Simo Kirssi ended his BMW supremacy with one more title after winning the European Cross Country Championship at Rudolstadt, Germany. The Finn, riding for Team BMW Husqvarna Motorsport, defended his crown with a dominant race win - his last ever aboard the BMW 450 X.
Kirssi altogether won 16 of those 24 cross country races he officially entered since 2008. The 31-year old took two German and three European titles during that period, presenting an unrivalled success story to the Bavarian brand. No wonder emotions were flying high as Kirssi crossed the finish line. Fans and friends knew they were just becoming part of something special.
The Rudolstadt track as a newcomer to the series proved to be the perfect choice for a grand finale. The layout had everything a rider could wish for: Motocross elements, up and down tree sections littered with roots, full throttle stages, tricky corners. Just the right combination to entertain the 2,500 fans and to keep the riders on their toes.
The pro race turned out to be a classic Kirssi performance. The reigning champ kept a low profile during the early going of the two-hour moto, before putting the hammer down around the midway point. Kirssi's fitness has never been a questionmark, and he used the second half of the race to show once again that he's not only the fittest, but also the fastest. In the end he won by a huge margin.
Simo Kirssi: "As usual, the bike worked perfectly. I didn't want to take any risk and played it safe in the beginning. I upped my speed just before coming in for fuel, and managed to run away with the win afterwards. This is a superb location here. There were many fans as well.
I'd like to thank BMW Motorrad for their outstanding support, I was part of a great team. Winning all these titles together has been a result of teamwork. A big thanks goes to my brother and mechanic Juho, to our team manager Wolfgang Fischer and to BMW Motorrad's Motorsport Director Berti Hauser. It's a bit sad having to return my BMW. But at the same time I'm looking forward to the challenges ahead."
Cross-Country European Championship 2010
1. Simo Kirssi (FIN), BMW Husqvarna Motorsport, 66,51 Punkte
2. Chris Weiß (GER), TM, 47,49
3. Andrea Tronconi (ITA), Honda, 44,85
4. Steffen Albrecht (GER), Yamaha, 44,25
5. Chris Gundermann (GER), Yamaha, 42,38
6. Massimo Ballati (ITA), Yamaha, 40,35
7. Andreas Schulz (GER), KTM, 39,12
8. Matteo Zecchin (ITA), KTM, 22,50
9. Mario Hirschmuggl (AUT), KTM, 19,35
10. Samuli Aro (FIN), KTM, 17,37
Kirssi altogether won 16 of those 24 cross country races he officially entered since 2008. The 31-year old took two German and three European titles during that period, presenting an unrivalled success story to the Bavarian brand. No wonder emotions were flying high as Kirssi crossed the finish line. Fans and friends knew they were just becoming part of something special.
The Rudolstadt track as a newcomer to the series proved to be the perfect choice for a grand finale. The layout had everything a rider could wish for: Motocross elements, up and down tree sections littered with roots, full throttle stages, tricky corners. Just the right combination to entertain the 2,500 fans and to keep the riders on their toes.
The pro race turned out to be a classic Kirssi performance. The reigning champ kept a low profile during the early going of the two-hour moto, before putting the hammer down around the midway point. Kirssi's fitness has never been a questionmark, and he used the second half of the race to show once again that he's not only the fittest, but also the fastest. In the end he won by a huge margin.
Simo Kirssi: "As usual, the bike worked perfectly. I didn't want to take any risk and played it safe in the beginning. I upped my speed just before coming in for fuel, and managed to run away with the win afterwards. This is a superb location here. There were many fans as well.
I'd like to thank BMW Motorrad for their outstanding support, I was part of a great team. Winning all these titles together has been a result of teamwork. A big thanks goes to my brother and mechanic Juho, to our team manager Wolfgang Fischer and to BMW Motorrad's Motorsport Director Berti Hauser. It's a bit sad having to return my BMW. But at the same time I'm looking forward to the challenges ahead."
Cross-Country European Championship 2010
1. Simo Kirssi (FIN), BMW Husqvarna Motorsport, 66,51 Punkte
2. Chris Weiß (GER), TM, 47,49
3. Andrea Tronconi (ITA), Honda, 44,85
4. Steffen Albrecht (GER), Yamaha, 44,25
5. Chris Gundermann (GER), Yamaha, 42,38
6. Massimo Ballati (ITA), Yamaha, 40,35
7. Andreas Schulz (GER), KTM, 39,12
8. Matteo Zecchin (ITA), KTM, 22,50
9. Mario Hirschmuggl (AUT), KTM, 19,35
10. Samuli Aro (FIN), KTM, 17,37
