Bonello shows true form before Tour ta' Malta
Riders test skills at Ta' Penellu
The National Championships got underway recently with the first mass start race at Ta' Penellu, Mellieha. The same circuit will also feature the third stage of next week's Tour ta' Malta.
Indeed, it was an excellent idea for the Malta Cycling Federation to host this race prior to the Tour, an ideal stage in the build-up for the local riders.
Ta' Penellu is definitely the hardest circuit around. With the Tour just around the corner, the top riders did not fail from showing their good form as they climbed the demanding up-hill seven times before the finish.
Team Greens rider and defending champion Etienne Bonello won a hard-fought race in the final climb.
The race started fast with Mosta AF Sign Studio going into attack straight from the gun as Adrian Sciberras dashed past the peloton to open a sizeable lead.
However, Team Greens, led by Bonello, reeled Sciberras in just before the first climb.
An incredible amount of work was put in by Bonello's team-mate Reuben Colombo. He led in the climbs, forcing others to lose ground. Only Patrick Scicluna and Maurice Formosa, of Mosta, maintained the pace.
The four in the leading pack kept a steady pace throughout the remaining laps until the last climb where Bonello took the lead from the bottom and powered his way up.
Scicluna attacked Bonello in the last kilometre but to no avail. In the end, Scicluna had to settle for second place and Colombo third.
It seems that Stephania Magri has found her form in the women's championship. She won the race in Mellieha with Danica Spiteri a close second.
Luigi Mifsud, of Mosta, was the fastest rider in the Juniors section while Emanuel Bezzina, also of Mosta, was first in Masters followed by Michael Lia (Mosta) and Mark Bugeja (Team Greens).
Charles Sammut's (Team Greens) time was unmatched in the Over 50. Philip Borg and Alfred Camilleri, of Qormi, trailed behind.
The U-15 race was won by James Dimech with Stephen Behan and Joseph Borg second and third respectively.
Race officials were assisted by the Malta Police, clubs and the sponsorship of Centre Point Cycles.
The first leg of the Tour ta' Malta is scheduled for next Thursday, a 30km individual time-trial at Bahar ic-Caghaq.