Posted on June 9, 2014.
by Henk J. Brouwer, © 2014 ’n Joy Media
Thursday 15 May was once again the start of the 2014 edition of the Mille Miglia – the event where so much is written, spoken, Facebooked and Twittered about. A Mille Miglia with a new look, sort of … because this year it’s the first time that the arrival is planned to be on Sunday at the end of the last stage from Bologna to Brescia. And there’s also a new route.
The 31st Mille Miglia is characterized by changes and there was actually a better organization. There is more “peace” and less hectic, which immediately became apparent in the media center. The scrutineering has moved from the Piazza della Loggia to the old Piazza della Vittoria. The spectators could all assemble at the exit. After scrutineering the cars are drawn up in the streets of the old town, including the charming Piazza Paolo VI (Piazza Duomo), further down along the Via X Giornate and finally in the Corso Zanardelli, where the presentation of Mercedes-Benz was located at the entrance of Teatro Grande.
The route has been overhauled. In the beginning it heads to the North region where, after Vicenza, various other places are visited before the stop in Padova for dinner and sleep. From Padova the competitors drive to the historic center of San Marino and thereafter there is a big change. The participants do not drive inland, but towards the sea and then parallel to it to drive south towards Ancona. Then it goes inland to arrive around 8:00pm in L’Aquila, the town where on April 10, 2009 for the 4th time in history a devastating earthquake did it’s work. Hopefully, the tour and its commercial consequence do have a positive effect on the recovery, which seemingly progresses slowly.
The last day, with the start in Rome, was substantially different to see. Towards Siena it is all pretty much the same, were it not for the fact that in Radicofani the square in front of the Church is complete blocked… That’s unfortunate and not planned very well by the City Council, but the atmosphere is still awesome! After Siena the direction is towards Volterra, Pisa and the picturesque town of Luca, but Florence is skipped this trip. In Bologna there is dinner and, on Sunday, the start of the last stage to Brescia.
All in all for the participants there was an obvious improvement but we wondered whether the same atmosphere upon arrival would prevail …? Formerly it was in the night, with the tired and drawn faces of the participants, tired but satisfied that they had finished.
Winner of the 2014 Edition was team no. 42, Giordano Mozzi/Stefania Biacca, in their beautiful Lancia Lambda Tipo 221 Spider Ca.Sa.Ro. from 1928. Second place was taken by an Alfa Romeo and the third place was for an Aston Martin.
It was a Mille Miglia as it should be!
(To view a slideshow of Henk’s wonderful pictures of the Mille Miglia click here.)
