Three Maltese mountain bike teams are preparing for one of their biggest international challenges as they get ready to compete in the Andorra Epic, a four-day mountain bike stage race beginning on 2 July.
The race will take place in La Massana, Andorra, with riders covering 204km of Pyrenean terrain. Across the four stages, they will climb around 6,500 metres and descend around 7,500 metres, making it a serious test of endurance, control, and technical skill.
Representing Malta will be Team Gaudos, Maltese Riders, and Team Gebel u Blat.
Team Gaudos will be made up of Stephen Grima and Diana Muscat. Grima brings strong Epic Series experience and already holds Epic Legend status, an achievement given to riders who complete three different Epic races. Muscat, meanwhile, will be making her mountain bike stage-racing debut. She is the current National Champion and has taken back-to-back wins in the local Cross Country series.
Grima said he was proud to see Muscat stepping up to stage racing, adding that it is rewarding to help riders take on this kind of challenge.
Maltese Riders will feature Jeffrey Borg and Antoine Sultana, marking the team’s first entry into the Epic Series. The pair have trained together over the past year and have also tested their teamwork in MTB marathons in Sicily and road granfondos.
Borg said their aim is to finish strong and enjoy the experience, while also pacing themselves carefully across the four days.
Team Gebel u Blat will be represented by Andrew Caruana and Brandon Sultana. The two have trained and raced together for years, although this will be their first event as an official team.
Sultana brings significant Epic Series experience, having already completed the Cape Epic twice and the Swiss Epic. If he finishes the Andorra Epic, he is aiming to earn the Epic Legend medal.
Caruana described racing at this level as prestigious, saying that finishing is already a target in itself, while still aiming for the best possible result.
The race itself promises four demanding stages. Stage 1 will cover 49km around Pal Arinsal, including sections of the World Cup course. Stage 2, at 58km, is expected to be the toughest day, reaching 2,350m at Llac de Pessons before the Beixalís descent. Stage 3 will cover 52km around Naturland, while Stage 4 will bring the riders back to La Massana for a 45km final stage with over 1,000m of continuous descending.
With steep climbs, technical descents, altitude, and recovery all playing a part, the Andorra Epic will be a major test for the Maltese riders.
Good luck to all three teams as they take Malta onto another international sporting stage.
