Report From Italy
REPORT FROM ITALY
CARLO PERELLI
RICCIONE TRAGEDY
In one of the most dramatic Italian meetings ever held at Riccione, MV teamster Angelo Bergamonti (Angiulin—“little Angel”-to his friends), died in a crash while chasing Giacomo Agostini in the 350 race.
He was due to debut on the new six-cylinder model, but straddled the Three instead, because of the rain.
After a slow start, Berga was running 7 sec. behind Ago at the end of the first lap. By Lap 6 he reduced the gap to 4 sec., and on this lap, Berga recorded the fastest time of the day. But, on the next lap, Berga delayed too much before braking and crashed at approximately 1 24 mph, sliding for over 200 yards.
Berga, who was rushed first to a local hospital, and then to a specialized hospital for surgery, died of head injuries at 11:45 p.m. He was wearing a pudding basin helmet like Ago and the majority of the Italian riders. Still, Angiulin would be with us if organizers had canceled the race, as they did the 500 class, because of worsening weather conditions. Drainage was definitely not sufficient, and the circuit was becoming more and more flooded.
Born March 18, 1939, Berga first competed in 1957. He has been Italian national champion several times and has been a works rider for Morini, Paton, Aermacchi, and MV. He is survived by his wife and two small daughters.
When racing resumed at Riccione, riders were again met with bad weather. The 50cc class got some drizzle, the 125 practically ran dry, the 250 met rain, and the 500 was canceled.
In the 50, the lead changed several times. There were several crashes. Luckily, all riders involved (also, those in the larger displacement classes, except poor Bergamonti) escaped without injuries. The first to drop out was Buscherini (Villa) with big end trouble. Parlotti (Tomos) had clutch trouble, and late in the race, Alpini (Guazzoni) crashed, leva (Morbidelli), in spite of two crashes, won the event.
The big surprise in the 125 class came from a semi-unknown rider, Luigi Tondo (Aermacchi), from Southern Italy. He managed to keep at bay such riders as world champion Braun (Suzuki), and ex-world champion Simmonds (Kawasaki). Simmonds, after a determined attack, finally overtook Tondo, but then crashed. With three laps to go, however, Tondo crashed, his only consolation being that he made the fastest lap. After Tondo’s crash, Braun won easily.
After leading a couple of laps in the 250, Pasolini (Aermacchi Twin) went straight in a bend, and again the Varese factory’s chance for victory was ended.
Phil Read, who has returned to full disc braking (better in rain he says), battled hard with Yamaha-mounted Torelli and Parlotti. Things became easy for Read when Torelli hit the straw bales and Parlotti’s mount began misfiring.
IMOLA RACES
The fourth of this year’s Italian spring meetings was held over the twisty Imola autodrome. Ago, riding with a black band on his arm to commemorate teammate Berga’s death the previous week at Riccione, had no difficulty winning the 350 and 500 events aboard his MV Th ree. The other classes, though, were hotly contested.
The 50 featured a three-way battle between world champion Nieto (Derbi), leva (Morbidelli) and Parlotti (Tomos). At the halfway mark, Parlotti was put out by an exploded piston. Toward the end, Nieto fully exploited his mount, turned the fastest lap, and won by 2 sec. over leva. In spite of some gearbox trouble, Giuliano (Malanca) was 3rd.
World champion Braun (Suzuki Twin) and Nieto (Derbi Twin) were both unlucky in the 125 race. Braun rocketed away, only to find himself with a broken front brake cable. He chose to retire rather than repair it. After a slow start, Nieto was plagued by misfiring and also retired.
In the meantime, things were hot between Parlotti (Morbidelli) and exworld champion Simmonds (Kawasaki); they both improved the lap record several times. Parlotti finally won by 2 sec. over Simmonds. Walter Villa was 3rd.
Dashing away at the start of the 250 class, world champion Gould (Yamaha) led for three laps before being overtaken by Grassetti and Bartusch, both MZ-mounted. (The Italian straddled the old magneto ignition model, while the East German rode an electronic ignitioned version.)
Read, on a standard Yamaha, got off to a bad start (14th on the first lap) but took the lead late in the race and held it to the checkered flag.
