
#TriesteOpicina
The Trieste–Opicina hill climb was a road race held between the city of Trieste and the plateau town of Opicina, near the Slovenian border. First run in 1911, it was one of Italy’s earliest uphill competitions and became a recurring event, with interruptions during wartime and occasional changes to the course layout. The route, approximately 8.5 km long in its final configuration, climbed from sea level up to the Carso plateau, with a mix of fast straights, hairpin bends, and elevation changes that tested both engine performance and chassis setup. Over the decades, the event featured a wide variety of vehicles: cyclecars and light racing specials in the early years, followed by sports cars, touring cars, and single-seaters in the postwar period. By the 1960s, it had become a round of the Italian Hill Climb Championship (Campionato Italiano della Montagna), drawing professional drivers and works teams. The race was notable for its technical demands rather than outright speed, favoring vehicles with strong torque and good weight distribution. The changing road surfaces and unpredictable weather—due to the proximity of the sea and the elevation—added further complexity. Safety barriers were minimal, and as car speeds increased, the inherent risks became more difficult to manage. The final competitive edition took place in 1971. After that, growing concerns over safety, along with increasing urban traffic and road infrastructure changes, made it unfeasible to continue. In later years, the name Trieste–Opicina has been revived for historic demonstrations, but the original competition has not returned.
We'll tell the story of this event on the occasion of its anniversary or when it will reach a sufficient number of cars.
If you would like to share your knowledge and archive, click on the banner JOIN THE LAB - HELP US TO IMPROVE & COMPLETE THE INFORMATION.
The census of all the cars related to this topic is in progress.
CARS (17)
1949 O.S.C.A. MT4-2AD 1100
- Coachbuilder: Fratelli Morelli
- Chassis n°: 1106
- Engine n°: 1106
Private collection
1950 Ferrari 166 millemiglia
- Coachbuilder: Carrozzeria Touring
- Chassis n°: 0048/M
- Engine n°: 0048/M
Private collection
1952 Ferrari 225 S
- Coachbuilder: Carrozzeria Alfredo Vignale & C.
- Chassis n°: 0170/ET
- Engine n°: 0170ET
Private collection
1952 Fiat 8V ZAGATO
- Coachbuilder: Zagato
- Chassis n°: 000002
- Engine n°: 104 000 *000006***
Private collection
1952 Ferrari 166 millemiglia berlinetta
- Coachbuilder: Carrozzeria Alfredo Vignale & C.
- Chassis n°: 0244M
- Engine n°: no number
MUSEO FERRARI (IT)
1952 Ferrari 212 Inter
- Coachbuilder: Carrozzeria Alfredo Vignale & C.
- Chassis n°: 0237EU
- Engine n°: 0237EU
Private collection
1952 Parisotto 750 Sport Siata
- Coachbuilder: Parisotto
- Chassis n°: 5062652
- Engine n°: 000145
Private collection
1952 O.S.C.A. MT4-2AD 1100
- Coachbuilder: Fratelli Morelli
- Chassis n°: 1117
- Engine n°: 1116
Private collection
1953 Fiat trasformazione Stanguellini 750 Sport Internazionale
- Coachbuilder: Carrozzeria Campana
- Chassis n°: CS04078
- Engine n°: CS04078
Private collection
1953 Fiat 8V ZAGATO
- Coachbuilder: Zagato
- Chassis n°: 106*000088*
- Engine n°: 104.000*000123
Private collection
1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spyder
- Coachbuilder: Pinin Farina/Carrozzeria Scaglietti
- Chassis n°: 0410MD
- Engine n°: 0410MD
Mario Righini (IT)
1954 O.S.C.A. MT4-2AD 1500
- Coachbuilder: Fratelli Morelli
- Chassis n°: 1151
- Engine n°: 1509
Private collection
1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL
- Coachbuilder: Mercedes-Benz
- Chassis n°: 198.043.5500486
- Engine n°: 198.980.5500487
Private collection
1956 Bandini 750 Sport Internazionale
- Coachbuilder: Bandini
- Chassis n°: 159
- Engine n°: 129278
Private collection
1956 O.S.C.A. S-187
- Coachbuilder: Fratelli Morelli
- Chassis n°: 751
- Engine n°: 751 AL
Private collection
1958 Lancia Appia GTZ
- Coachbuilder: Zagato
- Chassis n°: 81201.1875
- Engine n°: 81400.1859
Private collection
1968 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/2
- Coachbuilder: Autodelta
- Chassis n°: 75033014
- Engine n°: 0028
Private collection