Degasperi sets new record at 42nd Pedavena–Croce d'Aune hillclimb
Diego Degasperi claimed victory and a new outright course record at the 42nd Pedavena–Croce d'Aune hillclimb in Italy's Veneto region, posting 1'50.80 in the second run and an overall time of 3'41.66. The result improved the previous best by six hundredths of a second and marked a standout performance at the 4,000-metre event.
The event saw multiple records fall across its two days of competition. Franco Caruso, who had been leading, was forced to retire in both runs, opening the door for Degasperi's breakthrough. The first run had already seen the outright course record of 1'58.74—held since 2023 by Simone Faggioli—broken. In the motorcycle-engine category, Damiano Schena's previous benchmark of 1'58.48 in his NovaProto NP03 with Aprilia power was also surpassed. Romy Dall'Antonia achieved a personal milestone by breaking the 2'06" barrier in her class.
Local competition provided memorable moments, particularly a close battle between two Škoda entries piloted by Belluno-based drivers Veronese and Sartor. Fabrizio Vettorol emerged as the fastest driver from the region, finishing 19th overall in his Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo with a time of 4'29.21.
The 42nd edition drew over 2,000 spectators, with 1,600 transported via shuttle service—a new feature praised by attendees. The event attracted more than 200 competitors and generated 13,000 YouTube views, while regional broadcaster Telebelluno's coverage reached viewers as far as Sicily. Race director Fabrizio Bernetti and safety coordinator Alberto Nardari were credited with smooth organisation, with the course cleared and racing resumed within 20 minutes following any incidents.