Last days of open registrations for the 59th Rally of Friuli Venezia Giulia – 28th Rally Alpi Orientali Historicscheduled for the July 13th and 14thThe deadline, according to the regulations, is set for Wednesday, July 3.
Therefore, the iconic double event proposed by Scuderia Friuli ACU, valid as sixth round of the Italian Historic Rally Championship (CIRAS) and challenge of Opening of the Zone 5 Rally Cupis ready to start the engines, with Cividale del Friuli Still beating heart. The fulcrum of a rally characterised by a path that leads back to its own history and traditionembraced by the Torre and Natisone Valleys, territories that have always welcomed the rally with enthusiasm and affection.
A PATH LINKED TO TRADITION
They are expected, as a “tradition”, two distinct competitions, one for the historic cars of the Tricolour and one for the modern onesa mix that has been proposed in this race for years and has always received wide approval. The route, dotted with eight special stages for the historic race and six for the Zone Cupare two days of competitionThe design of the “piesse” has largely remained the same as the previous edition, slightly changed to further free up, also from transfers, the locations involved in the event.
TWO DAYS OF COMPETITION
The competitive program includes the Race starts from Cividale at 2.20pm on Saturday 13th July after which the first two special tests will be tackled, two passages on the famous “Trivio-Stregna” (Km. 13,050) to then move on to Sunday, July 14th with six engagements for historic cars and four for modern ones. The other special tests proposed will be the “Soffumbergo Valley” (Km. 7,480) and the “Canebola-Masarolis”(Km. 14,160) and theI arrive of the cars participating in the Zone Cup will always be Cividale, from 1.31pm while the tricolor race historical will see the checkered flag wave from 4.40pm.
Here are the “piesse” described in their distinctive features:
SPECIAL STAGE 1-2 “TRIVIO-STREGNA” – KM 13,050
It is proposed in the 2023 version which includes the start in a very green area at the exit of the town of San Leonardo, in practice before the left bend of the Krop waterfalls, proceeding on a particularly interesting road with well-designed curves, hairpin bends and short straight stretches you reach the hamlet of Altana. Crossing it, in the middle of the houses, after a slow mixed stretch you reach the other hamlet of Iainich, you cross it and after a slightly uphill and straight stretch you reach the famous “Trivio” which consists of a crossroads of three roads from which the name. This is an irreplaceable meeting point for enthusiasts who can enjoy the controlled skids of the competitors. This year the lower part of the Trivio was chosen again, the road that offers the narrowest reversal, leaving the upper road to form a real grandstand for the public who can enjoy the passages of their favorites from above and in safety. From here, in a very guided and fast section with beautiful curves, you reach the border of the municipality of Stregna and also in this case with a sharp U-turn to the left you reach the hamlet of Tribil Inferiore, then on a downhill section you reach the small bridge that prevents the extreme, very narrow U-turn, which leads, after a beautiful straight, to the hamlet of Presserie where the test ends.
SPECIAL STAGE 3-5-7 “VALLE DI SOFFUMBERGO” – KM 7,480
This is also a classic test in the Torre valleys. The start is in the town of Colloredo di Soffumbergo, taking via Prestento to take a steep climb, with hairpin bends and short straight stretches, to reach Valle di Soffumbergo, from which you can admire an exceptional spectacle, the view of all of Friuli which, on sunny days, can reach all the way to the sea. It is not for nothing that Valle is called the “Balcony over Friuli”. A sharp turn to the left and down the descent, rather steep, dotted with beautiful hairpin bends in a green forest that leads to the end of the test in Costalunga.
SPECIAL STAGE 4-6-8 “CANEBOLA-MASAROLIS” – KM. 14,160
After a short stretch of transfer road you reach the town of Canal di Grivo’ and after the right turn you reach the start of the test. This test is also characterized by a trend with curves and hairpin bends always uphill more or less accentuated. You reach the small hamlet of Gradischiutta, once the start of the test, more uphill and you reach Canebola. After crossing the town, after another series of hairpin bends and short straights, you reach another gathering point for enthusiasts, the famous “Bocchetta di Sant’Antonio”. Here a slowdown will probably be organized to safely take the road, new in this edition, which leads to the right turn of the “Madonnina del Domm”, another guided descent on a road that is nothing short of perfect, with a smooth asphalt that does not have even one imperfection, thanks to the recent passage of the Giro d’Italia. Always going downhill you reach the town of Tamoris and then you reach the end of the stage in the town of Masarolis which in the times of the “old” Eastern Alps was the arrival of the classic Canalutto-Masarolis.
All the information on the Friulian race at the address http://www.rallyalpiorientali.it/
Photo Credits: Dario Furlan
