of riders ever assembled in Bermuda battle for honours in the first stage of the four-day Bermuda Grand Prix.

A field of 60 cyclists, including several elite riders from the United States, Canada and England, will compete over the short, tight, criterium course along the streets of Hamilton.

The course, a new one specifically designed for the event, will take riders west from the flag pole on Front Street, around the Bird Cage and back, up Burnaby Hill, right at Court Street and back. Distance is one hour and one lap. The race starts at 7 p.m.

Bermuda will also be well represented, with Whayman Butterfield, Damien Wilson, Sinclair Packwood, Kevin Topple and Norm Mitchell.

Prominent female riders from abroad, such as the top American rider of last year, Dede Denet, team-mate Karen Bliss Livingston and England's top rider Mariea Lawrence, will also compete. Grand Prix action moves over to St.

David's tomorrow at the former Baselands with a time trial race at 4 p.m.

RACE DAY -- A team from Britain (top) and the US are just two of the squads dashing through the streets of Hamilton in tonight's Bermuda Grand Prix. The Britons are (from left) Rob Reynolds-Jones, Julian Ramsbottom, Gary Baker, Dominic Sweeney and Colin Langley. The Americans are Matthew Koschara, Julian Dean, Derek Bouhchard-Hall and Scott Mercer.