The 15th WinterRAID, the only winter rally with a start and finish in St. Moritz, will take place from January 17 to 20, 2018. There are also some new features at the 15th edition. But old classics are also returning.
For the first time, the Passo Brocon (1616 m above sea level) will be ridden in the big winter rally. The name is derived from the word "snow heath". The Brocon is long, steep and narrow - just what hardy rally drivers are looking for! Its history is also interesting, because in the war of 1866, Austria-Hungary lost the previously Austrian Veneto to the recently united Kingdom of Italy. As a result, anyone wishing to cross the Passo di Rolle into Valsugana had to travel several kilometers over Italian territory. This situation seemed intolerable to the Austrian military. Nevertheless, it was not until 1907 that construction of the 45 km long pass road began. In 1908, the strategically important road, which cost 2.5 million crowns to build, was inaugurated at the monument at the top of the pass, possibly even in the presence of His Imperial Highness Empress Sisi.
After the First World War and the Alpine War in the Dolomites, the pass fell to Italy in 1918.
The Austrian inscriptions on the monument were covered with marble and since then it has been a monument to the heroic Italian Carabinieri. As is well known, the former Austrian South Tyrol became part of Italy in 1918 and the pass lost its significance. It is little used and in many places has hardly changed since it was built.
A driving experience and a historically highly interesting story: the WinterRAID makes it possible!
All this is new at the 15th WinterRAID
The prologue in St. Moritz lasts half a day, with riders riding through St. Moritz again and again and the legendary "White Star of St. Moritz" awaiting the winner. The new RAID hotel is the renovated Schlosshotel Pontresina. The award ceremony with fondue dinner will take place at the Hotel Reine Victoria in St. Moritz Bad.
The start will be on January 17, 2018 on the Montebello snow slope in Pontresina, which is the resumption of a WinterRaid exclusive. There will also be new routes, new passes (25 in total in Switzerland & Italy) and new stages.
Further information can be found on the website.