Organisers of the CD&P cycling Grand Prix, one of Bermuda's premier sporting events, were last night crossing their fingers in the hope it did not fall victim to Hurricane Fabian.

The storm wreaked havoc across the Island on Friday and yesterday Government and emergency services were still in clean-up mode.

The Grand Prix, which sees top cyclists from all over North America compete on Bermuda's roads alongside the Island's best, is scheduled to take part between September 18 and 21. More than 100 male and female professional riders have been lined up to compete for a combined purse of more than $12,000.

However, organisers are facing a three-pronged headache.

Firstly, and most importantly, the riders are welcomed into the homes of members of the Bermuda Bicycle Association during their stay. Because of the damage sustained to many and the lack of electricity, and consequently, running water those offers may no longer be viable.

Secondly, part of the event involves a road race at Southside, St. David's. That particular part of the Island was one of the worst hit during the hurricane and an assessment of the area has yet to be carried out by the Association.

Thirdly, and perhaps the least worrying problem, involves the end of event prizegiving, which was hoped might be held at the Fairmont Southampton hotel's Whaler Inn venue as it was last year. The hotel has been forced to close its doors for two weeks while repairs are carried out to the structure.

Danielle Bezant, president of the BBA, said a decision on whether the event would go ahead would be taken on Wednesday.

"Obviously, with everyone having housing problems now, one of our biggest issues every year, the question is will we be able to find housing for all these people?" she said.

"Also at this point nobody has any clue what the roads are like at Southside and with (event director) Peter Dunne being out of electricity and not being able to access computers it means that we are out of touch with whether anyone has cancelled because of this.

"That is the dilemma we are in right now - nobody really knows anything."

Bezant said she had managed to hold a conversation with Dunne in the grocery store, but a proper meeting had not been feasible up to yesterday.

"We cannot leave it much longer than about Wednesday," she said. "Because that's two weeks before the event. By Wednesday we will make a decision as to whether we think it is even within our realm of possibility."

Hamilton, where the Friday night Grand Prix and the Sunday criterium is held, was a "disaster" Bezant said, but because of the sterling work of the authorities it would not be in a few days time.

"In the next three or four days we will see how Bermuda comes together," she said. "I have been amazed at what they have done in a day and half. If it continues like this who knows . . ."

Calling off the event, which went ahead despite the tragic events of 9/11 in 2001 and has not been cancelled before, was the last thing organisers wanted to do, said Bezant. In fact, going ahead with it might be the morale booster Bermuda needed, she said.

"I would hate to call it off because I think at this point it would be a good event to hold," she said. "We would be able to say `Look, we can still go forward with an event like this. Bermudians have pulled together'.

"Even after 9/11 we went ahead with a very successful event. So our hope is that we won't have to cancel it because it's such a good event for cycling in Bermuda."

Bezant said the possibility of altering the make-up of the event had been raised.

"There has been talk of that," she said. "We would have to work closely then with Government to try to figure out if there is another venue and whether they would allow us to use it.

"It may be that, although we would hate to do it, we would have to put another crit in there or something like that just to keep the event for this year. The problem when you do something like that is that you don't get an all-round event and it doesn't give an all-round rider the chance to perform to their best ability.

"There are other possibilities and we have had people take a look at the west end of the Island who have said it is OK at that end. I have no idea - I haven't driven to either end.

"I know how Southside was after the last storm with the boulders but they have pulled off some pretty good miracles in the last couple of days. If it could be pulled off and the roads cleared . . ."