The 2008 cycling season continued last Sunday with a Team Time Trial along the Coast Road in Bahar ic-Caghaq, organised by Greens Cycling Club and sponsored by Greens Supermarket.
Riders braved the wet roads and strong winds to produce an intriguing race. Teams of three or four cyclists set off at two-minute intervals and covered an overall distance of 40 kilometres.
The leading four cycling clubs called upon their best riders to mount a strong challenge for first place. Competition was close, especially in the early stages.
Team Greens yet again proved that they possess some of the country's best sprinters as their first team, composed of national time trial champion Etienne Bonello and Fabio Spiteri - who finished first and second respectively in the season-opening Qormi-Dingli time trial only a week earlier, James Cutajar and Peter Gatt, attained the best time of 58:22 minutes.
Second place went to Qormi KIA who were represented by Jack Schiavone, David Galea and Ramon Grech. Their finishing time was 59:58.
Patrick Scicluna, Pierre Borg, Johann Vassallo and Maurice Formosa, of Melita Pedal Power, were third in 1:00:06.
The leading three teams recorded very close times in the initial laps but Team Greens increased the pace to finish 1 minute 36 seconds ahead of the second-placed team.
Team Greens were also first in the Masters category thanks to the combined efforts of Brian Magri, Mark Bugeja, Pierre Chircop and Daniel Callus while Mosta AF Sign Studio won the Over-50 title with George Gauci, Edwin Spiteri, Marion Brincat and Anthony Micallef.
The ladies race featured an individual time trial where Danica Spiteri, of Team Greens, had to settle for second place behind Stephania Magri, of Melita Pedal Power. Spiteri's winning hopes were hindered by a punctured tyre midway through the race.
James Dimech, Daniel Borg and Robert Attard, of Mosta AF Sign Studio, were the first team home in the Under-15 category. They were followed by Max Micallef and Philip Caruana of Team Greens and Qormi KIA.
The race was run smoothly with the assistance of the Malta Cycling Federation, club officials, local wardens and other volunteers.
The next event on the local cycling calendar is a road race on March 2. Organised by Mosta AF Sign Studio, the road race will be held on the Zebbug by-pass.