Classic Ford – August 2019

FRANCE:

Col du Turini

Route: La Bollene Vesubie to Sospel

Perhaps the most famous special stage in
Europe, the Turini, reaches an altitude of 5300
feet, and links La Bollene Vesubie with Sospel
over 24 miles of serpentine but well-surfaced
narrow roads, with a multitude of hairpins. For
a tourist, this is not a route to be taken casually,
for it is demanding. In its hey-day, and before
FIA regulations cut down on over-zealous
practicing, works teams used to spent two
weeks practicing this stage alone (ignoring the
balance of the event until later), so it is good to
know that there is a thriving café at the very
summit of the Col, which is also a junction
with another mountain road, which descends
through Peira Cava to Nice. It is at the summit
that TV, camera and print crews all gather
during the winter, though there seems to be
more space when all the snow has gone.
A cautious note here is that during the
summer, many like-minded enthusiasts also
sample this pass, so there may be congestion
— and your car needs to have good brakes.

Getting there: Assuming that you will be
staying in Nice, Monaco or somewhere nearby,
you need to strike inland, on the N202 in the
outskirts of Nice, then take a minor road to La
Bollene Vesubie, the start of the climb itself.

NICE •

• LYON

FRANCE

MARSEILLE

ITALY:

Stelvio

Route: Trafoi to Bormio

Almost everyone agrees that the Stelvio, in the

Italian Dolomites, is one of the most

formidable driving roads in Europe. Two

statistics really tell the story – staring from

Trafoi in the east, there are 48 sharp hairpin

bends to be tackled before the summit is

reached at 9045 feet above sea level, making it

almost the highest navigable road in Europe.

Unlike other rally roads, the Stelvio is

renowned only for this ascent, for the decent to

Bormio is neither as steep, or as tortuous.

Because of the great altitude, the Stevio is

usually closed by snow throughout the winter

and spring, so do not plan to go there before

June, or after September. When it is open,

however, the surfaces are secure Tarmac, and

relatively smooth, and there are rest and café

premises at the summit itself.

For those who are truly adventurous, you

can drive further south-east from Bormio to

tackle the formidable Gavia pass (which leads

to Ponte di Legno). This used to be

loose-surfaced, but is now all-Tarmac, yet is

still a formidable partner to rallyists in this

part of Europe.

Getting there: From Milan, drive via Brescia,

Trento and Bolzano, then take S38 north-west

and follow it to Trafoi. The multi-hairpinned

climb then follows, reaches the summit, then

descends to Bormio. Thereafter, rejoin main

roads, and return to Bergamo.

• BOLOGNA

ITALY

• MILAN • VENICE

1969 on the Turini: Hannu

Mikkola, Jim Porter and

Escort Twin Cam on the

Monte Carlo rally

There are 48 hairpins

— count them — from

the start of the classic

Stelvio Pass section to

the summit, which is

extremely close to the

Italian/Swiss border.