The Automobile Club d'Italia projectLess than two months away from the Italian rendez-vous of the World Rally Championship, the "Sardegna on the Road" project was presented at the Boursa Italiana del urismo.
The Automobile Club d'Italia, organizer of the Rally d'Italia
Sardegna and also promoter of the project, is involved in the local economy and in the local, national and international tourism aspects for this year and those to come.
Following the approval of the 2006-2007 assessment of the Rally d'Italia Sardegna, along with the confirmation of the financial backing to organize the Rally, the Automobile Club Italia presented the "Sardegna on the Road" project at the last meeting of the BIT (Borsa Italiana del Turismo).
The project is a marketing endeavour aiming to transform the rally event into a promotional territorial tourism item. Travel packages serving to promote the lesser-known areas of the island, sports activities, and wine and dining trails are a few of the opportunities that the rally enthusiast may discover, appreciate and come back to.
Within the official headqurters of the Italian WRC Rally event, situated near Porto Industriale di Olbia, the organizing committee has been working since last November in order to prepare one of the most important happenings of the island.
Thanks go out to partner Gruppo Colony of the Marina Vecchia for the start and finish ceremonies, scheduled 17 and 20 May, which will be held at Porto Cervo, Arzachena commune, the prestigious city where the podium and Parc Fermé will be situated.
The operational base will be set up a Olbia which, as always, has the capacities to accommodate the international services of Costa Smeralda airport and tourism port "Isola Bianca". Headquarters and the Media Centre will be moved to the conference center of the Meliŕ Hotel, while the assistance park will occupy a great part of Porto Cocciani di Cala Saccaia.
The rally will start on Thursday with the Shakedown at Monte Plebi, about 10km away from Olbia. The three Legs count 18 special stages for a total distance of 1,061.84 kilometers, of which 342.86 will be timed, crossing 15 communes within the provinces of Olbia-Tempio, Sassari and Nuoro.
The cars driven by the best crews in the world will once again raise the dust in the Sardinian maquis. The special stages will include traditional classics like Terranova, Monte Olia, Filigosu, and Monte Lerno, with the passage next to Nuraghe Loelle planned for Saturday 19 May. The third Leg has been modified with the addition of a new stage named San Giovanni.
The success of the international 2006 edition has left no doubt that the island is the land of rally. The beaten grounds, particular to this race, are considered rare goods. The Italia Sardegna Rally maintains its intention to protect the roads making up the stages since they are considered a natural heritage, as other roads are elsewhere in Europe. In France, for example, the trails of the Paris Roubaix event for international cycling have been declared a natural national heritage.
"The devotion of the Automobile Club Italia" confirms Angelo Sticchi Damiani, President of the organizing commitee and member of the executive commitee of the ACI , "is implied in the passion of the sport and in the organizational strengths that use the rally as a support to the regional economy, as a marketing instrument, and for the safekeeping of our quality of life."
