when he destroyed the rest of the field in the 53-mile Bermuda Bicycle Association event at the Naval Air Station.

With just two weeks remaining before the 75-mile National Road Race Championships, Lee sent a warning to his rivals that he is timing his preparation perfectly.

Sunday's race saw a somewhat depleted field with the Winners Edge team, who have dominated racing this season, opting to take a break. That meant Grand Prix winner Greg Hopkins and team-mates Stephan Carpentier, Tim Palmer and Heritage Day Classic winner McInnis Looby who is now back competing in California, were all missing.

But their absence did little to detract from Lee's commanding performance. In hot and humid conditions that would later take a toll on some of the riders, the race got off to a fast start with Lee taking it out from the gun. Only Carlos Sequeros and Sinclair Packwood responded to Lee's early break and within a lap they had opened up a gap.

Sequeros, who has only been racing back on the Island for a month, found the pace too fast and dropped back to the security of the main pack as Packwood tried to match Lee.

After about six laps Lee attacked on the hill, dropping Packwood, and from then on it was a one-man show as he extended his lead to eventually finish two minutes and 22 seconds ahead of the chasing group.

Packwood held on to second place, fending off Damion Wilson and Sequeros while Mervyn VanPutten and John Hateley came in fifth and sixth respectively with Mel Bennett seventh and Durwood Cann eighth.

Carlos DeSilva made his return to racing after an absence of a couple of years and he found the going tough. He did make a valiant attempt to organise a chase of the leaders, only to find the pace and heat too much too handle and was forced to retire after six laps, as was Paul Shrubb. In the junior event over 25 miles, it was another battle between Kris Hedges and Duncan Simons.

After a race of cat and mouse tactics, Hedges led out the sprint some 400 metres from the finish, but Simons passed him on the line to win by one second.

In the combined veterans and novice race, Paul Claude made a rare appearance and looked like recording his first win as he made a break with one lap to go in the 35-mile race, only to be reeled in and nipped on the line by the experienced Vic Ball.

Melanie Claude took women's honours in a 25-mile race with a convincing win over Maggie Hateley. Youngster Matthew Herring was the winner in the junior three category over a 15-mile course.