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Tour of Malta 2017
Hi all
Something for you all to think about. And some top line details here I will expand on later and can talk more about at Club night. But for now the basics are;
Tour of Malta. It's a well established event. In 2017, four stages over four days 6-9 April. A TT and three short crit like races. All closed road events. It's an E/1/2/3/4 and British Cycling points are available.
I'm doing it in part as a good thing to aim for. And to say I rode a proper international Tour! I don't expect to do very well but it doesn't matter. I can see I did better in this summer's Cambridgeshire gran Fondo than a rider who came 6th in the Masters GC. So hopefully will at least be competitive. The more who come on board. The better we will all do. Simple laws of drafting and teamwork.
A deal breaker for me is I have a cousin who is a co organizer. So can help on logistics, know how and is a mechanic for the tour too. He's a good friend of the Maltese Cycling Federation president who sits at the top of this event. And he knows the owner of the official team hotel. I've already spoken to both of them and they're down to earth good folk.
What's not to like?
More details to follow. Cheers. Martin 07977652247.
Something for you all to think about. And some top line details here I will expand on later and can talk more about at Club night. But for now the basics are;
Tour of Malta. It's a well established event. In 2017, four stages over four days 6-9 April. A TT and three short crit like races. All closed road events. It's an E/1/2/3/4 and British Cycling points are available.
I'm doing it in part as a good thing to aim for. And to say I rode a proper international Tour! I don't expect to do very well but it doesn't matter. I can see I did better in this summer's Cambridgeshire gran Fondo than a rider who came 6th in the Masters GC. So hopefully will at least be competitive. The more who come on board. The better we will all do. Simple laws of drafting and teamwork.
A deal breaker for me is I have a cousin who is a co organizer. So can help on logistics, know how and is a mechanic for the tour too. He's a good friend of the Maltese Cycling Federation president who sits at the top of this event. And he knows the owner of the official team hotel. I've already spoken to both of them and they're down to earth good folk.
What's not to like?
More details to follow. Cheers. Martin 07977652247.
Comments
I was planning on an update this weekend... when I could look into flights etc.
In short though...
• Thurs 6th April - Sun 9th 2017.
• In their words; 'The Tour ta’ Malta is the Tour of Friendship – a four-stage road bike race around Malta and Gozo. Most probably this is the friendliest road race you’ll ever come across in Europe.' http://www.tourtamalta.com/
• Proper BC points are available for each Stage, and for GC. I'm just looking to hang on really. But others could sweep up.
• (Sadly) I'm in the 40+ 'Masters' GC: Same start - just fewer laps on the races.
• I'm thinking arriving Tues 4th. Leaving Mon 10th.
• I have my dad in tow as general support/driver/gopher. He can support others too.
• Cousin Stephen will support us more bike and course technically, can speak the language, knows everyone etc. He will also be on his motorbike to support mid race, and has been the mechanic for the foreign teams so knows his way about. Useful.
• Stephen says the Maltese aren't good tactically, meanwhile the Italians are very canny. These nations make up the bulk of riders. Riders working together would be good.
• It's 4 stages, one per day: 1 TT, 3 short road races. All of them pretty short and hilly.
• I am going to book into the official Tour hotel. I popped my head in this summer. It's not very grand, out of the way, and on a side street - but this is more Tour than holiday for me. And it's very cheap with the discounts for riders - as mentioned on the official website. Grander hotel options are not short in supply in Bugibba and Malta, if you fancy.
• I'll probably book the hotel myself.
• Malta ain't Majorca! It's much smaller, busy, dusty, a bit ramshackle. But tonnes of history and little beaches etc. Charming. The Maltese love the Brits: very rare! Weather in April generally very good, but anything can happen being a small island.
That's the topline for now I think. More details when I get more time this weekend and maybe book the plane etc. It'd be great to have a few of us out there. It'll be a one-off I expect.
Says you can opt to ride the open category Martin, i.e full race distance...
I went for Air Malta in the end, from Heathrow. The alternative is Ryanair from Stansted. But Air Malta was only about £25 more, the national carrier so hopefully more reliable (famous last words), but mostly chosen because the flight times are good.
Out, Heathrow-Malta: Tues 4 April 2017, 10.50am. KM0101
Return, Malta-Heathrow: Mon 10 April 2017, 19:30pm. KM0102
Hotel/car... slight curveball: Not going to book just yet. T'wife has just noticed the Tour coincides with Easter school hols. So she is thinking of coming out with the kids. She's going to think about it.
Masters v Elite... In simple terms, realistically I only have a chance of points in the Masters category and 3rd Cat is a goal for me, and so feel I should go with that. But it's a discussion, team. One other thought: thinking the other way around. I'd quite happily speak to the Tour to see if they'd allow u40s into the Masters. Riders may have to forfeit any points though. Anyway: all to be discussed. At some point we'll take the convo away from the forum.
For now though... plenty of time for more people to jump in on this. All details above. Any further questions I may be able to help on - drop a note on this thread, or email martin@ccashwell.com - phone 07977652247
Meanwhile, the word is that there are a few St Neots CC riders going to do it too - in both the Masters and Elite categories - and suggest we help each other out on the logistics and work together in the race too. 'Hands across Huntingdonshire' as it were. Great stuff.
