next month's Bermuda Grand Prix when he overwhelmed a strong field to win Sunday's event put on by the Bermuda Bicycle Association.

The event consisted of a 51 mile prologue time trial followed by a 33 mile road race and Hopkins showed his versatility, placing first and fourth to capture overall honours.

Having dominated time trialing for the past six years, Hopkins appeared in no mood to surrender his title as the Island's best as he blasted through the prologue in 12 minutes, 57 seconds, 27 seconds ahead of his nearest rival Jason Krupp, with Neil de Ste. Croix a further four seconds behind.

In all, more than 40 riders took part in Sunday's events, competing for honours in six categories.

Shona Palmer recorded the fastest women's prologue, clocking 15:33, while Greg Battersbee was the first novice in 15:58. Andy Ferguson (13:59) grabbed veterans honours and Duncan Simons (14:57) was the best junior.

With the overall winners being decided by the cumulative times of both the time trial and the road race, the latter became a tactical battle, as the fastest time trialists rode to protect their leads.

In the senior category two and three road race, a rejuvenated and trim Sinclair Packwood made sure no one was able to rest on their laurels, as he set a breakneck pace from the gun. However, on a predominately flat course with little breeze, attempted breakaways proved futile.

Separate attacks about the six lap course by Wayman Butterfield, Mike Lee and Packwood were quickly pulled in, with the constant being Hopkins, who stayed among the top four throughout.

On the fifth lap Hopkins and Tim Palmer made a bid to break up the pack, surging heading up the lone incline, but their freedom too was short lived as a vigilant Mike Lee reeled them back in.

The race then appeared headed for a mass sprint finish until a sudden burst of speed by youngster Trevor Hedges with less than a mile to go caught all by surprise.

Giving chase this time was Hopkins, who caught Hedges on the brow of the hill and proceeded to power his way onto the long finishing straight.

Hopkins succeeded in splitting the field but Packwood and Stephan Carpentier responded with bursts of their own, passing Hopkins 300 yards from the finish.

A tragic flaw awaited Packwood, though, as he missed a gear allowing Frenchman Carpentier, Lee, Palmer and Hopkins -- in that order -- to fly past him over the line.

Meanwhile, in the 271 mile veterans race Englishman Ferguson backed up his win in the time trial by out sprinting Vic Ball, both clocking 1:16:16.

Among the juniors, Duncan Simons placed second to Kris Hedges, yet claimed top overall honours when combined with the time trial.

In other categories Troy Trott took the novice title, while Palmer, second in the road race to Melanie Claude, still rode off with the overall title.

Greg Hopkins