At the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships
Two Maltese cyclists, Marion Pullicino and Gerard Said qualified and participated in the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships which were organised this year in Perth, Australia.
This year’s championships consisted of two races, a 20km Time Trial and a Road Race. The Time Trial was on Rottnest Island, a small island 15km off the coast of Perth which is widely known for its distinctive wildlife.
The road race started in Perth and went over the freeway towards the Kalamunda mountains. The males had to do two laps after the first passage of the finish, a total of 160km, while the women had one lap to finish after 105km.
The level of the competitors in Perth, hailing from hundreds of different countries, was very high, as countries brought whole teams to achieve the prestigious World Champion jersey. Marion Pullicino managed to place 72nd out of 197 female competitors, while Gerard Said managed to place 271st out of 657 male competitors.
To qualify for this World Championships, prospective participants needed to have finished in the top 25% of finishers in the worldwide UCI Cycling Tour events. Pullicino and Said both qualified by doing a similar event in Rhodes, with Pullicino having placed first in her category in all three races and Said managing to attain fourth place in category in two of the three races he raced.
Special thanks must be given to Rachel Darmanin for coaching the two athletes this year. The experience garnered from representing one’s country at such a high level, a long way away was definitely an important step in improving their results in other overseas commitments.