Maltese mountain bike rider Patrick Scicluna has completed one of the toughest events on the international MTB marathon calendar, the UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships, known as the Mythos Primiero Dolomiti, held recently in Italy’s Primiero Valley.
The 53 year old, racing in the men’s M5 age category for A&G Sporting, finished 39th with an official time of 6:03:27, after more than six hours on the bike. He was one of three Maltese riders at the event. Antoine Sultana raced in the same category, while Marie Claire Aquilina competed in the women’s equivalent.
Set beneath the Pale di San Martino peaks in the heart of the Dolomites, the Mythos Primiero course is considered one of the toughest on the marathon circuit. Riders cover 82.1 kilometres and climb a total of 3,400 metres, starting from Fiera di Primiero at 720 metres and reaching a peak of 1,699 metres on the Strada Tognola, passing through forest trails and exposed alpine terrain. This year was the first time amateur riders raced the exact same world championship course used by the professionals, taking place the weekend right after the elite race.
Hundreds of cyclists from around the world took part, competing across age categories from elite level through to riders in their sixties and beyond. This is a reminder that this is a genuine world championship, not just a regional race.
The Mythos Primiero Dolomiti Marathon is held every year in Trentino’s Primiero Valley, known for its untouched forests, peaceful alpine setting and stunning views, drawing MTB marathon fans keen to, as the organisers put it, “experience the mountains… for real.”
Scicluna is a well known figure on Malta’s endurance cycling scene, with 131 races abroad to his name, twelve of them multi day stage races lasting three to five days. His record includes three appearances at the Giro di Sicilia, two at the Giro di Ragusa, and three at the Tour of Cyprus, including a category podium finish in 2014, plus back to back category wins at Sicily’s Etna Marathon Tour in 2016 and 2018. He’s also completed five editions of the Tour ta’ Malta and the Mediterranean Epic stage race.
Just weeks before heading to the Dolomites, Scicluna took part in his first Epic Series race, teaming up with fellow Maltese rider Stephen Grima as Team Gaudos at the 2026 Swiss Epic. The pair finished 10th out of 61 teams in the Grand Masters category.
Now 53, and with more than four decades of racing behind him, Scicluna shows no signs of slowing down. In a sport that rewards consistency just as much as speed, his results, from the Dolomites to the Swiss Alps, continue to speak for themselves.
With the Dolomites marking the end of his 2026 racing season, Scicluna will now take some time to rest and reflect on the year, while starting to think about plans for next season.
“My love for mountain biking hasn’t faded with the years, if anything, it keeps me going,” Scicluna said. “If my results this year encourage even one other rider to stay on the bike, despite not being as young as they used to be, then that means as much to me as any result.”
