Maurice Formosa of Melita Pedal Power Cycling Club won the hilly Penellu race in style for the second year running.

This was the first round out of three races valid for the National Championship title.

The race was organised by the Malta Cycling Federation at the gruelling and hilly Penellu/Mellieha By-pass circuit where the elite riders had to tackle the tough 6km circuit seven times which includes the tough Penellu hill.

Melita Pedal Power Cycling Club were very dominant in the elite category; however it was Keith Galea (B’Kara St. Joseph) who initiated the first action, attacking the main group right from the start.

However he was reeled in straight away by Mark Bonnici (Melita Cycling Club C.C.). Bonnici attacked a couple of times more in the first lap but the attacks were neutralised by the group.

In the second lap Patrick Scicluna (Melita Pedal Power C.C.) made a successful attack and managed to create a gap on the peloton.

However Maurice Formosa counter attacked the main group and only Etienne Bonello (Team Greens) and Keith Galea managed to follow him.

Eventually this trio managed to reel in Scicluna. In the sixth lap, once again, Maurice Formosa proved his dominance on the hills by attacking his counterparts and riding solo for the remaining lap to the finish and winning the race in 1hr 21mins 12secs.

The trio behind kept cycling together till the last lap, however Keith Galea had some mechanical problems which cost him important seconds, while Bonello and Scicluna sprinted for the remaining podium places with Bonello edging Scicluna on the line in 1hr 22mins 45seconds. Galea eventually placed fourth some seconds behind.

Podium finishers for

other categories:

U/15 - Boys (3 laps):

1st: - Carl Xuereb (Mosta AF Sign Studio C.C.) - 16mins 32secs

2nd - Nicholas Zammit (Mosta AF Sign Studio C.C.) - 18mins 38secs

3rd - Kurt Muscat (Mosta AF Sign Studio C.C.) - 19mins 52secs

U/15 - Girls (3 laps):

1st: - Nina Zammit (Mosta AF Sign Studio C.C.) - 20mins 13secs

2nd - Michela Galea (Qormi Scott C.C.) - 20mins 16secs

3rd - Martina Sciberass (Mosta AF Sign Studio C.C.) - 20mins 16secs

Ladies (5 laps):

1st: - Marie Claire Aquilina (Greens C.C.) - 1hr 6mins 50secs

2nd - Danica Bonello Spiteri (Greens C.C.) - 1hr 18mins 21secs

Masters 40+ (5 laps):

1st: - Joseph Bonello (Greens C.C.) - 1hr 3mins 53secs

2nd - Mark Schembri (Mosta AF Sign Studio C.C.) - 1hr 4mins 16secs

3rd - Michael Lia (Mosta AF Sign Studio C.C.) - 1hr 5mins 46secs

Masters 50+ (4 laps):

1st: - Emmanuel Bezzina (Mosta AF Sign Studio C.C.) - 53mins 03secs

2nd - Twanny Pisani (Mosta AF Sign Studio C.C.) - 55mins 09secs

3rd - Lino Fabri (Greens C.C.) - 58mins 36secs

Masters 60+ (4l):

1st - Emmanuel Camilleri (Mosta AF Sign Studio C.C.) - 54mins 16secs

2nd - Anthony Borg (Qormi Scott C.C.) - 1hr 2mins 22 secs

3rd - George Abela (Qormi Scott C.C.) - 1hr 8mins 15 secs

Juniors (6 laps):

1st: - Terence Lauri (Greens C.C.) - 1hr 41mins 22secs