Dominique Mayho finally put his May 24 demons to rest, gaining redemption by claiming a fifth-straight Bermuda Bicycle Association’s Road Race Championships title in St David’s on Sunday..

Long regarded as the island’s top male rider, Mayho was dealt a devastating blow on Bermuda Day when Kaden Hopkins denied him a record fourth Sinclair Packwood Memorial title, pipping him to top honours in an exhilarating sprint finish.

However, the 25 year-old finally avenged that defeat on Sunday by reclaiming his national road-race crown, crossing the line ahead of not only main rival Hopkins, who had to settle for a third-place finish, but burgeoning talent Conor White, who took a morale-boosting second-place finish.

“The National Championships is always a great event to win and for me it was even more special as it was the fifth one I’ve won in a row,” said Mayho.

“It was also important for me personally as I felt like a bit of redemption from May 24. Losing that race was really frustrating and I felt like I had to make it up to myself.

“That race has been playing on my mind quite a bit because I know I should done better and so there was a bit of a point to prove to myself.

“It did put a little doubt in my mind as to whether I was losing fitness and so it was great to win again and renew my confidence; it was definitely a boost.

“It’s also really pleasing to show the younger guys that I’m still competitive and that I’m still about locally.”

In a role reversal of their Sinclair Packwood Memorial showdown, in which Hopkins and his Winners Edge team-mates dictated the race, Mayho this time round had the valuable support of VT Construction-Madison team-mates Jamie Cousins, who finished fourth and Fabian Schonenberg, who claimed fifth place.

Mayho, who concedes to being caught out by the tactics employed by his younger rivals on May 24, hailed the efforts of Cousins in particular in allowing him to battle for top honours on his terms, while also praising the continual improvement of White, in finishing second.

“It was a real role reversal from May 24,” Mayho added. “On that day we only had three riders I think and in that shorter format, it didn’t suit our older team.

“This time round we had a bigger team so I had a lot more support and we could go on the front foot and attack more strategically.

Jamie Cousins was brilliant. He pressed Conor and Kaden and allowed me to sit back and attack when it mattered most.

“On May 24 I was caught off guard by the younger guys tactics, which were brilliant to be fair to them, but this time with Jamie supporting me, we were a strong unit and the tactics worked perfectly.

“I also have to praise Conor, who rode really and has continued to build on his recent rides.

“He’s learning really quickly and when you consider he hasn’t ridden as much as some other younger riders, he’s matured amazingly well in terms of his technical riding.”