First published on curbs-magazin.com
Originally published on curbs-magazin.com – now part of slickpix.de.
Classic Car Road Trips with ADAC North Rhine-Westphalia
The field of participants was deliberately limited to just over 50 teams, as a larger number of vehicles on the narrow roads and in the often limited space around Lake Garda would have compromised the quality of the event. As a result, participants in the 1st Lake Garda Classic Classic Car Rally enjoyed a high-quality experience. The good weather undoubtedly contributed to this as well. Under bright sunshine and the pleasant temperatures typical of the regions around Lake Garda in late September, participants were thrilled by the carefully selected and well-signposted routes.
Right on the first day, the Gardasee Klassik had an absolute highlight in store: the prologue up to the Hotel Paradiso with its “Schauderterrasse.” This terrace juts out several meters over a cliff face some 500 meters deep, offering a breathtaking view of Lake Garda—a panorama that comes very close to the view from an airplane.
Although this first stage on the prologue day was deliberately kept to just around 55 kilometers—making it the shortest of the event—it was certainly the most demanding for many of the riders due to the elevation gain involved.
Overall, only a few minor technical issues arose during the four days of riding, all of which were quickly and expertly resolved by Sigurd Nießen’s breakdown crew. Over the next three days, the itinerary included a total of 435 additional kilometers around Lake Garda. On Sunday, the route led from Limone to Riva del Garda at the northern tip of the lake and from there along the charming eastern shore to Pasola, before continuing via Madonna della Corona and Chalet Novezza through the Monte Baldo mountain range—parts of which rise over 2,000 meters—back to beautiful Riva and Limone. Monday’s stage was significantly flatter and included, among other things, a roughly 30-minute ferry crossing from Tolosano Maderno on the western shore—with its many small towns and the imposing Belle Époque buildings—to Torri del Benaco, located south of the imposing Monte Baldo massif. The participants experienced a very special highlight on the final day of the event.
As they passed through the village of Polpenazze, they were able to enjoy a snack provided by the locals during a break in their hike—a wonderful gesture from the hospitable residents. Another sign of the positive response: the many inquiries from other classic car owners whom the group encountered around Lake Garda.
The 2nd Lake Garda Classic, taking place from September 25 to 29, 2016, will be held in the town of Garda in the Veneto region. The route will follow the eastern shore of Lake Garda, with detours along the mountain roads of Monte Baldo, which rises to 2,000 meters and offers particularly breathtaking views of the lake.