Tatiana Munerato likes things to run smoothly. At Prodir, that means shipments, documents and deadlines. On weekends, it means something very different: a 1957 Vespa, two wheels, and a sport where precision matters more than speed.
She competes in regularity racing, a discipline built on timing and focus. Riders follow a route marked with photocells, aiming to pass each checkpoint at the exact second required. It’s a simple idea, but demanding in practice, with long routes, changing weather, old machines, and very little room for error.
Her ride of choice is a Vespa 125 Faro Basso, a wide-frame model from the 1950s with its distinctive low headlight and tubular handlebar, like a bicycle. It’s a design icon, famously appearing in the 1953 film Roman Holiday with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn. As with any vehicle of this vintage, it takes skill, attention and knowhow to keep it not running, but running well enough to win.
Tatiana races for Vespa Club Merano, one of the most historic clubs in her home region of South Tyrol. With the club she travelled across Italy this year, from Lecce to Campobasso, completing 21 races in total. She placed second in her category at the 1,150-kilometre Giro dei Tre Mari, won the national “Faro Basso” title in the Historical Re-enactments championship, and earned promotion to the Expert class – becoming the first woman in Italy to reach that level.
Finishing these events is never guaranteed, especially with machines that have seen seven decades of use. But Tatiana’s consistency, patience and technical skill have made her stand out in a sport where precision is everything. And next season, she’ll be competing among the very best.