TOUR DE CORSE HISTORIQUE 2020 Alain Oreille wins a superb 20th edition

This anniversary edition kept its promises with Robert Consani in demonstration mode.

One doesn’t forget a 20th anniversary. As the curtain closes on the parc fermé in Porto-Vecchio we can confirm that before the race even got underway on Monday 5th October in the ‘City of Salt’, the organisers had been through it all, during this period  already complicated by Covid-19. But true to form as an experienced former pilot, José Andreani and his team stayed on the road.

Months of work and the final gripping sprint were rewarded with a high quality set and above all 210 cars on the starting line. The party could begin.

Robert Consani, the revelation

On Tuesday, during the first stage Porto-Vecchio – Porto-Vecchio, Robert Consani’s Porsche sailed through the four specials. The day proved fatal for JB Botti (Porsche 911), one of the VHC pretenders, who abandoned right from the ES Sorbollano – Zoza.

The Porto-Vecchiais Stéphane Milanini can be credited with one of the day’s best performances with a convincing comeback to the competition at the wheel of the MK1. A bleak day on the other hand for François Delecour who fell victim to mechanical problems. Robert Consani was the leader in front of Marc Valliccioni (M3) and Alain Oreille (Porsche 911).

Two down…. and the lead for Alain Oreille

The nail-biting suspense of Wednesday’s stage, Porto-Vecchio – Bastia, was worth its weight in gold. In the last two chronometer sections of the day, the TDCH successively lost Marc Valliccioni and the leader Robert Consani who both crashed. Alain Oreille, from Martigues, succeeded to first position overall, in front of Capanaccia and Christophe Casanova (M3).

A position that Alain Oreille consolidated on Thursday’s stage, Bastia – Calvi, especially as Francois Delecour was out of the race. Guilty of speeding, on Wednesday evening, the Porsche pilot could not continue the race as per the rally’s regulations.

Alain Oreille, the rally and VHC’s leader, maintained his top position on Friday at the end of the penultimate stage Calvi – Ajaccio and it was as the leader, in front of the resourceful Olivier Capanaccia, J2’s leader, that he arrived at the parc fermé in the Imperial City. One more stage was left to go in the competition to reach Porto-Vecchio where the rally ends.

A curtain-close where Robert Consani hit back by carrying off the four specials again on a day when the leaders ensured they did not make any mistakes.

The scenario was all wrapped up or almost as J2’s Olivier Capanaccia who was leading the category fell victim to problems with his gearbox at ES 18 (Albitreccia – Calzola). He received a 2 minute 20 penalty for having clocked-in late at CH. This moved him down to third place overall, and above all he lost his J2 lead to Christophe Casanova. This was the only significant event of this 5th and last stage which enabled Alain and Sylvie Oreille to win the 20th Tour de Corse, in front of Christophe Casanova (1st in J2) at 4’59” and Olivier Capanaccia (2nd in J2) at 5’19”.

François Foulon, 4th overall finished 2nd place in VHC,  just in front of  Dominique Marcelli who follows him in the rankings. Jean-Manuel Beuzelin (Lancia) was 3rd in J2.

In VHRS, Bernard Figuière (911) for the Highers, Christophe Baillet (M3) for the Intermediates, as well as Serge Garosi (Mazda RX2) for the Moderates and Daniel Klumpp (Mini) for the Lowers are the laureates of this 20e TDCH.

Crédit photo / Tour de Corse Historique / © Hervé Mela