Defending champion Khamari Greaves will be on the start line for Wednesday?s prestigious Sinclair Packwood Memorial cycling race, quashing doubts that he might not return from his studies in the US.

Greaves won in dramatic fashion a year ago, outsprinting Garth Thompson and Ricky Sousa jr who are both among the favourites this year.

But his build-up to the big event has been low key, so much so that organisers weren?t even sure whether he would take his place in the field.

Greaves? margin of victory in 2005 was less than one second over both Thompson and Sousa and was testament to his main strength, his explosive sprint, a natural ability held by only a few in the field.

Returning from school in New Hampshire, Greaves? form this year will be something of an unknown quantity. However, should he make it to Cedar Avenue in contention he could well dictate how the power riders will react in the closing stages of the race.

Whilst Greaves appears to have been keeping his race plans close to his chest, another favourite, 2004 winner Wayne Scott has left nobody in any doubts about his intentions as he put on an impressive display of powerful front riding in yesterday?s 60-mile race at Clearwater, eventually coasting to a solo victory.

Despite a number of key riders apparently giving the race a miss, perhaps in favour of saving themselves for Wednesday, Scott showed little respect for the field as he dictated the race from the early stages and eventually rode everyone else off his wheel to record his first win of the season, and in doing so sent a clear message that he has found his form at the right time.