BERMUDA could be without its top two cyclists for the Island Games fears Bermuda Bicycle Association president Peter Dunne. The reason is because of a scheduling clash.Dunne said pro-cyclist Tyler Butterfield will probably opt to head to the B World Championships, which is an Olympic qualifier, in Cape Town, South Africa rather than head to the Island Games in Rhodes this summer.

And he also fears Geri Mewitt, who took gold in the road race in Shetland in 2005, could also opt to support Butterfield and head to Africa rather than the Mediterranean.

The news will come as a blow to the whole Bermuda Island Games contingent as cycling helped boost the medal count in Shetland last time around which saw Bermuda place fourth overall.

Bermuda came second in both the men’s and women’s road races while Lynn Patchett took gold in both the town centre criterium and time trial.

Deanna McMullen took bronze while Lynn Patchett came fifth and Ashley Robinson sixth in the women’s road race while the trio took gold in the team time trial competition.

“We have always sent a really strong team,” said Dunne who is trying to get as many riders as possible for the Games.

Last time the Island Games in Shetland provided a great warm-up for the Bs in Switzerland which was at least on the same continent.

“The issue is do we sent our top couple of cyclists to the B World Championships? It would come virtually at the expense of our Island Games participation.”

The Island Games run from June 30 to July 6.

“The B World Road Race — which is the big one — is on July 1. And there is probably no way to get there in time although I haven’t looked at the complete flight map.”

The clash has sent him scouring the airline time tables but he thinks it is virtually impossible.

Important though the Island Games are for local pride it doesn’t hold any sway with the international governing body concedes Dunne.

“My guess is Tyler, with a professional career in cycling, would not see the Island Games as a priority,” said Dunne who added Butterfield’s coach was focused on getting his team Olympic exposure but would probably not welcome a more parochial distraction.

“I would be surprised if Tyler was there this year.”

And he thinks Mewitt, who lives in the United States, would also go in support while he wasn’t sure if Kris Hedges was riding at that level.

Cycling is much of a team sport than many people realised, said Dunne, with team-mates wanting to ride in each other’s slip streams to conserve energy before pouncing in the final stretches.

“The more numbers you have on your team the better you can do,” he said.

But if Mewitt does go to Rhodes he would be a favourite as defending road race champ, particularly on a fairly flat course.

“Geri is not a go-up-the-hill-fast sort of guy. But on a flattish course he will tear the legs off most people in the field which is what he did last time.”

Dunne said Andy Roche from the Isle of Man, who Bermuda cycle fans are familiar with, would be a big threat.

Because of uncertainty over the squad Dunne was reluctant to set a medal target for the Rhodes trip.

“Shetland was a great event for our road cyclists and in mountain biking we have sent a decent team but the level of competition has been much higher,” he said adding that the heat of mid-summer Rhodes will be no problem for the Bermuda contingent.

“Most of the riders who went last time have thawed since their last performance! This one will be hot but I don’t think many places are as humid as Bermuda.”

Despite his selection problems Dunne said he would like to send as many as five men and three women to the road race and four men and two women for mountain bike competition.

Others who may go include Garth Thomson, Wayne Scott and Ricky Sousa Jr. while Kim McMullen and Dave Padega could fly the Bermuda flag in mountain biking.