The travelling museumthat brings Italy together
di Roberto Cristiano Baggio
There is a special thread which joins Italy from North to South: it is the Milan-Taranto road race, a historic reenactment of the event which - until 1956 – brought together at the starting line champions from the most famous motorcycle manufacturers in Europe.
For 30 years now the Moto Club Veteran S. Martino of S. Martino in Colle (Perugia), chaired by Franco Sabatini, has been organising this six-day event, with vintage motorbike riders racing down the length of Italy, from the Idroscalo in Milan to Taranto, the city on two seas. Nearly two thousand kilometres, in a symphony of engines sounding like a musical score by a great composer.
A journey to discover Italy, the surprising and unique BelPaese, touching hundreds of small villages balanced on rugged crags, which are often not even marked on the map, driving through small third-hand roads which lead to little-known passes, along emerald-coral lakes, laying a friendly siege on hamlets consisting of four houses and church, but still alive and kicking.
From the Apennines between Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, with the Radicosa and Futa passes marking the first hard kilometres, to the Murge: also this year the race provided endless excitement.
It started from the Idroscalo in Milan at midnight on Sunday, 3 July, and ended on Saturday 9 July on the Virgilio sea promenade in Taranto.
As many as 223 riders took the starting line, half of them from abroad, representing 12 countries (USA, China, Belgium, France, Canada, England, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, Monaco, and of course Italy). The scenery on the Magione track, named after Borzacchini, was spectacular, with motorcyclists stepping on the gas pedal at leisure in an exciting series of laps which they all covered together, headed by the race director Marcello Tortoioli who set the pace.
This long race snaked down Italy, accompanied by the unmistakable roar of pistons working full throttle. It was a unique display of motorbikes of all sizes, ages and brands.
A travelling museum which captures the attention of enthusiasts and brings on memories and nostalgia.
From the "sweet" 1954 Guzzino with its 65 cc, owned by Massimo Nocent, to the 1944 Indian Chief 1200 owned by Karl Julius Werner, from Germany, we saw a bit of everything on the road, including a "Rudge Team" of four brave bikers who travelled in formation only the first night. Then the small group was halved, due to breakages and the start of a fire which nearly burnt GiacomoNocent’s 1937 Special. There were plenty of Guzzi Falcone and GileraSaturno motorcycles, including FulvioPrandi’s 1954 "Piuma" 1954. There were also Morini, Norton, Velocette Venom, Bmw,GuzziGtv 500, 1960’s Ducati Scrambler, Motobi Spring Lasting GS, GuzziAirone, Lodola and Astore, Aermacchi, three KreidlerFlorett and seven four-stroke 100 cc Laverda bikes. The group also included one 1953 Ajms M20 1953, one 1946 Ariel Red Hunter, two Mas (175 e 350 del 1935 deifratelliFulvioedEzioCavazzini), one Devil Ocma 160 owned by Mostosi from Monaco, one BartaliMarziano and, as for Parilla, one Olimpia 98 cc.There was also one whole family participating: father Davide Dal Pra (1956 Mondial 175Tv), mother Carla Pizzato (1952 Mondial 2 T 160cc) and sons Giacomo (1952 MondialRuota 125cc) and Edoardo (1948 GileraSaturno 500).
Six days and two thousand kilometres went by in a flash. It was hard going for the bikes at first; they started sputtering, then coughing in an increasingly raucous way.
The mechanics did an excellent job, in open-air workshops under the stars, providing loving care to our travelling companions on a daily basis. The most frequent hitches? Faulty electrical systems, stuck valves, burnt spark plugs, broken elastic bands, seizing, wobbly carburettors, detached chains and gears which proved hard to change.
A hearty round of applause went to Gianfranco Bonera, already vice-champion of the world in the 350 category at the time of GiacomoAgostini, who has been a fixture in the event for three years now. Stylish and professional, riding his Guzzi Falcone Sport dated 1954, he set the tone for the whole group, like a great first violinist. Never overstepping the mark, always friendly and willing to give advice, he took part for the fun of it, teaching all of us a great lesson in terms of sporting spirit.
Mention should also be made of the "lady motorcyclists": Carla Pizzato, Paola Balestra, Sabrina Apostoli, Floriana Elli, Isabelle Lodron, Katrin Mulders, Rosanna Cerruti, Katharina Borchardt, Petra Wilke, FranziskaFrangillo-Engler: they all have little to learn from their experienced male colleagues. On the contrary, the latter ought to take a leaf from their book in terms of elegance, smiles and style. At every stop the ladies took the opportunity to freshen up, put on some lipstick, and "stroke" the motorbikes. They looked good also with oil-smeared hands and tousled hair.
Rankings, though not particularly important, were based on ability tests covering a distance of ... five meters calculated with hundredths of a second precision. The bikers particularly appreciated the refreshment points, set up by Motorbike clubs, Pro loco, Coldirettiand volunteer associations: the "tasters" (a group consisting of riders of modern motorbikes) awarded first prize to AcquavivadelleFonti for its inventive and delicious menu (from starters to dessert) all onion-based, giving it the outstanding grade of 9.11out of ten. Gallo Matese ranked second, and Castellana third.
Save the date for next year: from the 2nd to the 8th of July.