Tyler Butterfield has announced he will be racing in this weekend’s National Road Race Championships, but admits his professional career is in doubt following his inauspicious start to the season.

The Bermudian male athlete of the year has returned to the island for a short break and will be competing for the coveted national title in this Sunday’s race at Southside at 8am.

The former Olympic triathlete has been riding for American team SlipStream Sports since the turn of the year after a productive couple of season’s with a top amateur team in France.

But ill health has riddled his inaugural pro campaign and Butterfield knows his performances must improve if he to secure a second season.

“It’s been a tough first season and things haven’t been going to well,” said the 24-year-old. “My health hasn’t been right but you have to keep racing and battle through it.

“The trouble is unless your 100 per cent fit you can’t just get by at professional standard. You can’t bluff your way through races like you can at amateur level.

“But I have had tests which show I have a few things out of whack and hopefully I will get things sorted.

“My priority is trying to get myself back in form and make sure I have a strong second half of the season — if I don’t I may not be a professional next year.”

Despite being widely tipped to triumph in this weekend’s 60-mile race, Butterfield believes it will be lot closer then the cycling fraternity expects.

But the triathlete-turned-cyclist is keen to add the national title to his resume and will be competing along with his fiancé and world-class cyclist Nikki Egyed.

“Hopefully I’m on my way to getting things sorted so this race will be a good test for me and it’s always fun to compete in Bermuda,” he added.

“I’m sure the other riders will be looking forward to having me on board as it will offer them a different challenge.

“They compete against each other week in week out so I suppose I will freshen things up a bit.

“To be honest I think it will a lot closer race than people expect as I have not been at full fitness and my form hasn’t been that good.

“I had a break from my racing schedule and it’s my brother’s wedding in two weeks’ time so it made sense for me come home.

“Obviously with the National Road Race Championships being on I thought it would an ideal opportunity to get the champion’s jersey.”

With the Pan Am Games looming ever-closer Butterfield concedes he would love to represent his country in Rio but a rule change could scupper his hopes. Administrators have limited the number of support staff, if any, an athlete can travel with which casts major doubts over the likelihood of Butterfield racing.

“I would like to race at Pan Am and although I have qualified as a wildcard I don’t know if it will be possible,” he said.

“You can’t go by yourself, you need support but because of the changes it may not be logistically possible.

“I would love to represent Bermuda at the Pan Am Games as I have never raced in the competition but at the moment it’s looking doubtful.”

Race organiser Peter Dunne said Butterfield’s presence would add another dimension to the race.

“It’s a prestigious race and every rider wants to be able to call himself the national champion.

“Barring any mechanical problems he should take the winner’s jersey.”

Manager of Butterfield’s SlipStream Sports team is Jonathan Vaughters - a former US Postal member who rode with the great Lance Armstrong.

Now retired, Vaughters established the team specifically to recruit the best young cyclists in North America with the aim of developing their talents so to enter the 2007 Tour de France.