Mille Miglia 01

Vandaag is de Mille Miglia begonnen, de meest stijlvolle autorace voor Heeren. The Mille Miglia Storica’s route essentially re-traces, with some minor variations, the race’s original course. This year, however, there is a deviation towards the areas affected by the earthquake in Emilia Romagna in May 2012. Organizers wanted to remember those who lost their lives and who suffered injuries and extensive property damage in the tragedy, which occurred during the final hours of the 2012 event just as the last competitors were returning to Brescia through the region.

The race passes through nearly 200 Italian communities from Brescia to Rome and back. Some 300 timekeepers are placed along the route, and more than 1,000 police officers will be on crowd control and security duty. In all, more than 2,000 people, most of them volunteers, have been involved in the organization process for this year’s event, including five inmates allowed special work release furloughs from Brescia’s prison.

(Courtesy New York Times)