Dominique Mayho, the Bermuda cyclist, was unable to finish the men's road race after struggling to get to grips with the challenging course and extreme conditions at the Commonwealth Games.

In fairness, only 12 of 57 riders in the men's race completed the 168-kilometre course, with Mayho being pulled after lap seven of 12, having fallen more than ten minutes behind the leaders.

He was in 37th position when he was told that his race was over.

The torrential rain had almost turned Glasgow's roads into rivers when the second race of the day got under way, with Mayho admitting that, despite the swirling winds and heavy downpours, the speed of the race and been relentless.

“I've raced in the rain before, but nothing like that — you could hardly see out there,” said the 20-year-old, who finished 26th in the Thursday's time-trial.

“That was the toughest race I've done and I was actually pleased to have lasted that long. It was also the fastest race I've ever been in — it was unbelievable.”

Nicole Mitchell was among 30 riders who failed to finish the 98km course in the women's race.

She was pulled from the competition after completing four of the seven laps.

The 31-year-old, who finished 21st in her time-trial, made a bright start and was about 1min 20sec behind the leaders after the second lap.

However, Mitchell, who was in 44th position when she was withdrawn, then encountered shifting and chain issues along the long, steep hills and never fully recovered.

Phil Trussell, the Bermuda cycling team's assistant manager, believed that the “sharp corners and savage climbs” had been Mitchell's undoing.

“She was a little disappointed and, had she not had the chain problems then she might have got another lap in,” Trussell said.

“It was a very tough, hilly course and the roads were still damp from last night, although it had stopped raining.

“The course was a lot to learn with a lot of sharp corners and savage climbs and perhaps she became unstuck by being in the wrong gear for some of those.

“She finished in good spirits, though, and acquitted herself very well for Bermuda.”

England's Lizzie Armitstead won the gold medal in the women's race, while Geraint Thomas, of Wales, claimed victory in the men's race.

David Millar was the highest-placed Scot, finishing eleventh.