Three cyclists will create some local history this weekend as the first team to represent Bermuda in a mountain-biking competition.

Andrew Davis, Neil de ste Croix and Garth Thompson leave the Island today for Freeport, Maine, USA, where they will ride in the Bradbury Mountain Challenge on Sunday morning.

The trio are competing in the event as part of their build-up to the Small Island Games taking place in Guernsey late next month and are eager to see how well they fare in their first overseas campaign.

They have opted to race in the Expert Class which is a 28-mile event - and a few miles longer than the Island Games' course - to truly test their readiness.

"It will give us a good gauge . . . we have entered the Expert Class so we can ride the distance that we need to do. We need to do at least a 25-mile race so we're challenging ourselves. It will be interesting to see where we place among the riders there.

"Those guys are pretty good so it's going to be an eye-opener," said de ste Croix.

Davis added that this race was "supposedly a little more technical" than what they will face in Guernsey which is another plus.

"We're excited about this. It's a tune-up race for us. We've put in all the training and time so we're looking forward to testing the waters and see how we do," said the 26-year-old.

Asked if they had adequate preparation for their assignment, de ste Croix replied: "Fitness-wise, yes; terrain-wise we could do with some more but you've got to make do with what you've got and just do your best."

While acknowledging that Bermuda hardly has the ideal terrain for mountain-bike training, Davis disclosed he and his team-mates had found some good trails in the Island's parks. They have honed their skills on areas such as Great Head Bay, Hog Bay and Ferry Reach Park.

"The mountain-bike series designed some great trails this year which we have continued to ride on. We think we have prepared quite well, but we'll see."

The threesome have also trained on the roads to boost their overall fitness, riding for two to three-and-a-half hours per session.

The fact that they are in their own small way pioneers is not lost amid the preparations and they are determined to enjoy the moment.

"It feels good . . . it's fun to be first. We're really looking forward to it and representing Bermuda well," said 38-year-old de ste Croix.

Bermudian cyclist Kent Richardson got everything he bargained for and more during the New York State Championships in Syracuse, New York, on the weekend.

Using the event as a build-up for the Small Island Games, the veteran triathlete placed eighth out of a field of 20 riders in wet conditions which made competition challenging.

Richardson couldn't hide his delight over being able to turn in a creditable performance under adverse conditions.

"It was just a great ride. I was looking for a good result and just a good effort and fortunately everything turned out fine although it rained and the weather wasn't that great," he said.

Richardson had expected to compete on a 66-mile course but it was shortened to about 55 miles.

At the 18-mile mark the Bermuda rider and three others made a break on a long hill that had a three to four mile climb, Richardson losing contact with the other two just before the top.

He later recovered and was able to take the lead during another climb while on the second lap of the two-loop course, but found the one-mile uphill sprint to the finish tough and eventually settled for eighth.