Champion cyclist Tyler Butterfield harboured little hope of securing a ticket to Brazil as part of Bermuda’s Pan-Am Games squad.

After all he missed out on qualifying for the showpiece event last year, with a limit on the number on athlete support staff allowed in Rio also hampering his chances.

But after gaining entry via a wildcard, Butterfield aims to surprise himself with a competitive race after being riddled with health problems during his inaugural professional campaign.

The 24-year-old, who is awaiting test results, has no podium expectations and will use the Games as a platform to re-launch his ailing season.

“It will be interesting because by the time I get out to Rio it will be have been five weeks since my Iast raced,” he said. “I maybe a rusty but I will be fresh and sometimes you can surprise yourself in your first race after a break.

“I never go into a race with a positional finish in my mind, I just hope for a good day and see where that takes me.

“I don’t see myself as a realistic medal contender — but I would never turn it down.”

Organisers have reduced the amount of officials each nation can to take to Rio to 40 per cent of their athletes, which has thrown a spanner in works for Bermuda due to the number of sports they are competing in.

Butterfield had believed he would be unable to travel with a support team thus scuppering his opportunity of racing in Rio, but he has since been assured he can take a manager.

“I was given a wildcard due my fourth placed finish in the Caribbean Games and my performance at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne 2006,” he said. “But even after I qualified I didn’t think it would be logistically possible due to a change in number of accredited officials at the event.

“It would have been impossible to travel without a support team and I’m now able to take a team of one.”

The former Olympic triathlete, who won the champion’s jersey in last month’s National Road Race, expects the Colombians to be the stand-out performers and is preparing for a tough ride both mentally and physically.

“As Bermuda’s single cyclist I won’t be part of a team and that poses its own challenges,” said Butterfield. “But then again I won’t have to worry about anyone else so there are negatives and positives.

“I’ll have to adopt a different racing strategy and make sure I stay in the front pack for as long as possible.

“I’m not a sprinter so it will be my aim to stay with that bunch until the final few kilometres if possible.”

Butterfield, who is engaged to world-class cyclist Nikki Egyed, 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 he is starkly aware his performances must improve if he to secure a second season

“I’ve been on antibiotics and feeling a lot better within myself. I’m still waiting for the results of tests but that could take some time to come through. I’m looking for a better second half of the race season and a solid race in Pan-Am would be a confidence booster.”

The Pan-Games take place in Rio from July 13-29.