KTM MX1 & MX2 World Champions

Tony Cairoli MX1 World Champion 2011

Red Bull Teka KTM factory rider Tony Cairoli sealed the 2011 MX1 World Championship title on Sunday to retain the number one position in the sport for yet another year. It was the Italian rider's fifth world title and another testament to his superb skill on all racing surfaces, his legendary fighting spirit and his wily race tactics that often see him go on the attack in the closing stages of a race.

Cairoli settled the matter of retaining the title after the first moto at Gaildorf, Germany in the GP of Europe with one moto and one GP still in hand. It is the second consecutive year that Cairoli has triumphed on the light and lively KTM 350 SX-F factory bike, developed with input from KTM's factory team boss Stefan Everts and so successfully launched in 2010.

The Italian factory rider's season was, however, not as straightforward as he would have liked. After a setback with injury in the opening round in Bulgaria he then set about showing his usual tactical brilliance and absolute determination to consistently score as many points as possible to put him in range of the title. Despite his knee injury in Bulgaria Tony still managed to pick up 25 championship points. In fact that proved to be the lowest scoring round of the competition. His unsettling injury problem may have kept him leaning on the side of caution in the first half of the season but he was still rarely off the podium. At the same time his GP victories in Spain, Latvia, Lommel and Britain with a chance to take two more GPs at Gaildorf and the GP of Italy. Underlined that where Cairoli is concerned, it is never about a particular terrain. Tony was also on the second step of the podium six times, was once third and amassed nine moto victories and can still add to his honours in the final races.

Born in Patti, Sicily in 1985 and racing with the now iconic number plate of '222' Tony has done for motocross in Italy what his close friend and fellow Italian Valentino Rossi has done for road racing. The 2011 title is his third in succession and his second for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team, which he joined at the beginning of the 2010 season. Cairoli began his MX GP career in 2002 and won the MX2 title in 2005 and 2007. He set the bar a little higher taking the MX1 title in 2009 and reclaimed it in 2010. Tony was introduced to racing by his father at an early age and naturally has won a whole string of national and junior titles.

Cairoli's second consecutive MX1 title for KTM underlines the commitment of Pit Beirer, KTM's Head of Racing and factory team manager and Cairoli's long-time manager Claudio de Carli to make an indelible impression on the MX1 class of international motocross, in line with what the factory team has achieved in the MX2 class. On Sunday in Gaildorf, KTM added the MX1 Manufacturers' title to that of the MX2, which was settled at the end of the last round in Matterley Basin.

Tony Cairoli: “It has been an amazing season and in the beginning it was really tough with my knee injury. After that I was always chasing the victories and now one round before the end we made it. I did like the layout of the track here in Gaildorf and there are lots of nice jumps but the hard pack is very difficult.”

MX1 Results Gaildorf (D)
1. Tony Cairoli (I), KTM
2. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS), Honda
3. Xavier Boog (F), Kawasaki
4. Rui Goncalves (P), Honda
5. Kevin Strijbos (B), Suzuki
Other KTM
7. Max Nagl (D), KTM
15. Matthias Walkner (A), KTM

MX1 Standings
1. Tony Cairoli (I), KTM, 596 - MX1 World Champion 2011
2. Steven Frossard (F), Yamaha, 472
3. Clement Desalle (B), Suzuki, 461
4. Max Nagl (D), KTM, 439
5. Evgeny Bobryshev (RUS), Honda 425

MX1 Manufacturers' Standings
1. KTM, 621 - MX1 Manufacturers' Title 2011
2. Yamaha, 548
3. Suzuki, 524

Tony Cairoli's title winning season
Round 1 - MX1 GP of Bulgaria, finished 9 (injured knee)
Round 2 - MX1 GP of Netherlands, finished 1
Round 3 - MX1 GP of USA, finished 5
Round 4 - MX1 GP of Brazil, finished 2
Round 5 - MX1 GP of France, finished 2
Round 6 - MX1 GP of Portugal, finished 2
Round 7 - MX1 GP of Spain, finished 1
Round 8 - MX1 GP of Sweden, finished 3
Round 9 - MX1 GP of Germany, finished 2
Round 10 - MX1 GP of Latvia, finished 1
Round 11 - MX1 GP of Limberg in Lommel, finished 1
Round 12 - MX1 GP of Czech Republic, finished 2
Round 13 - MX1 GP of Britain, finished 1
Round 14 – MX1 GP of Europe, finished 1
Round 15 – MX1 GP of Italy, still to be decided

Ken Roczen MX2 World Champion 2011

Red Bull Teka KTM's Ken Roczen sealed the MX2 World championship title on Sunday with one clear round in hand. The 17-year old talent was in perfect form when he attacked the track at Gaildorf, Germany in the GP of Europe.

