Rendez-Vous with History... the 19th Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique!

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When history meets Monte-Carlo...

... that's when 2015 World Rally Champion Sebastien Ogier wins for a 3rd time in a row at the Monte-Carlo Rally, making his place in the Motorsport history even greater. As long as he kept his pace and car in one piece, the victory was again at arms length for him and his copilot Julien Ingrassia. The Monte-Carlo edition is one of the least forgiving ones in the WRC calendar, which saw several of the top contenders succumb to its treacherous parcour.

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“Making history... Ogier & Ingrassa’s hattrick: 3rd win in Monte-Carlo.”

With a slight change of time and track, this year's climax for the fans was held on the upper part of Monaco's port (where the F1 boxes are during the Grand Prix). After yet another great showcase to everyone's delight, the start of this 84th edition was as usual scheduled that same evening from the famous Casino square:

Making yet again the podium of one of the most prestigious races, Ogier may revalidate his World title a 3rd time in a row, if the Monte-Carlo tradition holds true;  7 out of the last 9 Monte-Carlo Rally winners ended up as World Champs, so, as I said on my last post, you may start betting...

Without giving the racing fans almost time to rest, another unique racing event just started 3 days after, history and tradition will take over Europe and Monaco's streets for the 19th Rally Monte-Carlo Historique! 

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Monte-Carlo Rally Historique Sunset ride

The Historique edition is not just an ode to the unique and beautiful engines that took part in Monte-Carlo's Rally history, it's a version of the Rally that celebrates the pure explorer and traveler spirit that made the Rally Monte-Carlo so special and World famous back in 1911, when it all started. With departure points spreaded all over Europe, the 27th of January marks the starting date for the first contenders to hit the road, Oslo and Glasgow, followed by Bad Homburg, Barcelona and Reims on January 29th.

“Oslo, Glasgow, Bad Homburg, Barcelona, Reims... destination: Monaco!”

Wishing no mechanical failures nor accidents, the 300 registered participants will gather and showcase their classic beauties on Saturday 30th at the magnificent Gorges du Verdon from where they will start their journey across the Côte d'Azur's awe-inspiring landscapes, reaching at the end Monaco's glamorous streets that same evening. Every car lover and traveler can only feel envious about such a journey, and if you're around the area, admiring cars from all ages is a Rendez-Vous not to miss.

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Remember the main dates:

January 27th - Start in Oslo & Glasgow

January 29th - Start in Bad Homburg, Barcelona & Reims

January 30th - Start in Gorges du Verdon & finish in Monaco

February 3rd - Arrival at night in Monaco for the last stage from 1.50am

Click here for more info.

Will you miss this unique opportunity to see the perfect mix of classic beauty, glamour, adventure and travel spirit?

While you mark it in your agendas, have a small appetizer below and admire some of the vintage beauties that will be back on the Riviera's roads!

This post is part of my Racing Series, stay tuned
on Twitter & Instagram for more!

Glamour, Turini & tradition... the Monte-Carlo Rally is back!

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Will the Rally Monte-Carlo predict again the World Rally Champion?

“7 out of the 9 last World Rally Champions won in Monaco!”

Did you know that 7 out of the last 9 Rally Monte-Carlo winners ended up as World Champs? This first big race of the year, with permission of the Dakar race of course, shines with its own light as one of the Côte d'Azur's main yearly events. But don't drift away yet if you're not a racing enthusiast! Even for the non racing fanatics, this still is one of the World's major sporting events where the most curious traveller, visitor or just passer by won't walk unimpressed. 

Intrigued? Then keep reading.

