DOUGIE Lampkin took an historic victory at the Grand Prix of Portugal, when he handed Montesa a maiden world championship win for its new four-stroke machine.

The 29-year-old Sandifords of Burnley rider became the first competitor to do so since Steve Saunders won on a Honda RTL in 1986. Spaniards Adam Raga and Albert Cabestany filled the other podium positions in the opening round of the 2005 World Outdoor Trials Championship.

It also marked a return to form for the popular Lampkin, following a disastrous 2005 Indoor Championship, which saw the Manx-based Yorkshireman finish down in fourth place overall.

The switch from all-conquering two-stroke to the new four-stroke 4RT has been beset with problems all year as Lampkin and his team struggled to make the recalcitrant machine competitive.

"I had almost forgotten how good it feels to win, and although

it has been a little while, it still feels as good as it ever did," he said.

"All the hard work now seems worthwhile. We have worked every day since the start of the year to be ready for today, and winning is the ultimate reward not just for my efforts, but the whole team.

"This is an incredibly important victory for Montesa and also for me, my observer, Ben Hemingway, and my dad, Martin, as they have all played a massive part in achieving what we have done.

"Winning the first round has now sent a message to my rivals, that I am serious about getting my title back.

"Each week we have made some progress and our aim has always been to be ready for this trial.

"Although the timing has been tight, we

arrived here in good shape. It is going to be a tough season, but we have made the best possible start."

Whilst Lampkin was riding with a new found confidence, reigning outdoor world champion Takahisa Fujinami was experiencing the pressures of carrying the number one plate plus adapting to the new bike.

Fifth place was hardly the way the Japanese rider wanted to open the defence of his title.

The small and quiet Portuguese village of Pampilhosa Da Serra nestling in the hills, approximately 175 kilometres south east of the city of Porto, was given the task of hosting the opening round of the series..

With the paddock filing the main village square, the surrounding step-sided valley and flat-based river provided the perfect trials terrain to open the battle for the 2005 crown. Light overnight rain and a damp welcome added an extra ingredient to what was already promising to be an

interesting start to this year's campaign.

The descent in section eleven was enough for Lampkin to opt to take his first penalty of the day without even making a real attempt as he battled to recover vital minutes.

The battle at the front of the field remained tense and hotly contested as Raga embarked on an incredible lap during which he only dropped five marks in total, his comeback was both strong and brilliant and certainly applied the pressure on his rivals.

In contrast Cabestany's attack for victory was beginning to fall apart as he fived both section five and the now famous

section eleven.

Typically, Lampkin was undeterred by what was happening around him and just played his own game, resuming control of the trial to take the

win with a relative margin of comfort.