Baldassare Barbera and Mathilde Pauls are the new leaders in the 2018 Tour ta’ Malta after the second stage at the San Martin circuit on Friday.

Held in wintry condition, the elite riders were in action in a demanding 88km road race which saw Baldassare, of Team Grasso Villanti Spagnolo, complete a dominant performance when crossing the finish line in two hours 22 minutes and three seconds.

Baldassare finished well clear of Velo Runner’s Will Corden (2:28:15.70) and TBW Bottechia Wigmore’s Josh Housley (2:29:32.31).

In the overall standings, Barbera is leading the way with an overall time of 2:42:32.90, over seven minutes clear of Corden while Housley was third 2:51:02.96.

Christian Formosa, The Cyclist, is the first Maltese in the standing as he sits in seventh place with a time 2:52:57.77.

In the women’s class, Pauls, of TW1 Racing,  won the second stage – a 54km road race – in a time of 1:41:47.14. She finished ahead of team-mate Gabriel Nordin who clocked 1:43:04.26.

Overnight leader Marie Claire Aquilina was third in 1:43:13.77.  

Pauls took the red jersey with a combined time of 22:32.40 while Aquilina is second, 26 seconds behind ahead of Nordin (23:29.81).

Hannah Pace, of Mosta AF Sign Studio Cycling Club, is fourth on 23:40.95.

In the Masters category, Filippo Porpora, of Team Grasso Villanti Spagnolo, won the stage in 1:35:27.63. Freno Gerolamo, of ASD Speed Wheel Team, and Dave Mitchinson completed the podium.

In the overall rankings, Mitchinson leads the way ahead of Andrew Hicklin and Porpora.

The Tour ta’ Malta continues on Saturday with a 68km road race on the Żebbuġ By-Pass.