01/03/2020

Juan Pedro García-Sergi Giralt (Autobianchi) and Joan Pedragosa-Josep Beltri (BMW) complete the podium

Ruben Maes-Michel Périn (Porsche 914/6) have been the overall winners of the 4th Rally Catalunya Històric-Rally de Les Caves after an intense fight against Juan Pedro Garcia-Sergi Giralt (Autobianchi A112 Abarth). Joan Pedragosa-Josep Beltri (BMW 318i E21) completed the podium. As regards the cars that did only take part in the second day - One Day modality- the victory went to Joan Riberas-Joan Circuns (Porsche 911 SC). The winner of the Regularity Super Sport class was the Porsche 911 SC Gr.4 with competition number 1 of Anthony Guillemat-Cristophe Cruzet.

38 crews took part in this regularity race organised by the RACC, that consisted of two legs, with 14 different stages on closed roads and a linear route, completing a total of 152.97 km of regularity. The headquarters were based in Salou and several stages were stages raced during the RallyRACC, scoring round towards the World Rally Championship. The top five crews are recognised names in regularity races, and there were 9 different stage winners. Maes-Périn, winners of the Belgian Ypres Historic Rally 2019, took a total of 5 stage wins and eventually the victory of the race.

The winners of the Regularity Super Sport class were Anthony Guillemat-Cristophe Cruzet (Porsche 911 SC Gr. 4), who started with competition number 1. The most outstanding crew among those that chose the One Day' entry option, i.e. participating only on Saturday, the best result was achieved by Juan Riberas-Joan Circuns (Porsche 911 SC), who won all of the stages.

Friday, the essence of regularity
In the first rally day with 6 stages and 59.51 km of regularity, Juan Pedro Garcia-Sergi Giralt (Autobianchi A112 Abarth) took the lead without winning any special stage but being the most regular crew of the day. Ruben Maes-Michel Périn (Porsche 914/6), very well known in the European regularity, achieved a total of 3 stage wins in Font Rubí', Pontons' and Riudecanyes'. Christophe Berteloot-Aurélie Vanbelle (Porsche 911 SC), Tere Armadans-Anna Vives (Volkswagen Golf GTI MK1) and Pau Coma-Cros-Marcos Rivero (Porsche 911 2.7) took the win in Puig de les Agulles', El Montmell' and L'Albiol', respectively.

Worth to be mentioned is the performance of Josep Maria Bardolet-Carles Jiménez, who showed their ability at the wheel of the Seat 1400B of the SEAT Históricos team, fighting during the whole first leg for the leadership, but an electric problem hindered them from remaining in the top positions. Thus, the first day finished with García-Giralt on top, closely followed by Joan Pedragosa-Josep Beltri (BMW 318i E21), Maes-Périn and Coma-Cros-Rivero, all of them less than two points adrift.

Friday was also the day of a largely expected comeback: Antonio Zanini, with Josep Autet as his navigator, took the start of the Rally Catalunya Històric-Rally de les Caves with the Simca 1000 GT with which he participated 48 years ago, in 1972, in this event, although a mechanical failure in the first stage forced them to retire.

Saturday 29, many different winners and change in the lead
The Saturday leg started in Salou and consisted of the much appreciated stages Duesaigües', La Mussara', El Pont d'Armentera', Savallà-Conesa', Vallespinosa', Querol', Òdena' and Talamanca', all of them in a single passage and with a total of 93.46 km of regularity. The top 4 crews were almost even and the victory had yet to be decided. The complicated and selective stage did not make things easy for the competitors. Ramon Arqués-Jordi Montoliu (Peugeot 205 GTI) took the win of the first special stage of the day and Juan Pedro Garcia of the second. Ruben Maes won the ninth stage and showed his clear intentions taking over the lead. The Nenas Team', the only 100% female team with laureates Tere Armadans and Anna Vives and their Volkswagen Golf GTI MK1 took the world championship stage La Mussara.

