Mountain madness

8 November 1980

WHAT’S THE TOUGHEST rally on the planet? The answer is surely the Dakar. But how about the most hardcore in Europe? Well, in 1980, we nominated the Rallye des Cimes in France.

Held up in the Pyrenees since 1951, it’s an amateur event but definitely not for amateurs. “It’s organised in the true spirit of crosscountry events, rallying in terrain where you’d get out and walk if you had the sense,” we summarised.

There were even parts where seatbelt use was advised against so that you had a chance of being thrown clear of your car if it went tumbling down…

“The collection of nearly 60 vehicles truly reflects the French enthusiasm for the sport”, the favourites being Porsche-engined buggies, so powerful and light they could get away without four-wheel drive. Others included military jeeps, sports-car-engined Land Rovers, a Lada Niva and a Mercedes G-wagen.

“Day one was typical: six stages varying between two and six miles in length over the hardest terrain. Hard rocky tracks, muddy, rutted tracks, endless climbs up steep, slimy and mossy slopes, tricky manoeuvring through forests and flat-out blasts across bumpy, brackencovered moorland.

“The buggies tear along at 60mph and 70mph and the accidents tend to be spectacular. There have been fatalities and drivers have been known to lay injured for long periods.”

Just 37 cars survived to the end of the second day. Jean Aguerre won, while Brit Alvin Smith finished fifth behind the buggies in Rangerider: a shortened, stripped Range Rover with a rear-mounted 4.4 V8.