The end of the 2009 motorcycle racing season must be one of the most exciting I can remember, not since the nail-biting World Superbikes finale between Colin Edwards and Troy Bayliss have we had so many championships decided at the penultimate or final round.

Great for the fans, tense for the riders, where only the mentally strong survived.

In World Superbikes we had the eternal bridesmaid Noriyuki Haga, who at one point in the championship had an eighty eight point lead, but a series of mishaps saw that lead diminish to ten points going into the final round at Portimao.

Arch rival and rookie to the championship Ben Spies has really taken the championship by storm and looked calm and confident in contrast to Nori who looked stressed out.

Nori came off in the first race and from there sealed his fate, barring any kind of mishap to Spies in the second race. Nori did ride a much better second race, but still not the entertainer we have been used to seeing in the past, however it was too little too late, and Spies took the championship by six points and the first ever World Superbikes win for Yamaha.

In World Supersport the two main protagonists were Brits Cal Crutchlow and Eugene Laverty with nineteen points dividing them. Laverty led from pole position to take the chequered flag at the teams home circuit, whilst a composed Crutchlow did just enough to get the title in fourth place, never putting himself at risk throughout the race.

Crutchlow has had a brilliant season with many pole positions riding with equal measure of aggression and fairness making him a deserving champion and giving Yamaha another win.

Finally, we have Moto GP.

Valentino Rossi continues to dominate this class even though it is fair too say that he has had some lucky breaks this season, with main challengers, his teammate Jorge Lorenzo making schoolboy mistakes and alternately having moments of brilliance, biggest challenger Casey Stoner having to take a three race break to recover from a mystery illness, and Dani Pedrosa whilst able to start well never looked strong enough to mount a serious championship challenge.

Nevertheless it has to be said that Valentino has never missed a race through injury or illness right from when he started in 125 GP, that is some record.

Valentino’s teammate Jorge Lorenzo became the most serious challenger until he sealed his fate at Phillip Island last weekend with a silly error before the first turn. All Valentino had to do was finish in the top ten to get his ninth GP world championship – his seventh in the big class – and there was really never any doubt he could do that.

A fantastic day for Yamaha then to add to the Airwaves Yamaha success of Leon Camier in the British Superbikes championship.

A big shout out for Gary McCoy in the World Supersport who came third on the ParkinGo Triumph which is now getting factory backing and also for Brit Bradley Smith who came second in the 125 Moto GP, and second overall in the championship, go Bradley!

A big Hurroo though to the BBC who took over rights to televise the Moto GP this year from British Eurosport.

Did they not think that the fans would like to see the Moto GP Champion receive his award? Instead the program finished immediately after Parc Ferme – no podium, no interviews, nothing! And for what? An American High School drama I ask you.

BBC you MUST try harder.