This past year has been one long, hard, uphill struggle - "almost like climbing Everest" - for the family of cyclist Clifford Micallef, who died in a hit-and-run accident on the Coast Road while practising his favourite sport.

Yet, despite the "constant effort and courage" needed, his wife Shirley and her three sons feel they have "sort of made it". They have continued to soldier on and, yesterday, they gave their share in a bike ride organised by the cycling fraternity in Mr Micallef's memory.

His sons - Max, 16, Zak, 13, and Jon, nine - joined about 200 cyclists who whizzed off from Luxol grounds when Mrs Micallef waved the red and white checkered flag giving the green light to the one-hour cycle that marked the first anniversary of her husband's tragic death. The event, organised by the Malta Cycling Federation and the Malta Sports Council, filled her with "energy", she said. "I feel he has not been forgotten and his work (as federation secretary) was appreciated."

Mrs Micallef may not have joined the bike ride, saying she was too unfit, but her sons have kept up the sport their 45-year-old father from Swieqi loved and died doing on July 30, 2009.

The upbeat mother said it was the support of her own mum, friends and a full-time job she took on after her husband's death that kept her going. "Of course, working has its drawbacks too. I was used to being around for my children. Now I am not and we miss each other. But the job allows me to shelve some problems and be another person."

Mr Micallef would have been proud - as, indeed, the rest of the family - at the achievements of the eldest son, who passed all his Matsec exams "despite the heavy baggage he carried throughout the year. He has made us very happy," said his mother.

On his part, Max has kept up cycling and, following in his father's footsteps, may join the racing season for the second time.

He feared the first anniversary of his beloved dad's demise would be harder to cope with but he felt fine yesterday. "We are a strong family and we have learnt to live with it," he said before cycling off to keep his father's name alive.

Mr Micallef, an experienced cyclist who was the man tasked with solving the LifeCycle team's mechanical problems, was training for the challenge when he was run over and died on the spot. Members joined the ride yesterday, together with other clubs affiliated with the federation, including the mountain bike and BMX associations.

The ride was the fifth the federation held this year to encourage more cyclists to take up the sport. But this was "special", Cycling Federation president John Zammit said. It started and ended at the Luxol car park and the route took riders along Regional Road to Msida, the Gżira seafront, through Sliema and St Julians, returning to Pembroke.

Mr Zammit said cyclists only felt safe during organised rides and races, where security measures were taken, including lead cars, police escorts and the stopping of traffic. But the dangers increased when they were training.

He pointed his finger at the fact that there were too many cars on the road. "I would like to see improved bike lanes and overall security for cyclists," he said.

Mrs Micallef also called for improvements. "I am aware that Mediterranean people take a long time to move but I know we will get there in the end. Hopefully, the public will be more educated and those responsible will upgrade the roads."

The widow called for severe punishments for reckless and drunk drivers. "Whoever breaks the law has to pay for it. Abroad, at least, there is a sense of fear when it comes to drink driving but here it is common practice," she said.

"The person (held) responsible (for her husband's death) has to pay for what he did," she said, adding that she had complete confidence in the courts and was hopeful and optimistic justice would prevail.

"People are also such impatient drivers, ready to hoot their horns at the first opportunity," she said about the prevalence of road rage.

A 21-year-old from Ħamrun was charged with the involuntary homicide of Mr Micallef shortly after the accident last summer. Anthony Taliana has also been accused of drink driving, driving a car without insurance cover and relapsing after being convicted of dangerous driving a few years ago. Experts said the alcohol level in his blood was above the legal limit and that he was driving at 114kph.