Here is the advice I've received from my contact. Let me know if you have any questions... thanks - martin@ccashwell.com
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The Tour ta' Malta is the ideal start to the season, the race happens when the weather is still cold in the UK. It's warm in Malta and the stage distances are just about right plus the team are all together for a week so a very good opportunity for team bonding.
The main advice is.......it is all HILLY.
Start from the beginning.
All the teams stay at the same hotel which is good, Hotel Soreda is also a very good hotel with plenty of excellent food. You will need a car to take all the Team kit such as bags; all the Team and race officials leave the hotel together each day and stay at that day's race until all the awards have been given out, it is very impolite to leave before that as the race organiser needs that support for the sponsors and town mayor's so riders will need a small bag with towel, trainers, tracksuit top or similar as they may have to wait 30 or more minutes before they can get away.
Stage 1 Coast Road. Time Trial.
Do not be fooled by the small number of kilometres as the Coast Road is only yards from the sea so can be affected by the wind, it is also what we call 'rolling' with some small inclines plus there are a dead turn at the me of each lap. This stage is only about 3 kms from the hotel.
Stage 2 St Paul's Bypass. Road Race.
This is a well tarmaced road but a tough race, again likely to be affected by wind, the road has long inclines and again there are dead turn which are roundabouts at the end of each lap. There will be loads of lapped riders so make sure the riders look at the lap boards to know where they are. The start is about 3 kms from the hotel
Stage 3 Gozo. Road Race.
Gozo is a small island near Malta and the whole race travels on the ferry to Gozo so an early start for everyone, the ferry trip is about 20 minutes.
The organiser will have coaches for the riders to travel to the ferry port which is on the far side of the island, the bikes will go in two lorries......I know what you are thinking but each bike is handled with care and each have a blanket covering them to avoid scratches or damage. When you get to Gozo all riders will then cycle for about 25 minutes to where the race will be held, there is a long uphill drag from the port. The race is held near a horse trotting stadium so you can get the early morning coffee there. The stage is held on a fairly straight road with a roundabout turn at one end of the road and a small tough uphill turn at the other end. Again there will be lots of lapped riders so make sure you know what is happening.
Stage 4. San Martin.
My favourite stage. Very hilly, almost alpine in fact. Starts at the top of the hill then the race eventually goes right to a fast downhill section, be aware that the road is not smooth but bumpy so make sure the riders choose the best safest path, down at the bottom of the hill turn right for about 3 kms then right up the winding hill again.
It is not an easy climb as it winds back and forth, parts of it are very narrow and it is steep. Again the will be lots of lapped riders.
Do not be lulled, the Maltese riders are very good in the Elite race with riders like Etienne Bonello who would be classed as Elites in this country and even the Masters there are some excellent riders who would be classed as 1st cats in this country, this is the main race of the year for them and they will race hard. Give them respect as they are tough riders who want to ride well in this their national race and against foreigners (you).
I would suggest that you go out on the Monday and return on the Monday, this will give you time to get used to the warm weather, ride the various stages and get used to the roads.
The day before is a managers meeting where the race organisation will go through the rules but you all know these anyhow but at the meeting you will get the race numbers for all the team and anyway it is polite to be at the meeting. Do not fold the numbers too much, there is no photo finish and your number will be taken by a couple of chaps as you cross the line so make it easy for them to see and do not cut the number down too much.
I would ask that you respect the Maltese people as I know you will, they are great folk who are kind and generous.
The women's race is just as keenly raced as the men's, the best riders are Danielle Bonello, Marie Clair and Michelle Vella Wood, the women do less laps than the men.
Women start about 10 minutes after the men on each stage so again there are plenty of lapped riders.
Just a few points......
If your riders feel at the end of the stage/race that they have been given the wrong placing them wait until the end of the race and have a quiet word with the race officials, don't shout or swear, if you see riders doing things that would not be questionable in a British race (the Italians) just go with it, that's life. After all you are representing Britain while you are at the race so just be calm.
There is not a big prize list, just the winner gets a prize but at the end the race all riders get a medal or certificate.
You will be able to receive BCF licence points for your placing in the stages and overall.
Let James Lyon at the BCF know you are racing outside of the country.
The very small race organisation which basically is the Malta Cycling Federation with the President John Zammit as the moan organiser has been organising this race for about 24 years now and they do a marvellous job, John Zammit is a truly wonderful man who was once a good professional rider in Italy.
This is not a British race, they do things differently such as time keeping, always be ready at the due time but expect not to leave at the due time!
Now each stage will have the police in attendance, do not think this means a totally closed road. That policeman, who has zero knowledge of cycle racing, has been told by his inspector to stand on that corner and that is what he/she will do, if a relation wants to go pass with perhaps a lorry or coach then that is what will happen so always be aware that you will not be on totally closed roads.
You will have a tremendous time in Malta, you will have great time and will remember the race for months afterwards.
Good luck!
Cousin Stephen is an absolute gem: he's helped get my bike fixed, fed us tea and biscuits and taking us on a ride today.
Dave's got some great footage of the stages, so we'll set up a time to share all our thoughts with those that are racing. If anyone else is thinking of doing this...do it!
Still plenty of time to book time off, flights, hotel and get yourself on the world's friendliest international Tour. It will surely be memorable.
Dave... Jenny... Looking forward to catching up.