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Port Hercule Monaco - WRC show 2015

Monte-Carlo and racing sports are the perfect mix of tradition, history and unique racing atmosphere. Although it may be slightly overshadowed by the more popular Formula 1 race, which has in Monaco it’s most noteworthy symbol, the Rallye de Monte-Carlo goes back quite a few years more than its arrowed counterpart. In it’s now 84th edition, it is one of the oldest Rally and racing events of the World and is a must have in the World Rally Championship (WRC). Starting as a race to Monaco from diverse locations around Europe (pioneer travel spirit), it was an important means of demonstrating improvements and innovations in the automobile industry and soon became a reference in the racing circles, being now one of the most prestigious ones in the calendar. In addition, the public's access and freedom is less constricted as in the F1, allowing anyone to experience some of the best human engineering from only a few steps away. 

“1911 marked the 1st ever Rallye de Monte-Carlo!”

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La Turbie - Historic Rallye de Monte-Carlo 2014

With a touch of nostalgia from the older days, every year, and heading for its 19th edition, the Rallye Historique de Monte-Carlo showcases some of the most beautiful classic Rally cars ever. Rather than racing for speed as their WRC counterparts, they drive to match specific times where speed is the lesser of the driving factors. If you like more this vintage approach then stay tuned for next posts, since this 2016 marks the 19th edition of the Historic Rally, having some of the most legendary classics back on Monaco’s streets: January 27th to February 3rd.

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Monaco Casino square - Sebastian Loeb and Daniel Elena start 2015

Going on with some more recent history, 2015 marked the comeback of one racing legend: Sebastian Loeb with his Monegasque copilot Daniel Elena. Although the 9 times World Rally Champion didn't reach the desired results, it still was one unique opportunity to see the master behind a Rally car’s wheels… you can still see him driving, but unless you had a helicopter and followed him in the last Dakar race, then yeah, the last year's edition was the better option.

However, in addition to the legend’s comeback, the Automobile Club de Monaco (ACM) had one unique and rare surprise for those who were that day in Monaco. Only a few hours before giving the traditional go at the famous Casino square, a public exhibition of the best drivers amazed both racing fans and visitors, with the Palais Princier in the background, the last sun rays of the day glanced over the stars of the day. To the lucky few’s rejoice, the amazing engines and drivers of the WRC were drifting around the Port Hercule, making this one unplanned surprise that the ACM had in its sleeves and truly raising everyone’s heart beat to another level (see pictures above).

Therefore, if you’re looking for the first adrenaline boosting event of the year, in one very unique location, with some of the best drivers in the World and are looking for one of a kind life experience, then the Rallye de Monte-Carlo is your next Rendez-Vous.

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Remember the main dates:

January 21st from 18:15 - Departure from the Place du Casino in Monaco to Gap

January 22nd all day long - Departure & finish in Gap (the most intensive racing day)

January 23rd last day - Morning race and prize giving ceremony from 15:00

Click here for more info.

What's your bet, will Ogier and Ingrassia be able to do the hattrick and win for a 3rd time in a row?

While you check your betting budget, enjoy a few more pictures and let your adrenaline levels rise…

PS: Don't forget to put your seatbelts on!

This post is part of my Racing Series, stay tuned
on Twitter & Instagram for more!

Going North: Day 5 Gernika - Portugalete

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Having slept in a place full of history, art and symbols as Gernika is, the persistent Northern rain was going to be my companion this new day until the hills of another remarkable city...

Starting my 5th Camino day with a new Camino friend, Camille (see day 4 of my Northern Camino), we went together for one typical morning ritual, we indulged ourselves to one great breakfast:

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Cycling breakfast!

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Champion's breakfast!

Still raining heavily, I took the opportunity to ask Camille to do one of my Camino photo interviews (an ongoing project of pilgrims and locals of the different St James routes) to which she happily agreed.

With yet another glorious breakfast filling up my belly and with no signs of the rain easing, with 10:30am on the clock, I covered up my bags as best as possible to retake the road to Santiago. Wishing a good and well deserved rest day to Camille, I ventured my dear Orbea to some difficult pathways, putting her to an extreme muddy and very wet test.

