Cronoscalata Monte Erice
Cronoscalata Monte Erice is a historic hill climb motor race held annually on the slopes of Monte Erice in Sicily, Italy. It is one of the longest-running hillclimbing motor races in Europe.
The event is organised by the Automobile Club Trapani and has formed part of several national and international motorsport championships, including the Campionato Italiano Velocità Montagna and, since 2024, the Campionato Italiano Supersalita.
History
The inaugural edition of the race was held on 5 September 1954, with Pasquale Tacci winning the original 16.55 km course driving an Alfa Romeo 1900 TI. The route started from Piazza Vittorio Emanuele in Trapani and ascended to the town of Erice.Over the decades the course has undergone several revisions. Originally more than 16 km long, it was progressively shortened to approximately 13.9 km, then to around 7 km, later to about 6.7 km, and eventually to its current length of approximately 5.73 km. Since 1988 the event has been run in a two-run timed format.
The event marked its 70th anniversary in 2024, celebrating seven decades of continuous motorsport competition. Over this period it has attracted many of Italy’s leading hill climb drivers and has become a long-established fixture of the Italian motorsport calendar.
Driver Salvatore Spinelli holds a long-standing participation record, having competed in over forty editions of the event since his debut in 1979.
Course
The Cronoscalata Monte Erice is contested over a technical uphill course of approximately 5.73 km. The climb features an elevation gain of about 410 metres, with the finish line situated at roughly 700 metres above sea level.The route begins near Valderice and ascends along public mountain roads towards Erice, with a mix of steep gradients and tight hairpin bends characteristic of classic hill climb events. The combination of elevation, technical corners, and limited run-off areas contributes to the challenge of the climb.