Venetian nobles and many friends at the Prova Resistenza 2024

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It was way back in 1899 when a group of Venetian nobles, privileged owners of the first motor vehicles, after forming the Club Automobilisti Veneti, gave life to an important race called the Prova Resistenza Veicoli Automobili Province Venete, intended to test the validity of the Venetian road network and to spread awareness among the public of the new vehicles, which will soon replace obsolete animal traction.

The circular route ran for 107 miles, starting from Padua and returning there, after passing through Vicenza, Thiene, Bassano, Cornuda and Treviso. The best chauffeurs of the moment took part and a very young Ettore Bugatti triumphed at an average speed of over 27 mph aboard his very special Prinetti et Stucchi tricycle.

For several years the Circolo Veneto Automoto d'Epoca, well supported by Intercom, has been organising an event commemorating this event, reserving participation for pre-1905 vehicles more in line with its origins, and thus constituting the only event of its kind in Italy and one of the few in existence in the Old Continent. Indeed, the atmosphere that can be felt in the phases preceding the start, located as usual in front of the Luigi Bonfanti Automobile Museum, is decidedly unusual and makes participants and the public take a real leap in time.

What dominates is a cheerful confusion, with many friends from all over Europe who meet for a new challenge on board vehicles that are over 120 years old and which will take them back to Bassano del Grappa after 53 miles through pleasant and flat secondary roads. Hugs and greetings, with exchanges of news or information on this or that vehicle while bending with your head over the engine, elaborate and meticulous topping up operations are carried out in the precious glass and brass graisseurs. A few drops of petrol in the carburettor and the engines, after a few puffs, are ready to run with their classic teuf-teuf.

It is a beautiful parterre that presents itself at the start of the event and worthily represents the dawn of the automobile.
From the primordial Benz Velo of 1896 through beautiful tricycles and quadricycles, together with motorcycles with demanding driving up to real cars, among which the splendid FIAT 12/16hp of 1902 emerges, belonging to the collection of the MAUTO of Turin and arriving to celebrate 125 years of FIAT. Crews from all over Europe embark on a long journey which, through pleasant and flat secondary roads, will take them to visit Venetian villas and prestigious centuries-old parks as well as important testimonies of the ancient art of ceramics such as the mighty Pestasassi Mill in Nove.

The incredible mediæval walls of Cittadella act as a powerful backdrop to the magnificent ancêtres in dutiful rest while the crews enjoy lunch. The festive arrival in Bassano del Grappa sees all the crews at the finish line after 53 miles welcomed by an attentive and admired audience and by dancers in costume who perform beautiful dances from the late 19th century.

The historic Bassano Bridge is the backdrop to the dinner and awards ceremony for all the participants with a goodbye to next year for a new adventure with the ancetres which the organizer Umberto Voltolin predicts will be richer, with an extensive route divided into two days  and it will return on july.

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