Top local cyclist Kris Hedges finished 63rd in the third stage of the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic race in Massachusetts on Saturday.

Hedges, who was 20th after the first two days' racing, slipped to 37th in general classification after the 166 kilometre road race.

Stage three featured a hilly 18 kilometre loop on which the men raced nine times before heading up the final two kilometre climb of Mountt Wasuchett.

Early in the race, Henk Vogels (Navigators), a past competitor in Bermuda's CD&P Grand Prix, suffered a serious crash just as he and a small breakaway group were getting caught. Vogels looked around to gauge their lead on the chasing bunch and hit the wheel of the rider in front. On the very fast descent Vogels hit the guard rail hard, apparently breaking his ankle and a vertebra.

Results of yesterday's criterium in downtown Fitchburg were not available at press time.