before dropping out of Bermuda College after one semester to travel to Europe as a 17-year-old to pursue his cycling. Now law is calling again and Conyers, Dill and Pearman, the same law firm that had backed Hubbard's riding career since 1996, are now creating an opportunity for the 27-year-old to explore the legal profession more closely as a research clerk while he decides in the coming months if law will be his chosen path. "It was my initial plan but my cycling career took me away from that path,'' said Hubbard, who announced his retirement from professional cycling last November in a press conference at CD&P's offices. Hubbard didn't reveal at the time what his career path would be, but this week he spoke candidly after his decision to give law strong consideration. "The athletic career took me in a different direction for a few years but now that my racing career has come to a close my goal is to focus more on my education,'' he explained. "I am now working at CD&P, looking to gain some knowledge, take a look at law in more depth and figure out if it is something I want to do. I have applied to a couple of universities in England and I'm waiting to hear back. "My sister (Katherine, a doctor) is in England and my parents (Ken and Rosalind) are there also and the British universities have a good relationship with Bermudian law students also so there are all those factors. "Law may not be what I decide to do but between now and September I'll get a better idea of what it's all about.'' Other than working at his parents' framing business, which they have since sold, Hubbard hasn't spent much time in a traditional job. "It's definitely a big change, it's a totally different lifestyle for me,'' said Hubbard. Neither has he spent much time in Bermuda since he closed his Bermuda College books and first packed his bags in 1991. "It was an opportunity at that time I felt I couldn't refuse, so I basically put my education on hold,'' he says of the bold move to France at a time when many of his peers were thinking about other less adventurous things. As a result of some early life lessons his maturity belies his still young 27 years. "I haven't stayed here for any length of time in the last ten years, really, but I am looking forward to it,'' said the cyclist. "It feels good to get back to my roots again and not have to hop on a plane every weekend. "It's going to be good to be a little more settled for a while, living a slightly less hectic existence and focusing on school. I'm also doing classes at Stonington.'' Hubbard has gotten an education that school could never have provided, living away from his parents in unfamiliar surroundings in, first, France for four-and-a-half years, the United States for a year, Italy for a year and then the US again for the last three years, before the decision was made to seek a more secure career. From his time in Europe, Hubbard became fluent in both French and Italian and comfortable with both cultures. "I did classes in the first two years which helped me with my French and I learned Italian as well,'' he said. "I've been exposed to a lot and there were many challenges along the way, life challenges, culture challenges, language barriers and things like that. It all helps to mold the kind of person you are and how you see things. "A well travelled person has a totally different outlook on life than somebody who hasn't had that opportunity. Cycling for me has definitely been a blessing, not just because of competition but the exposure to the rest of the world that I've had. "In the last ten years I've travelled more than most people travel in their lifetime.'' It was in Italy in 1996, a couple of months past his 23rd birthday, that Hubbard became Bermuda's first and only professional cyclist with AKI-Safi. His professional career was full of highs and lows, from representing Bermuda at the Atlanta Olympics and being involved in a crash that ended his participation, to picking up his professional career again early in 1998 with New Jersey Navigators after an overhaul of the AKI-Safi roster left him on the outside. In the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Malaysia, Hubbard just missed out on a medal in the 184 kilometre road race, finishing fourth amongst 95 starters, many whom did not complete the gruelling race.

Later in 1998 he lowered his own Hill Climb record at Southampton Princess to 56.62 as he picked up a fifth title. It was the second time he has completed the 700 metre climb in under a minute, a barrier not broken even once by any other rider. "I don't think I'll be doing that event for a while...unless somebody breaks my record!'' Hubbard, now sponsored by CD&P, also won the CD&P Classic at the Grand Prix in 1998, a memorable achievement on home soil against top overseas competition. In 1999 Hubbard went close again to a medal at a major games, this time the Pan Am Games in Winnipeg, Canada, placing 15th in a pack finish in the road race. Hubbard failed to gain a wild card entry onto the Bermuda team for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and soon after was involved in a crash while training in Greenville, South Carolina -- which saw him suffer a broken collar bone and bruised wrist and ribs -- that he began to seriously think about his cycling future. "I realise that most cyclists at the professional level start to think about life after the sport after they hit 30. But I was in a position last season when I started to think about the long term, especially after my injury when I broke my collar bone,'' he explained. "Many cyclists can race into their late 30s but few have taken that path. I was never extravagant in my cycling years so I managed to save some money.'' Hubbard may compete in local races, but isn't interested in adding `more notches on my belt'. He just wants to be able to give something back by being a source of encouragement to the young cyclists coming up behind him. He may also even pursue other sporting interests like running and tennis if his schedule permits. "I am still trying to help out the juniors when I can, giving them guidance,'' he says. "We do have some up and coming talent and for me to pass on my knowledge I feel privileged to be able to help these guys out.'' Hubbard doesn't dwell on the disappointments, namely not competing in the ultimate event, the Tour de France, but chooses instead to hold onto the good memories. They include competing against the top cyclists in the world like Miguel Induraine of Spain, Tour de France winners Lance Armstrong and Greg Lamonte. "I had a lot of high profile races and raced against the idols that I had coming up as a teenager, and was considered professionally in the same category,'' said Hubbard. "To experience competition at that level is something I'll never forget. "I represented Bermuda in the Olympics and, regardless of the result, that was an honour. That's more than most people can say. It's not been a bad ride at all. "I've gotten a lot of that out of my system and now I am more level-headed and stable-minded. If I had decided to go straight into school I might have regretted not having pursued my racing career. "It was a personal decision on my part to start pursuing other things at this point in my life. I just felt I was ready for a change. I don't have any negative feelings towards the sport at all. "Bearing in mind, if I was going to pursue intensive studies for a few years I didn't want to leave it too late getting back into school. I realise if I was going to do law it would take a few years. "Being in the (CD&P) library, under Jim Spence the supervisor, I get an idea about the mechanics of a law firm from the bottom up. "I also have daily contact with a lot of the lawyers so it's a good opportunity to get advice from them, an opportunity that I wouldn't have if I was outside the firm. "It's a good chance for me to learn as much as I can about the legal profession now and then decide if that's what I really want to do, rather than going to school right off the bat and then finding out it may or may not be something I want to do for the long term.'' John Buckley, general manager at CD&P, said the firm was proud to have Hubbard as a member of their team, and just as proud to have sponsored him in the peak of his career. "Our association with him dates back to 1996 when he was looking for assistance to pursue his cycling ambitions and we were impressed with him as a young man who set those goals and demonstrated determination and commitment to try to achieve those goals, '' said Mr. Buckley. "Along the way it became very evident that he was a superb role model for our youth and a fine ambassador for the country as a whole. We obviously saw him as a talented individual five years ago but he's blossomed and we're very fortunate and pleased to be associated with his progress.'' Mr. Buckley added: "He's now contemplating a career as a lawyer and given our position we are able to provide some input into that and give him some exposure. "We've given him information on schools and various merits of going to England or Canada to pursue his legal training. He's certainly demonstrated to us during our cycling association with him that he possesses many fine qualities and those qualities should stand him in good stead in every walk of life, not just cycling or being a lawyer if that's ultimately what he chooses to become. "He will need to be a team player and he has clearly demonstrated that. He is also blessed with good oral and written communication skills, which will be key