On Saturday 13 July, from 4pm the “Milano–Taranto” will arrive on the Rotonda del Lungomare.
Here, immediately after, the over 150 historic motorcycles and some less “elderly”, will be lined up to show themselves to the public. The competition, which sees the participation of competitors from all over the world, even from the United States and Australia, will start at midnight on Sunday 7 July from the Novegro exhibition park in Milan.
The Milan-Taranto was a competitive race for motorcycles from 1937 to 1956, whose finish in the Ionian city is due to Mario De Introna from Taranto. In 1987, by the will of Franco Sabatini, the commemorative event of the historic competition was born, which sees vintage motorcycles depart from Milan to reach Taranto after a week, through a route through Italy characterized by stops in many municipalities of the Bel Paese where the competitors are welcomed by the local communities who offer them local products.
After a few years in which, due to logistical and administrative problems, the final ceremony was moved to Bari, finally, thanks to the organization of the Lambretta Club Taranto and the availability of a new accommodation facility, the celebrations and awards ceremony have also returned to the ground ionic. Competitors, their staff and the organizers of the event will be treated to a “refreshment” based on local products, which the Lambretta Club Taranto itself makes available, thanks to the collaboration of some local companies.
In the 2023 edition, Taranto came in fourth place in the special ranking of national refreshments, despite being at its first experience. The hope this year is to improve on this result, thanks also to the support of an audience that must be numerous. On Saturday 13 July, starting at 4 pm, the competitors will arrive in Taranto, after leaving Potenza in the morning to travel the last stage that, through Lucania and Puglia, passing through Grottaglie and San Giorgio Jonico, will finally arrive in the Ionian capital. The competitors will first gather in Piazza Ebalia from where they will set off in groups to travel the “last mile” and cross the finish line near the Rotonda del Lungomare, as has been happening since 1937. This year, the arrival of the motorcycles will be preceded by some historic vehicles of the police force of the Club Alfisti in Pattuglia Onlus who, with sirens blaring, will open the way for the competitors and the fanfare of the bersaglieri. On the roundabout, among the food stands, a stage will be set up on which the competitor coming from the furthest away will be awarded, who will be awarded the “Mario De Introna” cup, now in its second edition, dedicated to the creator of the Milan-Taranto, awarded last year to a Californian rider. Participants and the public will be able to learn more about the history of the Milan-Taranto through a photographic exhibition of historical articles extracted from vintage newspapers kept at the newspaper library of the Acclavio Library in Taranto.
