When Antonio Cairoli—better known as Tony—announced his MXGP retirement at the end of 2021, it was bittersweet. In his 18-year career, he’d scooped up a total of nine FIM World Championships, 93 total GP wins, and 177 podiums. At present, he remains one of the winningest MX racers of all time—and is a true Italian motocross hero.
The thing is, racers are athletes, first and foremost. Sure, there’s motorized machinery involved, and both skill and strategy in operating it. Still, you don’t get to the top of any major motorsport without an intense, life-changing amount of dedication, whether you’re on or off the track—something that Cairoli is proving, even in retirement.
