Michael's weekend got off to the worst possible start when he had a spectacular, over the handlebars, 5 on the very first section of the event!! He battled his way through the rest of the lap and did clean the last section to set himself up for a better run second time around.
The second lap started much better with a clean on the first section and some much better rides including a single dab ride on section 9 in the quarry... but he was unfortunate to miss the clutch lever on the very last section of the day and break the tapes with his front wheel. That 5 cost him 9th place in the final standings of this first round as it dropped him just behind Gubian.

Michael said after the days event... "I am really disappointed with my result today, the sections have been not only difficult but very long and time was short. The mistakes I have made today have been costly and at this level I can not afford to keep making them"

Day two... Round 2.

Pune started far better on the second day with a clean on section 1 but then had a crash on the next and bent his bars, costing him time which he then had to make up. This caused him to rush a bit and have several 5's instead of 3's but he had a great ride on section 6 for a single dab. Again luck wasn't with Michael as in section 11 he was clean almost to the end but his front wheel hit the tapes and snapped them for a 5!!
His second lap again started well with a clean on the first, a great ride on the long tricky 5th for a single point, clean on 13 and a single at the 15th for a lap score of 47 but this proved to still be 8 short of Gubian... another 10th place final finish.

" I have ridden better today, but still not as well as I know I can... the problem again being too many 5's. This is something I will have to work on. The trial has been good today but again I am disappointed with my result.
I would like to thank Minder Alex, Mechanic Dan and Malcolm for their help over the weekend. All of us would like to congratulate team mate Jonathon Richardson on his double win in the youth class this weekend."

Michael is riding a 3 day trial in La Chatre, France, over the bank holiday weekendbefore returning home for the next Bristish Championship Event.

Images from the camera of Ian Cross will be in the gallery pages soon.