The rally reached the regrouping in Santa Coloma de Queralt with Maes, Garcia and Pedragosa as top candidates for the victory, separated by only 3 points. The second loop started with Carles Miró-Ivan Matavacas (Porsche 911 SC) as the most regular crew. Joan Pedragosa took the win of the Querol' stage with the lowest score and Mia Bardolet took Òdena'. Maes-Périn closed the rally with a victory in the last stage, ensuring a fitting closure to this 4th edition, taking the overall victory as well. Thus, after this achievement, the Belgian team will have a free entry for the Ypres Historic Regularity Rally in 2020, following the agreement signed by the RACC and the Belgian organiser Ypres Historic Rally, to create the "Historic Regularity Challenge" in order to promote and share the experiences of both events.

The group of participants included RACC President, Josep Mateu, and RACC General Manager, Xavier Pérez, both on board of vehicles of the SEAT Históricos team. Mateu- Vilatarsana (Seat 1430 Especial 1600) finished 18th and Madrazo-Pérez (Seat 124 Sport 1600) achieved a sought-after 8th position, and winning class H as well.

The 4th Rally Catalunya Històric-Rally de les Caves finished with a dinner at Hotel Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona, which included the prize-giving ceremony with the senior authorities of the RACC and members of its Sports Commission, as well as the Mayor of Salou, Pere Granados; and the Director of Promotion and Sports Events of the Barcelona City Council, Gabriel Arranz.

Final Classification 4th Rally Catalunya Històric-Rally de les Caves
1-Ruben Maes-Michel Périn (Porsche 914/6/1970), 38'1 points
2-Juan Pedro Garcia-Sergi Giralt (Autobianchi A112 Abarth/1984), 41'9 points
3-Joan Pedragosa-Josep Beltri (BMW 318i E21/1981), 42'4 points
4-Tere Armadans-Anna Vives (Volkswagen Golf GTI MK1/1979), 45'3 points
5-Carles Miró-Ivan Matavacas (Porsche 911 SC/1979), 47'5 points
6-Pau Coma-Cros-Marcos Rivero (Porsche 911 2.7/1977), 48'7 points
7-Josep Maria Bardolet-Carles Jiménez (Seat 1400B/1957), 55'1 points
8-Miguel Ángel Madrazo-Xavier Pérez (Seat 124 Sport 1600/1972), 62 points
9-Joan Dalmau-Gerard Massana (Seat Ibiza GLX 1.5/1984), 62'3 points
10-Francesc Segú-Joaquim Segú (Porsche 914/4/1971), 66'4 points
11-José Manuel López Sobrado-Antonio Caldeira (VW Scirocco/1980), 76'4 points
12-Anthony Guillemat-Christophe Cruzet (Porsche 911 SC Gr. 4/1981), 79 points
13-Kim Navarro-Miquel Molist (Volkswagen Golf GTI MK1/1982), 81'9 points
14-Ramon Arqués-Jordi Montoliu (Peugeot 205 GTI/1984), 84'5 points
15-Vicenç Aguilera-Elisabeth Aguilera (Seat 124 Especial 1800 Gr.4/1975), 87 points
Up to 32 classified participants

Winners by Classes
E (until 1957): Josep Maria Bardolet-Carles Jiménez (Seat 1400B/1957)
F (until 1965): Didier Chabrier-Bruno Bellmas (Porsche 911 2.0/1965)
G (until 1970): Ruben Maes-Michel Périn (Porsche 914/6/1970)
H (until 1972): Miguel Ángel Madrazo-Xavier Pérez (Seat 124 Sport 1600/1972)
I (until 1981): Joan Pedragosa-Josep Beltri (BMW E21/1981)
J (until 1984): Juan Pedro Garcia-Sergi Giralt (Autobianchi A112 Abarth/1984)
K (until 1986): Marc Mayoral-Maria José Ribal (VW Scirocco GTX/1986)

Other Awards
Oldest vehicle: Josep Maria Bardolet-Carles Jiménez (Seat 1400B/1957)
Best Foreign Crew: Ruben Maes-Michel Périn (Porsche 914/6/1970)
RACC Members: Joan Pedragosa-Josep Beltri (BMW E21/1981)
Top crew One Day Rally: Juan Riberas-Joan Circuns (Porsche 911 SC/1983)