"It was not an easy decision to make, but the time has come to close a chapter of my life and open another, it cannot always be Speed, Mud and Glory [...] My thoughts go to my mother, my father , to my family; in those years in Sicily when the first races were only a dream and sacrifice, for everyone. Every time I won a title, my thoughts went to them; nine titles have arrived, something I could never have imagined when, around the house, I was burning liters of mixture going in circles ".

Through this Instagram post, 9-time Motocross champion Antonio “Tony” Cairoli announces his retirement at the end of the championship. The Sicilian champion, in his 18-year career has revolutionized the world of motocross by dominating it for a few years, let's retrace his amazing career together.

Tony was born in 1985 in Patti, a small town in the province of Messina, where he began racing on two wheels from an early age, inheriting his passion for motorcycles from his father Benedetto. He immediately begins to compete in the regional minicross championship where he wins them all, makes his debut in the Italian 125 class championship in 2002, a class in which the driver competes for two years with very fluctuating results.

At the end of 2003, however, after two dark seasons, Tony joins the Roman team of Guido De Carli, who despite everything decides to focus on Cairoli's talent to compete in the MX2 world championship.
The pilot moves to Rome (home of the team), and begins to train between his new residence and Belgium, where he refines his technique on sand and soft ground.
 

The bet pays off and Tony ends his first 2004 MX2 championship with a third place in the standings.

In 2005 he won the MX2 title, finished second in 2006 and won again in 2007.

In 2008, only an injury stopped his race for the title and ended the season in sixth place.

In 2009 Cairoli passes to the maximum MX1 category and wins the title.

In 2010 the De Carli team made another bet, going from the more powerful 450 Yamaha to the lighter but less performing KTM 350. Thanks to Cairoli's talent, this bet was also won and the Sicilian rider repeats the success of the previous year.

With this success Tony begins to revolutionize the world of Motocross, and in a short time many pass to the 350 copying his style.

Cairoli wins the title continuously until 2014.

The streak was stopped due to an injury that caused Tony to miss many races in 2015.

The injury slows down his career and comes "only" another world title in 2017, given also the age Tony has therefore decided to retire as a legend, with a championship still very open in which we hope he can recover the few points that separate him from summit and close with a flourish.

During his nearly twenty-year career, Cairoli achieved 93 wins and 177 podiums. Booty that makes him with his 9 world titles the most successful Motocross rider after Stefan Everts.

What the numbers alone do not tell, however, is how Cairoli was what Valentino Rossi was for the Moto GP, a champion who left an indelible mark and who in his best form knew no rivals. 

A boy who came out of nowhere, who at first raced with used wheels, unable to afford the new ones and who when he joined the De Carli team was surprised to be able to use the new ones "with hairs".  Such a champion that from nothing he managed to win the world championship 9 times.