Team Greens prevail in windy team time-trial

Last Sunday the Baħar ic-Ċagħaq Coast Road hosted another edition of the Greens Team Time Trial organised by Greens Cycling Club.

Teams of four riders were set to cover the 5 lap/25 km course with Malta’s major clubs fielding their best elements.

Last year’s winners Team Greens did not fail to provide a winning ride as they set the pace high early and took advantage right from the start.

Led by the experienced Etienne Bonello together with Clive Ebejer, Etienne Cutajar and Andrea Mifsud (Team Nice Métropole Cote D’Azur) the quartet produced the fastest time of the 25km route clocking 36:38.

Birkirkara St Joseph, led by John Camilleri, Steve Sciberras, David Cushing and Keith Galea, finished in second place, a minute and eight seconds behind while Mosta CC’s Pierre Borg, Jeffrey Borg, Jacob Schembri and Jason Vella (kafecafe) completed the podium.

Team Greens’ Marie Claire Aquilina, Diana Muscat and Danica Bonello Spiteri showed their cohesion and dominated the female team time trial with a time of 43:43, with Fiona Tedesco, Michelle Vella Wood and Marquita Muscat (Team Greens/BSJ) finishing in second place with 47:55 and Pia Grech and Lindsey Pirotta (Team Fabio) in third place on 49:40.

‘It is always nice to win the home race, we knew we had a good chance, we did not feel the heavy wind slowing us down and that is usually a good sign,” Etienne Bonello said.

“We did fear a bit Birkirkara St Joseph as John Camilleri is proving to be a very strong time trialist this year, however as a team I think we were better coordinated and our experience in these kind of races made the difference.”

Team Greens this year also rolled out a new racing kit produced by Gi-Esse in Italy and is sponsored by Greens Supermarket, Mondo Restaurant, Fresh to go foods, BBB Cycling, Wheel Wizard, Garmin Malta, Id match bike fit lab, Naici/The Resin & Membrane Centre, BUFF and Go & Fun.