The opening stage of the The Cyclist Tour ta’ Malta took off yesterday with an Individual Time Trial on the Mtarfa By Pass.

Perfect weather conditions greeted close to 100 cyclists taking part in Elite, Women, Masters and Junior events.

The 12 kilometre undulating route on the Mtarfa Bypass saw Malta’s Marie Claire Aquilina (Team Greens) seal top billing in the Ladies podium with her win yesterday. 

Aquilina starts the second stage of the Tour, with a five second advantage over Sian Bottomley (Lovelo Squadra Donne). Third place went to was Gabriela Nordin (TWI Racing Team).

The Masters’ Category was won Colin Sturgess (Kuota GSG) with an 18-second advantage of Gibraltar’s Derek Barbara. Sturgess, who is currently the overall leader after the first day of racing, has an impressive racing CV to his name having been an active track cyclist between 1986 and 2000.

On the track, he won a gold and a bronze medal in the individual pursuit at the world championships in 1989 and 1991.

He competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics,  won the British National Road Race Championships in 1990 and in 2010 he was inducted to the British Cycling Hall of Fame. 

In third place was Daryl Maffey (CC London). 

Malta’s Etienne Bonello (Team Greens) came in fourth place, just a few seconds behind Maffey and is currently leading the Maltese team.

In the Elite Category, Josh Copely (Stuart Hall Cycling Gett Taxi Bottechia) clocked 18:32:30, followed by Antoine Magaud (Islington Cycling Club).

Copely’s team-mate Harry Horsman completed the Elite podium.

The newly introduced Junior Category saw Luke Borg (The Cyclist), Sean Enriquez (Mosta AF Sign Studio Team) and Gianluca Camilleri (Birkirkara St Joseph Sports Club) taking their place in the top three places of the podium, respectively.

Stage two of The Cyclist Tour ta’ Malta will take place at 10am today.

Participants will be engaged in an 83.3km mass start race along the St Paul’s Bay By Pass.