To win the first Italian Baja of the new millennium is the German Jutta Kleinschmidt on a Mitsubishi Pajero, finally winner of the Pordenone race after numerous not always lucky participations.
Jutta (who won the Dakar in January!), Navigated by Andreas Schulz, rules the surprising Frenchmen Gerard Marcy and Jean-Paul Cottret on Toyota and the Portuguese Paulo Martins and Antonio Morajs on Nissan with more than 13 minutes of advantage.
Off the podium, but excellent overall fourth, "our" Maurizio Traglio. Reigning World Champion Jean-Louis Schlesser retired in the first special stage, in obvious difficulty with his buggy undriveable on the water-soaked race grounds, due to the incessant rain.
Among the bikes, Fabio Farioli's splendid trio on KTM, which in turn inflicts 13 'on Massimo Chiesa and over 14' on Antonio Colombo. The revelation of the race was the Portuguese Ruben Faria who finished in second place overall, but was then disqualified by the jury because he was "out of the Italian regulation" due to the too large front wheel. He still has the satisfaction of earning valid points for the European Specialty Championship and of having above all undermined the multiple world champion Farioli.
Among the quads triumphs a Pordenone "doc", Angelo Montico.