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Misty roads

“5th Camino Cycling tip: specially with the Northern Camino, be sure to bag some rain cover, very probably you will need it at some point during your journey.”

— June 10th, 2015

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Sometimes big changes in life lie on decisions which seem to be insignificant

We Galicians (North West region of Spain), are known for our tenacity and stubbornness, so I pushed my equally determined Basque origin bicycle to its limits; read here the beautiful and unique history of the Orbea cycling brand in words of ex-pro cyclist Pedro Horrillo for Rouleur.

Proudly with both Basque and Galician persistence, I managed a personal heroic ascension that took me and my 25kg bike+bags weight to the hills of one of the most known and biggest cities of the Basque Country: the city of Bilbao! The rain very timely stopped allowing me to calmly satisfy my wanderlust with this striking landscape:

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Bilbao!!!

Bilbao, mostly known for having amidst its architectural range the stunning Guggenheim Museum, has much more to offer than just that. It is the 10th city of Spain and although deeply marked by its industrial origin, it developed into a prosperous cosmopolitan style city that unites both cultural Basque heritage with a modern urban redevelopment. If you feel tempted discover more via Bilbao tourism.

Definitively, this city is well worth a visit if you travel to the Basque Country or as me, pilgrim through it. Not being a fan of too big cities and even less of big capacity pilgrim hostels they usually have, I headed forward to the next nearest Camino town, Portugalete (no, no need to ask, it has nothing to do with Portugal ;) ). Even though the Guggenheim is not all what there is, going to Bilbao without at least passing by, is like visiting Paris and miss the Eiffel Tower... Therefore, out of the established Northern route, I followed the Nervion river to reach Frank Gehry's unique architectural achievement; find out more about this unique artist, you can hear it from the man himself in this TED talk.

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Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum

Quickly after a few shots of the iconic museum, a little off track from the original Northern Saint James Way, I continued by the river side with hopes of reaching a bridge... However, this didn't happen and I ended up in the middle of Bilbao's industrial area, one of the main pieces of Spain's industrial machinery:

Nevertheless, it got me up to speed and arrive to Portugalete, where, to my surprise wasn't any bridge available either, but I still made it to the other side... no no no, don't worry, I didn't test my and my bike's swimming skills nor did I ask the rowing guys for a ride. There was a rather uncommon way of bridging which I've never seen before and makes for Portugalete's most important construction, it is, the Vizcaya Bridge!

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The Vizcaya Bridge!

What you see is a kind of ferry like cabin that transports cars, people, bikes and, like in my case, pilgrims over the Nervion River; it's also called the hanging bridge. Dating back to 1893, it was the idea of one of Gustave Eiffel's disciples, Alberto Palacio, who with the purpose of creating a way to cross the river, but allowing boats to pass easily and for a reasonable price, he came up with this very original idea. In fact, it's functionality and beauty make it Spain's only Industrial monument to be part of the UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.

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Airport style urban transport

After this lovely river jump I went on to find the town's pilgrim hostel, only to discover that it was... closed! In addition, the nearest pension was fully booked just 10 minutes before I arrived. Nonetheless, they were very helpful to indicate me other possibilities and even called some pensions directly to ask if they had availability. They did have and this took me to my next urban surprise. They told me that I just had to go uphill and I could use the moving ramps... really? I was kinda doubtful and finally guessed they meant to say elevators... but surprise surprise, the moving ramps are real! Not bad to have one's bike being carried from time to time.

Although the place I ended up had no pilgrims around, after my shower I went to discover this charming city, search for my favourite Galician beer (see my love for it here on day 3 on my French Camino) and ending up with one the most amazing sunsets I've ever seen! I've literally spent an hour taking pictures :)

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Colour explosion!

Even amid storms, rain, mud and other inconveniences, don't despair, the Saint James Way is a journey of sacrifice but with rewarding discoveries that will awaken the explorer in you!

Stay tuned to my next Going North posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest for more adventures!