Having played down his role as pre-race favourite when he arrived on the Island on Friday, Bermuda's top cyclist Kris Hedges rode confidently to victory in the 75-mile National Road Race Championships at Southside on Sunday.

Hedges ultimately destroyed the rest of a top class field in what turned out to be a race of attrition in hot and humid conditions.

And in similar fashion, Julia Hawley took women's honours after what many of her male counterparts later described as an impressive workmanlike performance.

With all of the Island's top riders on the start line, including overseas-based national team members Geri Mewett and Wayne Scott, Hedges was destined to be a marked man and in the early going appeared frustrated at his every move being marked.

"Some of the riders were a little negative to start with," he said later. "After Wayne made a move early, we decided to let him hang out there a bit but then every time Geri or I even looked liked moving, they jumped all over us. But I guess it was understandable."

It was Florida-based Scott, known for his aggressive riding style, who made the early moves, attacking off the front with Jon Herring the only rider responding with some breaks off the front himself. However, with such a strong field behind, a solo break in tough weather conditions was never going to succeed and he was reeled in as the real racing developed.

It was Scott who made the first telling move when he attacked off the front and was joined by a strong display of bridging by Jason Krupp, with the two teaming up to try and extend a lead. Scott later explained: "I rode my butt off. I wanted to be up the road for when Kris and Geri made their move. I didn't want to have to respond to it, so when Jason and I were away and I saw them coming across I eased so that I could jump on when they came through."

Scott had nothing but praise for Krupp. "Jason came across and I was really hurting having been away on my own. He was riding strong and he kind of saved me, then we saw Kris, Geri, Kent (Richardson) and Andy Kain coming."

With Hedges, Mewett, Scott, Krupp, Richardson and Kain, joining forces, the writing was on the wall for the rest of the field as the pre-race expectations played out before them. With about ten laps of the 16-lap event completed, the lead group was whittled down to the three favourites with Richardson, Kain and eventually Krupp all forced to drop back under the relentless pace.

The tempo set by Hedges eventually proved too much for the others with Scott the first to come adrift.

Hedges explained: "I was riding tempo on the front, first Wayne dropped off and then a bit later we were coming over the hill and picked the pace up. I looked back and Geri was about five seconds back, so I just went for it." Reminiscent of his recent victory in the NCAA Championships in California, the 23-year-old powered away on his own for the last three laps to secure honours uncontested.

Immediately afterwards the fresh looking champion said he was pleased with his performance.

"It's always nice to come home and race in front of the home crowd, especially with all the top riders here. Now I am just going to work towards the B Worlds in Switzerland."

It was a much less healthy looking Mewett who had to be assisted by officials at the end, suffering from severe cramps as he soloed into second place.

"When Wayne got dropped, I worked with Kris but then started to get really bad cramps and I just had to let him go," said Mewett. "No excuses though, Kris was just too strong today."

After hanging on for third an exhausted Scott remarked: "Once there were the three of us left, I knew I was the next to go. I am pleased with my ride, I rode my heart out. There's no question in the pecking order, Kris is right at the top."

A beaming Hawley, who finished in the main chase pack, said: "I felt really good today, I worked really hard with Ricky and Andy. I did a lot of work. Mel (Claude) dropped away with three or four to go so I had to work to stay with the men. I felt so good on the hills. It is so important to be national champion, I am ecstatic."

The only surprise in the women's field was the appearance of Melanie Claude on the start line after her serious crash the previous weekend in the Liberty Classic in Philadelphia which resulted in her being taken to hospital and keeping her off the bike for the week leading up to the championships.

After completing the 75-mile race in second place behind training partner Hawley, she said: "I am so happy with my ride coming off the crash and injuries. I couldn't stay with Jules, she was so strong in the lead group but this has given me a lot of confidence going towards the Island Games and B Worlds."

Lynn Patchett finished third among the women.

Full reports and results on other category races later this week.