If Kris Hedges won a gold medal you get the impression he would simply say, `Yeah, I did alright'.

So laid back is Bermuda's number one cyclist that coach Greg Hopkins had to barrack him for not giving himself due credit for his top class performance in a world class field in the men's cycling time trial on Saturday.

Hedges, Bermuda's number one and a member of the Snow Valley team in the US, came in 18th out of a field of 44 in the village of Rivington, near Bolton, Lancashire.

The men tackled four laps of the 11.7 kilometre course, described as very technical by Hedges.

Australia made it a one, two, three in the medals with Cadel Evans taking gold in 1:00.53.50, closely followed by Michael Rogers and Nathan O'Neill. Hedges clocked 1:08.11.10.

"It went well," Hedges said at the second time of asking. "I felt real comfortable out there today. The main was that I have taken a long, hard look at the course.

"I knew it was going to be quite challenging. I wanted to keep a decent pace throughout the hills and try and hammer the downhills. It is a very technical course and I thought if I could take the corners to the best of my ability I would save a lot of time and I think that showed with my performance."

The field was a veritable `Who's Who' of top riders and Hedges felt he had handled himself well in such illustrious company.

"I was actually only three and a half minutes off Eric Wohlberg, which is kind of a marker for me because he is based in the US," he said. "So, yes, I am very satisfied with my performance, it was a very solid ride. I went out fairly quick and I was pretty much able to maintain that tempo."

Meanwhile, Melanie Claude pipped compatriot Julia Hawley to the local bragging rights during Saturday's women's time trial.

The Island pair were among 20 women who tackled two laps of the 11.7 kilometre course at Rivington, outside of Bolton, Lancashire.

The riders were split into two groups of ten to ease congestion on the twisty, hilly circuit with Hawley third away in the opening group and Claude leading off the second.

Hawley clocked a time of 38:50.9 for 15th overall, while Claude crossed the line in 38:37 for 14th overall, no mean feat considering she was using a bike set up for road racing rather than time trialing.

"My time trial bike gave me complications and I couldn't use it so I was using my road race bike. Psychologically that kind of set me back a little bit," she said. "But I just wanted to go for a really comfortable ride, give it as much as I could and just be pleased with my overall performance."

Claude was unsure what the time represented in terms of her race history.

"It's really difficult to say because we have never really done a time trial that distance, nor over this sort of terrain. So it's really hard to say whether that's a personal best or not," she said. "I felt that I rode strongly and I think that's the most important thing."

National cycling coach Greg Hopkins had said earlier that the girls had entered the time trial to give them top level experience prior to next weekend's road race and Claude agreed it had been worthwhile.

"I was not even discouraged to see a lot of top time trialists pass me on the course, it was to be expected," she said. "It was just great to be out there with them."

Hawley, too, was all smiles when she returned from her warm-down.

"It was just fantastic," she said. "It was an amazing experience, just unbelievable."

When informed of her time she said: "38.50? Oh my God. I thought anything under 40 minutes was actually really good on that course. It's hard to say whether it's a personal best because time trial courses are so different. This one was very hilly, but I think that's a fast time for me, definitely."

Hawley said she had an attack of the butterflies when she first set off.

"At first my heart was going at 200 beats a minute," she said. "I was just so excited. It was good that it was lapped because for the first one I was a bit uptight. But Greg was behind me (in the team car) giving me directions on lines and by the time the second lap came I was so much more smooth and it just got so much better."

Hawley said there were many positives to take from the outing.

"We debated whether to do the time trial or not but, you know, I think it was just the best thing because it settled me down," she said. "I know I have done a good time, I am in great shape and I just think the road race is going to be really good."

Clara Hughes of Canada took the gold in 34.51.66 with Australia's Anna Millward second in 35:00.77 and Lyne Bessette of Canada third in 35:10.42.