A Sunday to remember for Polti VisitMalta. Shortly after Gabriele Bessega's winning sprint in the second stage of the Tour of Magnificent Qinghai, the road race of the Maltese national championships was taking place on the St. Paul's Bay Bypass in Malta, over a distance of 97 kilometers. Exactly as in the ITT two weeks ago in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, and this time in the presence of Ivan Basso himself, the finishing order read: 1st Andrea Mifsud and 2nd three-time defending champion Aidan Buttigieg. The two athletes, effectively the only professionals competing against amateur-level opponents, pulled away lap after lap until crossing the finish line in a parade finish. A significant triumph for the team, in the country that sponsors it through its tourism authority.

In fact, yesterday Polti VisitMalta achieved victories number 3 and number 4 of the season within the span of one morning, following the Giro dell'Appennino and the aforementioned Maltese time trial. With a seasonal trend toward doubles: Crescioli over Pesenti at the Appennino, Mifsud-Buttigieg in the two national championships. In China, meanwhile, Bessega preceded Manenti of Bardiani Csf 7 Saber.

For Mifsud, who turned Professional under Basso and Contador after a career spent in the Continental category in the south of France, these two national titles are the first victories of his career: "I'm honored and happy to carry Malta's flag on my shoulders, today was a great performance and a great race for the team. After my historic participation in the Giro d'Italia I never stopped training and now I'm closing the first half of the season in the best way possible. I can enjoy a bit of vacation and then, next month, I can't wait to show off my champion's kit at the Arctic Race of Norway!"

Here's what Buttigieg said: "I'm proud to have held the national titles for three years in a row and I'm equally proud to have handed them over to a teammate who proved to be stronger, I'm really happy to see him wearing the jersey for the next twelve months".

Photo by Eric Montebello