CYCLIST Tyler Butterfield has been putting in the miles ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Australia starting on March 15th. But it has not only been on the roads that Butterfield has been clocking up the miles . . . but in the air as well.

The young Bermudian left Australia yesterday, where he has been racing and training, to travel to France where his Vendee U team is and from there he will fly to South Africa for competition before flying back to Australia for the Games.

National cycling coach Greg Hopkins said that two men and two women from Bermuda have qualified for the Games Down Under. "But nothing is cast in stone yet ? we will have to wait until January 27th which is the confirmation date for all the athletes but all four cyclists have met the qualifying standards."

The cyclists are Butterfield, Geri Mewett, Julia Hawley and Lynn Patchett ? but Patchett's status is still in limbo at the moment over eligibility rules. "Lynn is the only one is up in the air because of this eligibility situation which is very unfortunate. It is still going on so we will have to wait and see and hope for the best," said Hopkins.

As for Butterfield, who competed as a triathlete at the 2004 Athens Olympics, Hopkins said: "Tyler leaves Australia this week where he has been racing and training. He will go back to France to do the (Vendee U) team's training camp and then later this month he is scheduled to go to South Africa where he has been invited to ride on a team out there in stage racing. His (team) director in France has fully agreed to this because the racing and the weather in South Africa at this time of the year is going to be a lot better preparation for him. Tyler will stay competing in South Africa until flying back to Australia for the Games.

"He is still rebuilding from the off season right now. All his preparations are geared solely for the Commonwealth Games and that is why he's going to take this opportunity to go to South Africa and race. He has not been to South Africa before but he made contacts through one of his teammates in France. It just makes a lot of sense to go to South Africa because from now until the Games the weather in Europe is likely to be far less favourable than that in South Africa and the number of races will be very few in Europe. It is perfect opportunity for him to go and prepare for the Games. And there is no better preparation that actual competition."

And it is competition that is a thorn in the side of Bermuda's riders.

Hopkins said: "This is the difficulty for all of our riders. Geri (Mewett) is based in Tennessee in the US but he is having problems because the season has not started yet. We are looking at the options right now to get him away to do a couple of races in preparation for the Games. One thing about Geri is he trains very, very hard and he is very focussed. You know he is going to be in top shape when it comes round to the competition but it would be good to get him race exposure prior to the Games. That is the problem for all our riders. At this time of year the season has not got underway really but we do the best that we can."

Hopkins said that despite the lack of competition, all of Bermuda's riders are in very good shape.

"Geri is in probably his best shape he has even been in right now. He is a personal trainer (in Tennessee) and as we saw in the Island Games last summer when he won the road race, he keeps in top shape ? he really is in exceptional condition."

Hopkins said that Julia Hawley and Lynn Patchett have been training hard in Bermuda. "Julia is preparing here but she is looking to go out to race on the US west coast where the season starts a little earlier," he added.

And as for Patchett, Hopkins has only admiration. "We are keeping our fingers crossed that this eligibility thing gets sorted out because Lynn is in awesome shape and we just have to hope that the result comes through positive.

"Lynn is totally focussed. She is training as if she is going ? there hasn't been a blip in her preparation. In fact I was with her last Sunday for four hours riding in the wind, rain and cold. She simply has a great attitude."

All four riders have been entered in both the road race and the time trial for the Commonwealth Games although Hopkins said that does not mean they will actually compete in both races.

"We enter them in both simply because it is easier to withdraw an athlete from an event than it is to get them in at the last minute. Tyler and I have talked a lot about doing both events and he really wants to do the time trial as well as the road race but that decision will be based on a number of things ? the amount of time he has to prepare for it and his form. Both girls will compete in the time trial although Geri will probably not be doing the time trial ? but even that could change."

Even if the time trial is not the cyclist's strength, it does provide some good preparation. Hopkins explained: "One good thing about doing it is that it gets them into the competitive frame of mind but the priority for these Games will be the road race."

Going along with Hopkins will be the cycling manager Daniella Bezant.

The road race will take in Melbourne's famed Royal Botanic Gardens, along the edge of the Yarra River and through the steep surrounds of Punt Road Hill. The course will be a formidable test of endurance and skill against a backdrop of some of the most outstanding features the city has to offer.

The time trial takes in one of Melbourne's traditional competitive and recreational cycling locations ? the foreshore area of St. Kilda and scenic Beach Road. Competitors in this event depart at one-minute intervals to face the challenge of maintaining their speed and concentration in a personal battle against the course, the elements and the clock.