Seven years ago, Sinclair Packwood was instrumental in pushing Wayne Scott to take up competitive cycling ?to get in shape?.

That made the 37-year-old?s hard-fought triumph in a Memorial Classic named in honour of his old pal a particularly poignant and special moment and the nature of his victory so appropriate.

Only a man in great shape could have overhauled Garth Thomson?s 70-yard lead and still had the necessary power left in the legs to finish in 29 minutes 21.33 seconds with ?the pack breathing down my neck?.

Scott didn?t sit comfortably with his pre-race favourite tag and was convinced that the mere 13 miles of the windy course could leave victory open for any number of the 35 entrants in yesterday?s annual pedal derby.

But it was Scott who prevailed courtesy of a well-timed assault on the lead man and the help of his ever-willing team-mates.

?From start to finish it was a very hard race,? said Scott after winning the May 24 cycle race at the first attempt.

?I was absolutely burnt out by the time I got to Cavendish Road but I just had to try and forget about it and keep going even though I knew they were closing down on me.

?It is such a short course and really anyone could have won. I had try to make a move on the leader two or three times but happily it worked out when my main push worked.?

One obstacle to victory was removed for Scott very early on when Jean-Nicolas Bertrand, last year?s winner, found himself out of the hunt within yards of the start after his chain came off twice before the first hill. Although he kept going for a while, he was already too far back to be a concern.

And it was Mark Yeulett, Kent Richardson and veteran and 1999 winner Greg Hopkins who set the early pace, pulling away after around ten minutes.

Richardson then went alone past Five Star Island and was joined by Hopkins and Neil de Ste Croix at Jew?s Bay.

At the gruelling Burnt House Hill, Hopkins took his turn but it was Garth Thompson?s break which was to be decisive.

By Lover?s Lane in Paget he was 50 yards ahead with the gap still growing.

As Front Street, and the accompanying mass of noisy spectators, loomed, the lead was up to 70 yards but Scott made the assault that would earn him glory.

By Court Street he was ahead and as he desperately pedalled his way to the Frog Lane finish, he had to hold off late charges from de Ste Croix and Richardson.

De Ste Croix ended up in second, Thomson clung on for third, Richardson fourth and Ricky Sousa Jr. a creditable fifth.

But it was Scott?s day, a triumph for a man who admits he isn?t the cyclist he used to be.

?I?m very busy nowadays, my family and my work with Logic are my new priorities,? said Scott, whose IT work takes him to many of the top sporting events on the Island.

?But I still manage six or seven hours a week. I tend to go out at about 5 a.m. for an hour-and-a-half three or four days a week and I also go to spinning classes.

?I only got into cycling just before my 30th birthday when my good friend Sinclair Packwood persuaded me I needed to get into shape. I managed to get up to a good level when I was in the States but it is hard to be such a priority for me back here in Bermuda.

?But I am keeping up the training and just seeing what I can do.?

The top woman, Julia Hawley, finished seventh overall and was delighted to have stayed in contention, especially given as she sees herself as ?just another one of the lads?.

?It was a tough day,? she said.

?It was very humid but I am pleased to have finished where I did. I prefer the 60-mile races, but I think I rode a smart race today and was happy with seventh place.?