Dominique Mayho admits he is facing an uphill challenge at the Pan American Road Cycling Championships in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, this weekend.

Mayho will step up to the senior category for the first time, having competed in the under-23 division in 2014, and said his main goal is to simply finish the 170-kilometres race.

He was pulled from the under-23 race by officials before he was lapped and hopes to avoid the same fate this year. Only ten of the 65 starters finished his previous race at the Championships.

“It’s going to be a very difficult race with some top riders,” Mayho said.

“My main goal is to finish. Then, if I’m there at the end, I want to do a good sprint.

“All of the South American guys are professionals so they’re super strong. The Colombians are normally the strongest.”

Mayho believes he is better equipped to compete at such a level after spending more than a year racing as an amateur in Belgium.

The 23-year-old has joined top amateur team Asfra Racing Team Oudenaarde after competing for Jonge Rakkers Vollezele last season, winning the Moerbeke 112-kilometres road race 12 months ago.

“I feel that I’m up to speed,” he said. “I’ve been feeling strong in training and racing recently so hopefully it continues. The course is flat and at sea level so it suits me much better.”

Mayho has raced twice for Asfra Racing, at the Menan Classic — where he suffered a flat tyre — and the GP Affligem, with the Bermudian fading late on after missing a breakaway at the start.

His schedule with Asfra Racing will prevent him from returning home for the Sinclair Packwood Memorial Race this month. Mayho also missed last year’s race which was won by teenager Matthew Oliveira.

“I hate missing it but I can’t make it back in time” Mayho added. “I’ll be doing a stage race in Belgium instead.”

Peaking for the NatWest Island Games in Gotland, Sweden, next month is Mayho’s top priority this season.

He will be defending his gold medal in the men’s Individual Town Centre Criterium in Jersey two years ago, where he also finished nineteenth in the Individual Time-Trial and a disappointing 20th in the Individual Road Race.