Five Maltese cyclists on the podium after opening stage of Tour ta’ Malta

The first day of the Tour ta’ Malta saw Maltese riders dominate the opening stage of the race.

The Tour attracted the participation of several local and foreign cyclists who were on the starting line of the opening stage which consisted of a 15km Time Trial along the Coast Road of Salini with five local cyclists finishing on the podium.

The main focus was on the Elite category where Bernard Galea, of The Cyclist/Agones, took first place in a time of 24 minutes and five seconds.

Galea finished just five seconds ahead of Italian Simone Cerio (ASD Team Simo Bike), while Heorhii Antonenko, of OBOR-BIKE AID Cycling Team (Switzerland), placed third in a time of 24 minutes and 28 seconds.

The women’s category was won by the Maltese/Australian Jessica Pratt, of Team Greens, in a time of 27 minutes and 35 seconds.

England’s Mathilde Pauls, of FTP Racing (UK) crossed the finish line eight seconds behind while Marie Claire Aquilina (Team Greens) completed the podium in 27 minutes and 45 seconds.

In the Masters category, Colombian Joaquin Rojas, of Team Greens, finished in first place in a time of 25 minutes and one second. His team-mate Etienne Bonello was just three seconds behind, while Mark Zammit, of Mosta CC, came in third position in 25 minutes and 23 seconds.

At the end of this stage, Julian Pace Bonello, president of the Maltese Olympic Committee presented the medals and the red shirt to the winners.

The Tour ta’ Malta is being held under the auspices of the Maltese Cycling Federation, with the support of SportMalta and the Maltese Olympic Committee.

The Tour of Malta continues today, when a road race will be held on the 3.5km circuit of the Żebbuġ Bypass where the Elite will do 15 laps, while the Women and the Masters will make 12 laps.

The race starts at at 10am.