Fourth spot was hotly contested. It finally went to Gould, ahead of Mandracci, Andersson, Brettoni and Giansanti, all Yamaha mounted. Paso’s Aermacchi seized, and Walter Villa suffered ignition trouble on his new V-Twin model.
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In the 350, Walter Villa (Yamaha) led for three laps, followed by similarly mounted Kent Andersson. Ago was taking things easy at the start.
On Lap 5, both Villa and Andersson went out with crankshaft trouble, and Read’s Yamaha seized. Ago won easily and Grassetti secured 2nd after scrapping with Ellis, Giansanti, Maugliani and Loro, all on Yamahas.
Ago began slowly in the 500 as well. Soon, however, he reached the leader, Pagani (Linto), and stayed with him until Lap 7, when the Linto’s battery failed.
Spaggiari (Ducati 500) took up 2nd position, behind Ago, but retired with gearbox trouble. Another Ducati, ridden by Giuliano, then held 2nd for the rest of the race.
After a disastrously slow start, Bertarelli (Kawasaki HIRA) could go no higher than 3rd, ahead of Gallina (Paton), Robb (Seeley), etc. Simmonds, on his Reynolds-framed Kawasaki, had to stop at the pits to adjust loosened exhaust pipes, and finished l lth.
A production machine race held the previous day provided a long and exciting tussle between English rider Charles Mortimer (650 Benelli Tornado) and Italians Augusto Brettoni and Roberto Gallina, both on 750 Laverdas. Giuliano (Norton) was fast qualifier, but found himself with a broken throttle cable a few yards from the start.
In the closing stages, Mortimer suffered some broken spokes in his rear wheel, as well as brake fading, and he was lucky to maintain 3rd place from the assaults of Loro (Honda Four). Brettoni won, closely followed by Gallina.
NEW VILLA RACERS
The amount of things the Villa brothers manage to produce from their small workshop in Modena is incredible. They are creating miracles with their enthusiasm, technical skill, and midnight-oil-burning routine.
Their most recent developments are similar 125and 250-cc racers. Both were raced for the first time at Imola with satisfying results.
The front V-engine layout is identical for both models. Bore and stroke of each cylinder of the 250 is 43 by 43mm, carburetor diameter is 25mm, and 30 bhp is produced at 15,000 rpm. The 350, with a bore and stroke for each cylinder of 54 by 54mm and 29-mm carburetors, develops 50 bhp at 12,500 rpm. Both machines use gear primary drive, dry-type clutches, sixspeed gearboxes and 18-in. wheels.
POOR ME!
Describing the new Bronceo Apache 100 in the May 1971 issue of CYCLE WORLD, I quoted the data of the Italian market version. The bikes shipped to the States are equipped with hotted up engines producing 1 2 bhp at 7500 rpm. In Italy, these mounts are reserved only for factory dirt riders who are, incidentally, enjoying considerable success.
ITALIAN SPRING MEETINGS END
Unfortunately, this year’s Italian spring meetings aren’t the brilliant series they used to be, mostly because of bad weather, the death of Bergamonti, and the lack of the Ago-Paso duels. Furthermore, Berga’s tragic death is hanging like a Damoclean sword over the future of town circuits like Rimini, Riccione and Cesenatico. It seems government authorities have opened an inquest regarding the Berga case and have charged the Riccione racing director with involuntary murder. It could be the end of a series of races started in the late Sixties that has grown to international fame.
The final series meet was held on the Cesenatico circuit. Paso and the new 250 Aermacchi/HD Twin did not compete because the factory is improving the six-speed gearbox. A 350 version is also being developed which will have seven speeds.
Nevertheless, the 250 race was most appealing. After a slow start, Parlotti caught leader Read and they dueled fiercely for many laps until the crankshaft on Read’s Yamaha failed. A threeman scrap for 2nd concluded in favor of Isnardi (Yamaha) at the finishing line. Mandracci (Yamaha) ran out of fuel, but coasted across the line ahead of Anelli (Yamaha).
Ago (MV Three) enjoyed his usual wins in the 350 ahead of Yamaha riders Read and Mandracci. and in the 500 ahead of Giuliano (Ducati) and Campanelli (Kawasaki). Spaggiari was able to stay with Ago until a broken rocker sidelined his Ducati Twin.
