There was a great turnout for the last stage of the European Vespa Rally 2018 Championship – also valid for the European time trials and the “Regions Trophy” – which was held on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 October, in the Dolomite mountains, starting from Rovereto (Trento). The plan was to accept up to 80 entrants, but in the end there were 113 starters for the event organised by the Rovereto Vespa Club (which celebrated its 35th anniversary), with the Sports Division of the Vespa Club d’Italia, under the aegis of the Vespa World Club as the federation and Moto ASI as the CONI federation.
Here is the report of the Vespa World Club team. “A success for the Italian stage of the European Vespa Rally 2018 Championship in Rovereto (Trento). The relative proximity of the central European countries facilitated the arrival of about thirty non-Italian riders, of whom fifteen registered with Italian Vespa Clubs and fifteen others in their countries of origin. The 113 courageous riders who took part in the two-day rally in the Trentino came from Austria, Germany, the UK and Italy.
The weather was an added bonus for the organisers, with two beautiful warm and sunny autumn days enhancing the colours of the woods, vineyards and apple orchards in the Lagarina Valley (in the left of the background image of the article, ed.) and, above all, the banks of Lake Garda, faced by the panoramic views of Nago (background image, right) along whose eastern side the route travelled for more than two thirds.
The very relaxed route times meant the Italian and foreign participants had the opportunity to stop and photograph their scooters among the wonderful landscapes, which will certainly be a memory for them to treasure.
The riders also enjoyed the roads in the Vallarsa valley, with their hairpin bends and views over the “little” Dolomites, as well as those that took them through Aldeno to Lake Cei, an enchanting spot where time seems to have stood still. While the event was predominantly touristic in nature, it didn’t disappoint as a sports fixture, with two skills trials, both in the centre of Rovereto.
Before and after the starts, Vespa scooters could be seen parked in front of the café tables in the squares: a display of Vespa two-wheelers of every type and from different countries, with their riders united by a passion for exploring the world and discovering new places and people from their scooter saddles.
Everything went very well: the organisers were complimented by the riders and the representatives of the Vespa World Club who attended the event, starting with the President, Martin Stift, who travelled from Vienna on his Vespa Automatica, which he parked outside the offices of the Vespa Historical Registry in piazzetta S. Osvaldo, Rovereto (the Registry President and Registrar is Luigi Frisinghelli, honorary president of the Rovereto Vespa Club and a great Vespa collector).
Two unforgettable days for many people; certainly for the rider who was the outright winner, Gabriele Cagni from the Montecchio Emilia Vespa Club (photo above, ed.), who started wearing number 1 and, keeping his focus for two days, dominated the event by winning both days. Cagni put in a truly superlative performance, and achieved victory for the Montecchio Emilia team too, with riders Flavio Scatola and Roberto Orlandini.
Behind Cagni came a trio of riders with just two more penalties: Giuseppe Costanzo from the Pisogne Vespa Club, Gaetano Traversi form the Milan Vespa Club and Paolo Zoppè from the Rovereto Vespa Club; the foreign riders were further behind: the best was Germany’s Bernd Kubler from the Bonn Vespa Club, who was fifteenth overall, but the winner in the Automatic category. Gabriele Cagni was also the winner in the 8 Wheels, while Gaetano Traversi took the 10 Wheels category.
INFO ROVERETO VESPA CLUB WITH RANKINGS AND PHOTOS:
http://www.vespaclubrovereto.it/Vespa%20Club%20Rovereto.htm
