Maltese cyclists miss out on medal in time-trial

Maltese cyclists missed out on a medal in the time trial race held on the Ordino circuit on Tuesday morning.

Team Malta fielded five women cyclists in their 14km race and another six male riders who took on a slighter longer 16km circuit that is situated in the heart of the Pyrenees mountains.

In the women’s race Deborah Schembri  produced a commendable performacne when she man aged to finish fifth overall in a time of 22 minutes 41.64 seconds from a field of 16 cyclists.

The Gozitan cyclist was seventh in the first intermediate but stepped up her pace in the final kilometres secure a top-five finish.

Luxembouirg dominated the women’s race as Marie Schreiber took gold in 20 minutes 39.05 seconds and finish ahead of team-mated Nina Berton (21:39.74). Iceland;s Hafdis Sigurdardottir completed the podium when taking the bronze medal in 21:48.30.

Malta’s Jessica Pratt finished tenth overall in 23:58.43 while Diana Muscat was 14th in 25:16.77, ahead of Emma Pratt (25:32.64).

In the men’s race, Team Malta achieved another top five finish as Andrea Mifsud placed fifth overall in 20.40.18.

Mifsud finished just over 30 seconds adrift of a podium place as the gold medal was won by Cypriot rider Andreas Militiadis who took gold in 19 minutes 34 .31 seconds.

Luxembourg filled the other two spots on the podium as Alex Kirch, who raced for his country at the Paris Olympics, took second place in 20.02.38 and place just ahead of his team-mate  Mats Wenzel who clocked 20.09.87.

Bernard Galea was ninth in 21:18.16 while Daniel Bonello placed 12th in 21:31.85.

Aidan Buttigieg finished 15th overall in 21:46.55 and Jacob Schembri finished two plaes behind him in 22.03.95.

Malta’s other representative was John Camilleri who finished 19th in 22.:2997.