Thursday, it will be arguably the strongest field of cyclists ever to have lined up in Bermuda.

The four-day extravaganza of cycling has mushroomed from a relatively humble event into something capable of attracting some of the biggest names on two wheels.

Thursday evening's town centre criterium, with its start and finish at the Flagpole on Front Street, is traditionally the biggest crowd-puller.

And last year proved a treat for the home fans as Bermuda's own Elliot Hubbard, a pro with the Navigators team in the US, burst clear of the pack going up the steep incline of Burnaby Street to claim victory.

But a repeat victory for Hubbard might be too much to hope for, according to Bermuda Bicycle Association president and national cycling coach Greg Hopkins.

"One of his former team-mates, Robbie Ventura, will be riding against Elliot this time for the Saturn team and he will be tough to beat,'' said Hopkins.

"The criterium is Ventura's game and he is racing against the top guys in the US every week. Then there is Jonas Carney and Eric Wohlberg, who won gold at the Pan American Games, who could also be in the field. Elliot will have his work cut out.'' Thursday's criterium is entirely separate from the three-stage Grand Prix. The action on Friday and Saturday takes place at Southside, St. David's before Sunday's final 90-minute stage in Hamilton.

On Friday, riders will set off at one-minute intervals to contest a 9.3-mile time trial, starting and finishing at Clearwater Beach.

And the following day will see a series of mass start races, also at Southside. The race for elite riders will be over 75 miles, while other groups will race over shorter distances on the hilly course.

The past two years in particular have seen the Grand Prix explode into a major international event and Hopkins believes the main reason for that is Hubbard.

Hopkins, a former Grand Prix winner himself, recalled how Hubbard took part with his former team, Baltimore-based One Plus, in 1996. Hubbard was the overall winner.

"One Plus totally dominated the event, the other teams did not get a look-in,'' said Hopkins.

"Word soon got round among the other teams in the US and the following year more teams came in and One Plus did not get a look-in.

"In 1997 and 1998, we have enjoyed an influx of top pro teams. We are really excited about how this event has grown in the past few years.

"The big thing now is to keep the ball rolling. Conyers, Dill and Pearman have put a tremendous amount of money into it, but there are more teams waiting in the wings who would have been able to come here if we had manged to find extra sponsorship.'' Hopkins said a top Irish team, an Italian team and several other US teams would have come, if there had been more cash available to pay for their flights.

But other companies apart from CDP had chipped in for this year's event, as well as the Department of Tourism, who will pay for the awards dinner at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. Even enthusiastic members of the Bermuda Bicycle Association had shouldered some of the bill.

"I sent out an e-mail a couple of weeks ago, saying that we had something big, but with some extra sponsorship we could go huge,'' said Hopkins.

"Within a few days people were coming into the shop (Winner's Edge) and handing over cheques for hundreds of dollars and we'd raised about $2,000 in no time. That's nearly enough to fly over a four-man team.

"Some of these peple were riders, but some didn't ride. It just shows how much they want the Grand Prix to be successful.'' Hopkins praised the likes of Paul Claude, Kip Herring and Donna Bennett, whose work over the past year has enabled the Grand Prix to take place.

One of the biggest tasks for organisers is finding locals to put up the cyclists coming in from overseas -- a task made more difficult by the last-minute changes which cycling teams are prone to make.

"Of course, if we were to break even, we'd be celebrating -- this is not a business proposition,'' added Hopkins.

"But we feel it's all worth it for the benefits -- for our sport and for the Island. Riders come in and bring their wives, girlfriends and families. They go back home and say what a wonderful time they've had and so more people want to visit the Island as a result.'' Speed merchants: Riders pump the pedals in action from the final day of last year's Conyers, Dill and Pearman Grand Prix in Hamilton.