to confirm his contrasting laps, and this proved just enough to push his Beta team mate Jeroni Fajardo down into seventh place as they both tied on sixteen marks apiece. With both riders having notched up exactly the same number of cleans, ones, twos, threes and fives - Dougie had to rely on being just under a minute quicker to complete the entire trial than his younger squad member to secure sixth position.

 

Tie breaks were very much the order of the day, with the Trial proving to be a low scoring affair, this was despite the local organisers making changes to many of the sections late last night at the request of the majority of the riders who simply deemed the hazards far too easy. Following the modifications the riders were granted additional time to re-inspect the course early this morning and ahead of the first rider getting underway.

Dougie began the day with some confident riding and only needed a single dab to pass through the opening four sections. However he was to come unstuck in section five where he failed to get up a large step, which he cleaned easily on his second lap. This scenario repeated itself in the twelvth hazard, where another large step caught out the ex multi FIM World Trial Champion, a failure he made amends to the next time around.

Although the dry conditions and large boulders were not to Lampkin's best liking he really showed his pedigree during the second lap where he only parted with one two and two single dabs to close in on James Dabill, who would eventually take fifth spot just two marks ahead of Dougie.

After two counting days, and ahead of the second day of the Portuguese Grand Prix tomorrow, Lampkin currently sits in seventh spot in the overall standings, but only a few points off Fajardo who is in fith place at this moment in the season.

Happy with his performance, but perhaps not with his result Lampkin spoke. "It's maybe strange to say, but I am really pleased with my riding today. On both laps I did some things really well and perhaps it is the best I have ridden for a long time. The sections didn't really suit me, but that didn't seem to matter today, I just felt good on the bike."

Dougie continued. "Apart from the two stupid fives on the first lap, the same two steps I cruised on the second lap, I don't think I could have ridden a lot better today. Two laps of four or five marks would have been ideal. Anyway I feel positive and hope I can take that into tomorrow."

Lampkin ended."I am not sure what they will do with the sections, but I do think they will need to make some changes ready for the second day.

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