Trials Action

WTC 2006 // Belgium, Spa - Dougie Lampkin Race Report

Tuesday the 26th of September 2006 by jitsie

Dougie Lampkin finished off his 2006 World outdoor campaign with a disappointing sixth place at the final Grand Prix of the year. Lampkin arrived in Belgium at the famous Spa – Francorchamps motorsport circuit knowing that he must beat Albert Cabestany if he was to take third place in the championship. However in reality his battle with the Sherco rider never materialised as Dougie’s day went from bad to worse, with him recording his heaviest losses during the later part of the trial.

The day begun well for Lampkin with five cleans in the opening five sections, to give him the early joint lead alongside his Repsol Montesa HRC team mate Takahisa Fujinami. But after a strong start Dougie’s challenge fell apart with three fives during the second half of the lap. His total of twenty two marks for the first fifteen sections compared to just six marks lost by Raga for the same period.

Despite the dark clouds overhead at times, dry weather remained throughout the trial. Lampkin endured a similar fate as he had suffered earlier with a promising beginning to the second lap before disaster struck once again. A run of four fives in a row starting at section seven ended any chance that Dougie may have had of keeping Cabestany in check, and summed up the ex World champion’s day.

Following the same theme as last year’s initial event at this famous venue, most of the hazards were constructed from imported boulders. Mud from the surrounding bankings dragged on to the rocks to create some slippery hazards, which really should have seen Lampkin shine, but this proved not to be the case on this ocassion.

“A bad finish to what has been a bad year for me. I can’t remember back far enough to think when I finished this low in the championship. Normally the trial should have suited me, but today I have really struggled to get into any kind of rhythm. I started quite well with cleans in the first five sections, but after that it all fell to bits. It seemed the harder I tried the worse it got and the more advantage I gave to Cabestany. Maybe I put myself under too much pressure, with third place in the championship up for grabs, but usually I that’s when I am at my strongest. Now it is a case of working hard this winter, so that I can be in better form for next year.”

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