BMW Motorrad Motorsport team rider Simo Kirssi saw his very real chance of a podium finish at the fourth round of the German Cross Country series, staged in Mernes, near Frankfurt, ended when he collided with a lapped rider in the closing stages of the race. Competing once again aboard BMW’s prototype 450cc sports enduro bike Kirssi was just eight seconds adrift of the runner-up position and deep into the two-hour race when a collision with a slower rider resulted in him parting company with his bike before remounting to finish sixth.

With the track at Mernes extremely tight and twisty things were always going to be tough for Kirssi after he drew the 12th pick for the start and then exited the first turn in 10th. Knowing well that that he needed to work his way forward as quickly as possible Simo then showed impressive form and moved himself into sixth by the end of the second lap. Continuing to battle his way forward Simo then came together with a slower rider shortly before his mid-race fuel stop, which damaged one of his bike’s footrests.

Despite his near miss Simo was clearly in no mood to settle for a result just inside the top 10 and as he had during the first half of the race he once again began passing riders with real intent. Cheered on by the sizeable crowed the Finn reached third with relative ease and just eight seconds behind runner-up Antoine Lettellier was looking likely to move passed the Frenchman and into second.

But luck was again against Simo as a second lapped rider pulled across in front of him, causing the Finn to perform a spectacular sidestep. With the rear wheel of the lapped rider taking Simo’s front wheel from under him Kirssi was sent crashing to the ground. With his bike’s chain guard bent in the collision, which also caused his chain to de-rail, Simo’s hopes of a podium finish were ended as he lost more than one lap forced to re-mount the chain before crossing the finish line a disappointed sixth.

Despite Simo’s and the BMW Motorrad Motorsport team’s obvious disappointment the goal of a podium finish is getting closer and closer with Kirssi showing great speed in Menes and the prototype 450 sports enduro bike performing without problems.Simo Kirssi: "Things certainly didn’t go to plan. The track was very tight and difficult for passing. Three or four laps before the end of the race a slower rider closed the door on me coming onto a corner and hit my front wheel. I wasn’t able to swerve and I hit him. That almost ended my race but at least I was able to get the bike to the finish of the race."

GCC Mernes 2007

1. Samuli Aro, KTM, 25 Runden
2. Antoine Letellier, Aprilia, 25 Runden
3. Bert Meyer, Honda, 24 Runden
4. Markus Kehr, KTM, 24 Runden
5. Jan Zulauf, KTM, 24 Runden
6. Simo Kirssi, BMW Motorrad Motorsport, 24 Runden