Urged on by thousands of loyal fans and the entire KTM factory team Roczen settled the issue after the second moto to pick up his first senior World championship title but was still shadowed by his teammate and toughest competitor Jeffrey Herlings.

With the victory, Roczen, widely recognized as one of the hottest MX properties around and still only 17, became Germany's first motocross champion in 40 years and his home crowd gave him a reception that he will long remember.

Roczen signed with the Red Bull Teka KTM Factory Team in January 2011. Shortly after he grabbed plenty of attention riding AMA Supercross Lites in the West Coast series in the USA. Ken, on a fast learning curve in the highly competitive series even secured his first SX podium towards the end of the season. He even had a couple of impressive outings on the KTM 350 SX-F in the open class. A favorite throughout the world championship season, Roczen started strongly, then overcame a mid season lapse to settle down to a string of unassailable victories in the second half that allowed him to put his stamp firmly on the title. The only other rider to challenge him, especially on sand tracks, was his KTM teammate Jeffrey Herlings and the two set about making the season a two-way competition.

The young German's stats for the 2011 MX2 GP racing season are very impressive. In the 13 rounds so far he has taken seven GP victories and was on the podium in second place three times. Riding the KTM 250 SX-F he has only missed being on the box twice so far this season. Up to his title win he had 19 race victories, five second places and one third.

Ken, who turned 17 in April 2011, was born in 1994 in Mattstedt/Thüringen in Germany has amassed an impressive range of titles after receiving his first ever 50 ccm bike for Christmas in 1996. He began his racing career the following year and was on the international talent radar screen at a very early age. In 2012 Ken will ride for Red Bull KTM in the USA and even through the AMA SX season does not start till January 5 in Anaheim, he is already being tipped as one of the hottest riders for next season.

Roczen's victory, which follows that of KTM rider Marvin Musquin in 2010 is testament to the commitment and planning of the Red Bull Teka KTM Factory team headed by Pit Beirer, KTM's Head of Racing and factory team manager and MX legend Stefan Everts to establish the KTM brand at the very forefront of international motocross.To add even more glory to Austrian manufacturers' list of honors this weekend, young KTM rider Romain Fevre of France also won the 2011 title for EMX.

Ken Roczen: “Its unbelievable for me. It's my biggest moment ever. I went over the line and I could barely stand. I was crying and seriously this is the best feeling I ever had. I'm really happy with how things are gone and with all the team so a big thanks to everyone.”

MX2 Results Gaildorf (D)
1. Tommy Searle (GB), Kawasaki
2. Ken Roczen (D), KTM
3. Jeffrey Herlings (NL), KTM
4. Arnaud Tonus (CH), Yamaha
5. Gautier Paulin (F), Yamaha
Other KTM
7. Joel Roelants (B), KTM
8. Nicolas Aubin (F), KTM
10. Jose Butron (E), KTM
11. Jordi Tixier (F), KTM
14. Jake Nicholls (GB), KTM
16. Nick Triest (B), KTM

MX2 Standings
1. Ken Roczen (D), KTM, 635 - MX2 World Champion 2011
2. Jeffrey Herlings (NL), KTM, 585
3. Tommy Searle (GB), Kawasaki, 526
4. Gautier Paulin (F), Yamaha, 458
5. Arnaud Tonus (CH), Yamaha 391
Other KTM
9. Nicholas Aubin (F), KTM, 269
10. Joel Roelants (B), KTM, 253
12. Jake Nicholls (GB), KTM, 205
13. Jordi Tixier (F), KTM, 189
15. Jose Butron (E), KTM, 147
17. Jeremy van Horebeek (B), KTM, 139

MX2 Manufacturers' Standings
1. KTM, 686 - MX1 Manufacturers' Title 2011
2. Kawasaki, 575
3. Yamaha, 525

Roundup of Ken Roczen's title winning season
Round 1 - MX2 GP of Bulgaria, finished 1
Round 2 - MX2 GP of Netherlands, finished 2
Round 3 - MX2 GP of USA, finished 1
Round 4 - MX2 GP of Brazil, finished 2
Round 5 - MX2 GP of France, finished 11
Round 6 - MX2 GP of Portugal, finished 8
Round 7 - MX2 GP of Spain, finished 1
Round 8 - MX2 GP of Sweden, finished 1
Round 9 - MX2 of Germany, finished 1
Round 10 - MX2 of Latvia, finished 1
Round 11 - MX2 GP of Limberg in Lommel, finished 2
Round 12 - MX2 of Britain, finished 1
Round 13 – MX2 of Europe at Gaildorf, Germany finished 2
Round 14 – MX2 of Italy at Fermo, still to be decided

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