Maltese cyclists Etienne Bonello and Marie Claire Aquilina encountered a major challenge on the second day of the Absa Cape Epic in South Africa after a promising start.
The pair had been making good progress when Marie Claire suffered a serious crash at the 29km mark, injuring her back. Unable to continue for a while, she and Bonello lost around an hour and a half. Despite the setback, they showed great determination, battling through one of the race’s toughest stages and enduring an exhausting eight-hour ride to the finish line.
“It was a brutal stage—long and incredibly tough, with many riders forced to abandon,” Bonello said after the race. “Marie Claire’s fall was a big blow, but she showed incredible resilience, pushing through the pain. We did everything we could to keep going.”
After such a demanding day, their focus now turns to recovery and strategy. Next up is Stage 3, a challenging point-to-point time trial that will test their endurance and teamwork. The stage includes steep climbs at the start and finish, along with rolling roads and technical trails in between. Weather conditions, including strong winds or extreme heat, could add to the difficulty.
As they continue their journey in one of the world’s most gruelling mountain bike races, Bonello and Aquilina remain determined to overcome every challenge and finish strong.
Their participation in the Absa Cape Epic is supported by Meerendal Wine Estate, Kalamba Games, Garmin, BBB Cycling, The Sports Medics, Go&Fun, Visit Malta, and Wurth. They also have the backing of the Maltese Olympic Committee, SportMalta, and the Malta Cycling Federation.
