Photo : Kieran BorgTista’ taqra bil-
Malti.
The second race of the Cisk 0.0 Cross Country National Point Series, hosted by the Malta Mountain Bike Association, took place at Majjistral Park on Sunday morning.
Despite some absentees in certain categories due to riders being unwell. the race was far from lacking in intensity. Riders pushed their limits on the challenging course, which was made even more demanding by the slippery conditions following heavy overnight rainfall.
In the Elite Category, Luke Borg claimed his second consecutive victory, fending off strong competition from Joaquin Rojas, who secured his first podium finish after moving up from the 40+ Category last year. Joining them on the podium in third place was Mark Bonnici.
The Women’s Category saw last race’s winner, Marie Claire Aquilina, absent due to illness. Diana Muscat took the lead and won the race. Fiona Tedesco put in a strong performance to claim second place.
Robert Grech once again dominated the Sport Category, with Josmar Vella and Mantas Stockus taking second and third place, respectively.
The 40+ Category was the most competitive of the day, with Liran Ben-Ari maintaining a comfortable lead throughout to secure victory ahead of Jeffrey Borg and Alex Portelli.
Stephen Grima put in a dominant performance in the 50+ Category, taking the win ahead of Carmelo Abela and Mario Zammit.
In the U19 Boys Category, Ryan Gatt built a strong lead to secure first place. However, the battle for second place was a thrilling one, with Josch Louro edging out Matthias Gauci by just one second.
The E-Bike Category saw Bernard Sammut take the top spot, followed by Paul Muscat and Clint Sciberras.
Junior Categories
In the U15 Boys Category, Neil Cassar emerged as the winner, with Ethan Cumbo and Isaac Buttigieg securing second and third place, respectively. Meanwhile, Nina Debono Curmi continued to prove she is the rider to beat in the U15 Girls Category, successfully defending her position against Kim Micallef Cann and Katie-Anne Vella Wood, who completed the podium.
The U12 Boys’ Category also saw promising performances, with Kruiven Farrugia taking the win, followed by Andrew Spiteri in second place and Nolan Tabone in third. Zaliya Dimech was the sole rider in the U12 Girls’ Category.
A fun ride was also organised, attracting one of the highest participation rates since its recent introduction.
MMBA President Pierre Zammit Endrich once again expressed his gratitude towards the race officials and marshals, who, rain or shine, dedicate their time and efforts to ensure the smooth running of the race. “From marking the course the previous day to being on-site throughout the event, their hard work and commitment play an essential role in the success of every race” concluded Zammit Endrich.
The 2025 National Point Series are supported by the Award Winning Cisk 0.0 Lager. The third race of the Series is scheduled to take place on Sunday 16th March at Lippija Tower in Mgarr.
