Pordenone, 27 June 2026_ The 2026 Italian Baja got off to a scorching start. Not only because of the suffocating heat that covers the entire peninsula, but also because the organisers made a precise choice of route, avoiding crossing the Meduna fords as much as possible. The water, nice and cold and refreshing, is absolutely not good for electronic control units, electrical wiring, or off-road vehicle engines, although an explosion of splashes can be quite a spectacle for enthusiasts. The great success of registrations (91) is largely due to a drier and more balanced route to satisfy the needs of heavy off-road vehicles and agile side-by-sides.
PROLOGUE. So yesterday the 14km prologue between Cordenons and Zoppola, named after the navigator “Giulia Maroni”, was played almost entirely on dirt roads and sections of dry riverbed. Saudi Arabian driver Dania Akeel's fastest time was 9:53.6 in a Toyota Hilux Overdrive, proving her provisional lead in the world championship standings. Dutchman Mitchel Van De Brink in a BRP Can Am Maverick finished 3.7 seconds behind, while young South African talent Saood Variawa, also in a Hilux, finished third at 15.4 seconds. The fastest Italian in the world championship was Riccardo Benettolo from Padua in a Taurus Max, with a time of 10:36.5 seconds. The fact that this is a female-only Italian Baja is demonstrated by Christine Giampaoli Zonca's fastest time in a Polaris RZR R of 10:22.6, although Andrea Castagnera in a Can Am Maverick clocked in just 0.8 seconds behind. Hungary's "Csucsu" in a Taurus Max finished third at 14.5 seconds. Please note that yesterday's times did not count towards the standings, but only to determine the starting order for today's race.
TODAY. The Italian Baja convoy will have to complete the "FVG" selective sector twice: the first competitor will start at 8:30 a.m. and at 2:30 p.m. from the same point as yesterday, the former Cordenons sun therapy colony. The 156.29-kilometer timed course, divided into two sections because it reaches the Madrisio bridge in the municipality of Morsano al Tagliamento, will feature a "neutralization" (15 minutes for the world championship, 20 minutes for the national race) to cover a 7-kilometer junction leading to the restart on the Udine side and finally finishing in Blessano di Basiliano, where a "media zone" will be used to gather the participants' impressions. Live coverage on ACI Sport TV, Sky channel 228 and TivùSat channel 52, as well as on the Italian Baja's social media channels (YouTube and Facebook). This is the longest "special stage" ever run in Italy, a first for the Baja that will put the crews and their vehicles to the test. The awards ceremony for the national race will take place at 9:00 PM at the Fairgrounds.
TOMORROW. The final selective sector, "Tagliamento," measuring 94.42 meters (starting at 9:00 AM), will be tackled only by competitors competing for the FIA World Cup and European Cup. The route is shorter and reversed compared to Saturday, starting from Dignano, the first section leading to the Madrisio bridge, a 7-km "neutralization," and then a climb to finish in Vacile di Spilimbergo, with the final 10 km being a new section. At 2:00 PM at the Fairgrounds, the final awards ceremony will take place, with a farewell to the 2027 edition, when Pordenone will be the "Italian Capital of Culture."
Italian Baja Press Office
