Appointment in Biella for the sixth of the nine rounds of the Italian Vintage Car Rally Championship 2024.
The Piedmontese stage was attended by the protagonists of the two categories, 50 and 60, which will award their respective Italian titles at the end of the season.
48 crews competed in the medium 50 and 19 in the higher medium 60.
Challenging and very technical, as usual, the roads chosen by the organisers led the competitors to tread the stages that have made the history of the Lana Rally, made more insidious by the "average changes" inserted: four those located in the "Campore" stage, two in the "Baltigati" and five in the "Bioglio", the longest of the rally with its 21.929 kilometres of development. More than a hundred secret stages distributed along the three special stages to be repeated, whose mileage was just under fifty per cent of the total: 99 timed kilometres out of the 215 of the entire route.
In the hard-fought 50 category the final victory went to the female crew made up of Antonella Monza and Susanna Nicolini on Porsche 911, who after having conquered the top of the standings on the first stage did not concede anything to their adversaries, with the exception of the last stage that saw Paolo Concari and Marco Frascaroli on Lancia Delta HF 4wd take the lead. The crew of the Grifone on the arrival platform will have to be content with second place overall, just enough to overtake in the championship standings leader Marco Gandino, author with Concari of a head-to-head for second position, on board the usual A112 Abarth, but offside on the fourth test for a mistake at a media change.
Third place went to Enrico Bertolini and Giovanna Pasello in a Lancia Beta Montecarlo - Scuderia Milano Autostoriche, authors of an excellent race.
In the Under 30 classification, solo victory for Giada Sangalli and Fabio Pozza in a Lancia Delta of Scuderia Milano Autostoriche.
In the Ladies' Cup, category 50, behind the winner Antonella Monza, second place for the returning Alexia Giugni navigated by Patrizia Zambianchi on a Renault Alpine A110 by Scuderia del Grifone.
In the five groupings, which divided the competing crews according to car seniority, victory went to Ubaldo Bordi in Group 1. In Biella, the Scuderia Castellotti driver shared the crew of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint with Alberto Bardelli.
Family fight in Group 3. Where Alexia Giugni, preceded her husband Marco leva, navigated by Paolo Casaleggio in a Lancia Fulvia HF of the Scuderia del Grifone. Third place went to Marco Comi and Andrea Paradisi in a Lancia Fulvia.
The fourth grouping saw Antonella Monza and Enrico Bertolini occupy the first two places, while Maurizio Verini, navigated by Laura Martines on a Fiat X1/9 of the Milano Autostoriche, took the third step of the podium. A convincing performance for the former European Rally champion, who finished fourth overall, after some unfortunate races, punctuated by technical problems.
In group five, Paolo Co ncari preceded Vittorio Catanzaro and Annamaria Beneduce in a Mazda 323F. Behind the bearers of the Scuderia Milano Autostoriche came the Swiss Patrick and Cynthia Ramel in a Toyota Mr2.
In the 60 category, which allows a more sporty driving style, success on debut for Michele Beretta and Viola Montanelli in a Porsche 911 of the Scuderia Milano Autostoriche. Behind the driver habitually involved in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance at the wheel of the Mercedes AMG GT3 came Alberto Beretta and Massimo Liverani, who paid 91 penalties aboard a Porsche 911.
Third place overall for another German car: the Audi Quattro of the Scuderia del Grifone with specialists Ermanno Keller and Ambrogi Marianna on board who, after a not too positive start, were the authors of an exciting comeback.
Two regularly constituted groupings in the 60 category.
While in group five the podium reflected that of the overall classification, championship leaders Fabio and Paolo Verdona, only fifth overall in the general classification, consoled themselves with a group four victory aboard their Peugeot 205 Gti.
In second place were the Milan Autostorica team's Maurizio Vellano and Ottavio Molina, in an Audi 80.
Giorgio Garghetti and Barbara Giordano took their BMW 320 to the third step of the podium.
Among the teams, the Milano Autostoriche won both Category 50 and Category 60, shortening the distance from the Scuderia del Grifone, which still maintains the leadership in the championship standings.
