Three-times world 250 champion Gennady Moiseev has died aged 69 after a long illness. The Russian, who was the first rider to win a world championship for KTM, passed away in St. Petersburg on Sunday. The news was announced by the Russian Motorcycle Federation, where he had been President.

Moisseev was born in near Leningrad and started motocross after watching the 1964 motocross world championship round held there. He gained entry to the motocross section of the Leningrad Pioneers Palace – a sporting college for Russian athletes. He competed in his first world championship event in 1967 and in 1970, he won the Russian 250cc motocross national championship. He was enlisted into the Russian army, rising to the rank of Major. Many of Russia’s sports stars were in the military.

He won the 250 world championship for KTM in 1974, in a title that was clouded in controversy. At the last round, Moiseev had an injured knee so many of his Russian KTM team-mates tried to ram title rival, Czech CZ rider Jaroslav Falta, out of the race. Falta stayed on and won the title, but was stripped of it after it was deemed he’s jumped the start. Moiseev won two more 250 world championships in 1977 and 1978 for KTM, and led the Russian team to victory in the 1978 Motocross des Nations. He last won in 1979, when there was a stand-off between the Russian Federation and KTM. KTM withdrew its support, and without bikes, the Russian rider never won again.

He went on to manage the Russian Motocross des Nations teams in the early 1990s, when Gert Krestinov’s dad raced for the team. Moisseev was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labour and, in 1978 he was given the honorary title of “Honored Master of Sports.” In December 2000, he was elected president of the Russian Motorcycle Federation.