Vintage: ‘high-quality wine’ – that’s its true definition. But with vintage clothes, vintage jewellery and, of course, vintage cars, most of us drop the reference to wine and just think of ‘high-quality’. High-quality from the past, that is. Nevertheless, vintage cars are not too far from ageing fine wines. They only come out of the cellar, unscrew their corks, and reveal their body for particularly special occasions. And the Winter Marathon vintage car rally in the Italian Alps is one of them. Here, spectators drink up every last drop of the vintage on offer.

The Winter Marathon event is held in January each year at Madonna di Campiglio ski resort in the Dolomite Mountains. Over 500km racecourse. Over one hundred cars. And over three days. But don’t even think about entering if your vehicle wasn’t built a good half-century ago. This classic car event is entirely exclusive to cars built until 1968 and only a selection of collectable and special interest cars that were built until 1976. With its 33^rd edition taking place this year, the rally is showing absolutely no sign of tiring.

Since 1989, the Winter Marathon has been gracing us with the aesthetic beauty of old vintage cars combined with the fashion-fuelled Italian ski resort. Father and son, Roberto and Andrea Vesco, purchased the rights to the race in 2008. And having just won the 1000 Miglia vintage car rally in 2020, it’s clear that their passion for sophistication and speed is still raring.

Fairy lights and headlights. That’s all that can be seen in the village. What can be heard is almost nothing. Nothing but the overwhelming revving of engines, and tyres crunching on ice. Gloves on, goggles down and gears in play. Ready – Set – Go.

When the Christmas holidays have ended, Madonna di Campiglio is the only place to be for vintage car adrenaline junkies. You may wonder why such a classic car event doesn’t take place in the snowy yet sunny scenes of April. Picture-perfect shots of these elegant vehicles could be taken with the surrounding summits still successfully clinging onto the snow. The roads would be clear of any slippery dangers. And daylight hours would extend right into the night. But this isn’t what the Winter Marathon rally is all about. This isn’t why people come from far and wide to watch the vintage car race. And this isn’t why international crews participate. They want a challenge.

Buckling in to spin around hairpin bends full of snow and ice is what they crave. Driving through the unforgiving January weather is what fuels their fire and to make matters even more extreme, driving through the night. Unlike a British winter where snow on the roads means no school and no office, here, the snowier the better. More snow means more risk. And for these alpine petrol heads, that means more fun.

With temperatures in the minuses, the domineering cliff faces send stomachs into somersaults. You certainly won’t question how the pine trees drop so many of their needle-like leaves when you see the sheer whoosh of these cars hurtling past. The wheels of vintage automobiles spray pockets of powder-like skies carving down the mountain. The first day is just 90km worth of driving. However, the next reaches an enormous 420km taking about 13 hours at heights of 2240 metres, the Winter Marathon is not for the faint-hearted.

The strongest of them all pine and pant for their place on the podium. On the frozen lake in Madonna di Campiglio, the trophies are awarded. First, The Blizz Timing Trophy is awarded only to a pre-war car. Then the Centro Porshe Brescia Trophy is awarded, naturally, only to a Porshe. And finally, the most anticipated of them all, the Eberhard Trophy. This is awarded, not necessarily to the crew of the fastest car, but to one of the fastest 32 cars. So, it’s not just about getting over the finish line first. Crews are examined on skill, as well as speed. And judges certainly aren’t afraid to dish out the penalty points.

Over the years, winning cars have ranged from a Porsche 365 B Coupé to a Volkswagen Karmann Ghia and from a BMW 328 to a Fiat 508 C. To name a few. And winning crews have ranged from international all-time favourites to novices, showing that really anything could happen at the Winter Marathon.

The Ebhaurd Trophy comes from the Winter Marathon’s main sponsor, Eberhard & Co. As a top Swiss luxury watch company, it’s fair to say that the rally’s timekeeping is in safe hands – or safe wrists more like. But nothing quite tops off a luxury alpine event than fine dining food. And in the Dolomite Mountains, the Italian cuisine doesn’t disappoint. Dinners can be held at places like Ristoriante La Baracca or Chalet Gerard. With fine dining Italian classics all around, it’s the design of these restaurants that are particularly spectacular. La Baracca is like a ‘crystal cabin’, a glass construction that means every table has a panoramic view. And over at Chalet Gerard, there’s a constant reminder that you’re in the mountains with warm wood and low lighting to whisk you away from the track.

During the Winter Marathon rally, Madonna di Campiglio ski resort sees a transformation. Perfect Moment ski jackets are exchanged for Mink furs. Piste maps are exchanged for stopwatches. And at the greatest extreme, skis are exchanged for vintage cars.