It is often held that you can't keep a good man down and last night a capacity crowd of 4,500 witnessed the dazzling skills of young rider Adam Raga prove the saying. The Spaniard clinched the Hong Kong Grand Prix to share the lead in the 2004 Indoor Trial World Championship standings - and make up for a recent loss to his major rival.
Raga taught legendary trials king Dougie Lampkin a thing or too, exacting a measure of revenge after finishing second last week to the 27-year-old Englishman in the first leg of the series in Monza, Italy.
The 21-year-old Raga is defending his indoor world title and he showed he was not about to give up his title without a fight as he delighted the crowd at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre to win the second leg of the season-long championship with style and grace befitting a champion.
Lampkin was expected to turn on the style last night - just as he did in Monza - but a crucial mistake on the third section, or obstacle, in the final round proved to be the turning point as the Spaniard showed his prowess to win the title by three points from second-placed Lampkin. A jubilant Raga said: 'My performance is better than last year. I am riding better than before so I am confident of retaining my title. I think I can win it again. I am working on it. Obviously, Dougie Lampkin will be my main rival this year because he is riding very well, but I think I can go all the way. I proved it tonight.'
Raga 'cleaned' the tricky third section without touching the obstacle with any part of his body. The obstacle presented a nightmare to the three finalists - five giant wooden cogs intricately positioned to get the most out of the riders - but Raga aced that one.
Compatriot Albert Cabestany, who finished third overall last night, also found the obstacle tough and foot-faulted to pick up one penalty point. That paved the way for Raga to clean up as he made no mistake in the next five obstacles for a superb victory.
Lampkin was disappointed not to have made it two wins in a row after winning in Monza, but the strapping Silsden-born rider was still pleased with his performance.