few breaks Elliot Hubbard will enjoy in the pre-season period with his cycling club, AKI Gipiemme in Europe.

Hubbard, Bermuda's top rider, signed a one-year professional contract with the team on Tuesday and though the start of the 1997 season is still a couple of months away, the 16-member team will be kept very busy between now and mid-February.

On Monday they will leave for Venice for a training camp that will take them up to Christmas. After a break, Hubbard will join his team-mates again for a one-month training camp, this time in Monaco.

The team's official base is Monaco but once the season starts in February with the 180-kilometre Monte Carlo to Alasseo race, the team will spend much of the time based in Italy.

"After the training programme with the team and once I've got some good miles behind me there shouldn't be a problem once everything falls together,'' said Hubbard by telephone from Cannes, where where he is staying briefly with friends.

The team, led by leader Marco Faustini, who was fifth in the Tour of Spain this year and is one of the top riders on the circuit, is made up predominantly of Italians with a Russian rider and now a Bermudian.

"Officially there are 16 riders,'' Hubbard explained. "They cut the team down and now it's a fairly young team. They hired a couple of first-year pros so they are hoping to bring some new talent into the team.

"Everybody seems friendly and down to earth with a relaxed attitude, No real pressure yet, it's a good environment.'' Hubbard is happy with the agreement he has signed with the team and now is eagerly awaiting his first season as a pro. "I'm definitely optimistic and really motivated,'' he says.

ELLIOT HUBBARD