The 2015 Tour ta’ Malta came to a close with a mass start race held in windy conditions at Ta’ Penellu, Mellieha, yesterday.

Italian Luca Caruso, of the Pad Zecchino team, pedalled hard to preserve his lead at the top of the men’s leaderboard and Briton Henrietta Colbourne did likewise to take the women’s honours.

Caruso completed the distance at Ta’ Penellu in 1:19.05, three seconds behind the winner on the day – club mate Michele Genovese.

The race had a close finish as Giuseppe Di Salvo (Cicli Maggi) was second in 1:19.03 and Matt Cartilge third ahead of Caruso in 1:19.04.

In the overall classification after three stages (Saturday’s leg in Gozo was cancelled due to bad weather), Caruso finished first with an accumulated time of 4:20.56. Di Salvo was runner-up in 4:21.26 and Genovese had to settle for third in 4:21.41.

The best Maltese rider in the men’s Tour was Maurice Formosa.

The rider representing The Cyclist Team was fourth overall with an accumulated 4:23.19.

Colbourne (Team Jadan) was the undisputed leader of the women’s Tour after winning all three stages contested even though she had to share the honours with Lou Collins, of Carnac Planet X, yesterday.

In fact, both Colbourne and Collins reached the finish line in the same time of 1:18.14 with Malta’s Michelle Vella Wood a creditable third in 1:18.19.

Colbourne, who donned the leader’s red jersey since day one, completed the Tour in 3:34.14 with Collins 23 seconds behind (3:34.37).

Vella Wood tried hard to cancel the deficit with the leading duo.

Her efforts in the race were remarkable but futile even though coming third overall at 3:34.45 should not be considered as a disappointing result for the Bir-kirkara St Joseph rider.

Meanwhile, the Tour ta’ Malta Masters champion this year is Fabio Scalora (Pad Zecchino).

The Italian’s official timing over three stages was 3:10.44.

Scalora was followed by Patrick Scicluna (Mosta AF, 3:11.48) and Fabio Spiteri (Agones, 3:13.09) in the overall classification.

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