He probably stands about 5 ft 5 ins tall at best.

But last night a soft-spoken David Richter stood head and shoulders above his rivals after claiming line honours in last night?s men?s elite criterium on the dimly-lit streets of Hamilton.

Heading into the final laps of the 45-minute event, Richter was faced with two options . . . sprint or get swarmed.

He chose the former and made the decisive break for good at the foot of Burnaby Hill before being caressed across the finish line ? fists pumping triumphantly in the air ? by a generous tailwind along Front Street with his nearest rival some 500 yards off the pace.

?It was great timing because we were just catching up with the two guys out in front. I figured I?d get a nice gap heading up the hill and that?s where I managed to nail it,? Richter told The Royal Gazette after catching his breath.

?I knew it was going to be a really fast race and it was important to try and stay at the front right from the start. But our strategy was pretty simple really . . . stay out front and cover all the moves early.?

At the halfway stage of the night?s feature event, which only witnessed one spill during the early stages near the Bird Cage, Richter and his Subway team-mates really began to make inroads on the main pack of riders and late race leader Eric Murphy who pocketed $1,000 in prime earnings.

?We were planning on a field sprint, but I found myself in a good spot of opportunity and I hit it,? added Richter, who also earned the honourable distinction of christening the newly-designed CD&P Bermuda Grand Prix leader?s jersey during today?s XL Capital Gibbs Hill Challenge.

Ivan Stevic and Jackson Stewart, meanwhile, finished second and third respectively while Scott Zwinzanski, pictured below, proved to be the night?s other big winner in pocketing a useful $1,500 in prime earnings.

After letting the race slip away from his grasp on the final lap, Murphy still remained upbeat afterwards.

?There?s a lot more racing to do and sometimes it?s better not to take the win on the first day and then be obligated to defend it,? he said.

?But overall tonight was a good night to make some money and kind of pay for the trip. Now we can begin focusing on winning the race.?

Another cyclist evidently pleased with his individual performance was Bermuda?s own Geri Mewett, pictured right, who went the entire distance and finished among a cluster of riders just off the pace from the leaders.

?I felt pretty good tonight and had a fairly decent ride,? he said. ?I just tried to make the right choices because it?s so hard in a race like this. There?s people with various goals; some just want to earn money and others who want to do well overall.

?I just tried to follow the right attacks and hope that it stayed away. So I?m pretty pleased the way the night went and I?m now looking forward to the rest of the weekend.?

Mewett described last night?s race conditions as a bit challenging.

?It was a bit hard but nice coming down the front stretch (Front Street) with the tailwind to the finish,? he added. ?But then you had to do a 180 degree turn up the hill. But all in all it was a good night.?

Bermuda?s Island Games hero is now looking forward to tonight?s XL Capital Challenge.

?I seem to do pretty well in short efforts like that which require a little bit of power,? he smiled.

Meanwhile, Timmy Fox peddled to victory among the junior boys race while Nina Santiago captured the girls.