Fired up after "disappointing" performances in the opening three stages of the Sea Otter Classic, Bermuda cyclist Julia Hawley shot up the rankings with a terrific ride on the final day.

The Classic attracted thousands of North America's best riders to Monterey, California last week for four days of top class riding with Hawley ending the event in 39th place among the elite women.

Hawley, a Bermuda national team rider, used the event as a tune-up for the World Bs in Switzerland later this year and linked up with American rider Nicole Freedman as part of Team Basis.

She came 52nd in Stage One, the Redwood City Circuit Race, her time of 2:05.08 the same as the 41st placed rider.

In the Laguna Seca time trial, the second stage of the event, she posted a time of 37:35:4 for 48th, 7:12 minutes back from the winner.

In Stage Three, the Laguna Seca Circuit Race, Hawley placed 44th in a time of 1:03:13.

Those results combined put her down in 47th place in the general classification with a time of 3:45:56.

"To be honest, after the first three stages I was a little disappointed with my performance," said Hawley on her return to the Island, "although I have to remember that the competition is unbelievably hard in these races. They didn't really suit my riding because they were shorter with a lot of power hills."

Those rides left Hawley determined to do better on the final day, a 95-mile road race which began in Carmel.

"I had a great day, an awesome day," she said. "It started out on a climb, a big climb into the mountains and the first 35 miles were climbing up, going down and climbing up before we eventually went down onto the flat."

Hawley managed to manoeuvre herself into the main group as the race wore on.

"There were 35 of us in the main group and 73 started the race so we had basically dropped half the field," she said. "When we got onto the flat it was unbelievable how hard they went - it was mind-boggling. I didn't have my speedometer on but it must have been at least 40 miles per hour for 20 odd miles."

Despite the pace, Hawley managed to keep with them until 60 miles in.

"There was a little rise and I just couldn't stay on," she said.

That meant she was now on her own.

"The closest group was 12 minutes back and therefore I knew I had a really good chance to move up a lot (in General Classification)," she said. "I don't think I have ever done that far on my own before and to actually have achieved it . . ."

Hawley even had to deal with a flat back tyre.

"I ended up riding on that seven miles until I finally got some support," she said. "They didn't actually have the right wheel for me, so I then had to struggle with that as well through the next 35 miles.

"Then the damn road race finished on a two mile climb! It was unreal. It was so hard."

At the end Hawley finished 34th in 4:44:39, about 45 seconds in front of the pack chasing her down.

"I couldn't see them so I knew they were far enough behind," she said.

Hawley said she knew she was capable of a good performance in the road race.

"I knew that was my strength," she said. "I talked to Adam, my husband, beforehand and he really motivated me. He said `that's just the kind of thing you like - behind the eight ball a bit first with challenges ahead. You just seem to rise to that'."

The conditions, though windy and rainy, also helped.

"I do tend to ride better relative to everyone else," she said, adding that, overall, it had been a great experience.

"I guess emotionally you just go through these highs and lows, but that's stage racing," she said. "That's the other thing that motivates me. You know on any given day you can have a great day. You also have to take the good with the bad."

Hawley said travelling always left her at a disadvantage, especially when her rivals had competed just beforehand.

"There's a lot to be said for that," she said. "I seemed to be getting a little bit better each day and I knew if I just stuck it out I would eventually have a good one.

"It was nice to have it happen on the fourth day because you can walk away and feel like you have really achieved a lot."