AN EIGHT-strong Bermuda squad heads off for the 2008 Junior Caribbean Cycling Championships in Curacao, Netherlands Antilles next weekend to take on around 20 nations for the pride of the region.

And president of the Bermuda Bicycling Association Peter Dunne hopes the expanded roster will help build on strong showings in previous years.

Last year there were four boys in Barbados and three in Puerto Rico in the first year of the junior competition.

Dunne said: "Sending eight juniors this year is quite a big deal. It's great to have that sort of depth for the team competition."

The action kicks off next Saturday, July 12 with a time trial over 20 km (12 miles) for all categories.

"It's a very manageable difference, these guys are good at it and have been training like crazy for that event," said Dunne.

The road races are on the following day ¿ 60 km (37 miles) ¿ for juvenile men and women and 85 km (53 miles) for junior men.

The terrain will be pretty similar to Bermuda but it will be hotter with strong winds.

"There will be a head wind in one direction and a tail wind in the other. It will be hot and dry ¿ pretty brutal."

But Dunne is still confident. He said: "The kids have usually done pretty well, the competition is pretty fierce.

"The older boys are looking really good at the moment. Thomas Godfrey has already been twice, he knows what the group looks like.

"Last year Thomas was fifth in the time trials ¿ he had a great road race until he crashed a couple of times. Barring that he probably would have wound up in one of the top three spots."

Also in the junior men's age (17-18) group are Aaron Place who raced last year and Philip Woolridge who is on his third championship.

Dunne said: "I think Aaron and Philip are racing really well and part of the road race is the luck on the day."

In the Juvenile Men category (15/16) Tyree Armstrong, Ryan Gunn and Alex Godfrey are representing Bermuda.

Dunne said it was difficult to predict how they would do. He explained: "In the 15 to 16 year old category it is hard to say because you don't know who is coming into that category from other countries.

"Our guys are riding really well and in the last couple of months have made incredible strides in terms of their ability."

Sophie and Hayley Adams are representing Bermuda in the Juvenile Women (15/16) category.

Dunne said the girls could spring a surprise as very few females enter. "I think they will do well."

He hopes Bermuda's youngsters can follow in the footsteps of their senior colleagues who have excelled in the senior Caribbean Championships.

"Bermuda has done very well in those. In the elite championships Kris Hedges won the time trial four times ¿ every time he entered. Last year Garth Thomson medaled."

The women have also won quite a bit between Lynn Patchett, Melanie Claude and Julia Hawley said Dunne.