Local man Sammy Muscat has returned from his second 4000km self-supported ride across Europe that involved sleepless nights, treacherous weather and the equivalent of climbing Everest seven times.
Not bad for a guy who hasn’t been cycling all that long.
“I haven’t even been cycling in the scheme of things for long. I took up during Covid as a bit of an escape,” Mr Muscat explained.
“I kind of just fell in love with cycling and all of the community around it, and quickly became known as the guy who really liked to ‘send it.’
“I like to see what I am capable of, pushing the boundaries of how far and long I can go.”
The ride started in southern Italy, took him through the Alps, in and out of all kinds of conditions, then ended in the Netherlands.
But the journey started long before that.
Nine years ago, while in his early 20s, Mr Muscat suffered heart failure.
The day he woke from an induced coma was the day his family had come to say goodbye.
Mr Muscat has since raised money for various charities on his journey, but this ride helped raise more than $10,000 for the Heart Foundation.
Starting in a field of 230 and crashing on the first day made him doubt he’d even get out of Italy, but he locked in and finished sixth.
It won’t be long until he is back on his bike. He has been invited to compete in the relatively easier 1200km Peninsula Divide race in Malaysia next month.
