Sisters Deana and Kim McMullen survived a series of crashes to earn a place on the podium during Sunday's road race at the Caribbean Cycling Championship in Puerto Rico.

In a small field on a course over 82 kilometres, Deana took silver to add to the bronze she won in the previous day's time trial, while Kim grabbed the bronze.

Heat and a strong headwind proved to be significant factors as the field set off at a fairly gentle pace with no-one prepared to push too hard.

After an early spill the field regrouped but at about 30 kilometres into the race, Puerto Rican Marie Rosado took advantage of another crash involving Deana to make her break.

She was never to be caught and eventually won some eight minutes ahead of the field.

Meanwhile, Deana recovered and rejoined the group but later on the same lap Kim was involved in yet another crash that saw her rear wheel damaged. The Bermuda support team quickly changed the wheel and Kim worked hard to reel in the pack.

Deana then played her part in ensuring both sisters would medal as she helped slow the following group before kicking for home with about five miles remaining.

A Bermuda boys' team, competing in the inaugural 14-16 age group, continued to be dogged by bad luck in the road race.

Tim Fox picked up a flat tyre only minutes into the race while Philip Woolridge was forced to come to a complete stop to avoid a crash on the first turn of the 10-mile circuit, leaving Thomas Godfrey the sole Island rider left in contention.

Seemingly recovered from the previous day's stomach problems, Godfrey was riding in a lead pack of five cyclists when he also suffered a flat tyre.

The group had left the trailing support vehicle trapped behind slower riders on the narrow roads, and Godfrey was forced to wait until those riders reached him before receiving a spare wheel. That, in effect, also took Godfrey out of contention.

Host nation Puerto Rico finished the weekend with 18 medals, but with a population of just over four million were always going to be the nation to beat.

Saturday's individual time trials saw two riders from each country participating, with temperatures reaching well over 90 degrees at the 9.30 a.m. start. And it was the heat rather than the course's rolling hills that proved to be the main test for the riders.

The 14-16 boys' event, held over 13.5 kilometres, was won by Puerto Rico's Anthony Seppy in 19 minutes, 18.97 seconds from Curacao's Quinten Winkel (20:11.45).

For Bermuda, Fox rode well to finish fifth in 21:00.82, while Godfrey was a disappointing 10th (22:23.63) after suffering badly with stomach problems during the night.

Deanna McMullen (42:54.35), meanwhile, turned in one of her best time trial performances, averaging over 23 miles per hour for the 16.6 mile course, but it wasn't quite enough to dislodge defending women's champion, Rosado (40:04.42), or her compatriot Jocelyn Troche (41:27.94).

With Deana taking the bronze, sister Kim finished fourth in 45:48.03 after experiencing some unwanted close calls with the heavy traffic that lined the race course.

Historically Bermuda have fared well in the women's championships, with Lynn Patchett winning a gold and silver in 2005, and Patchett and Deanna McMullen taking gold and silver respectively in 2004.

In yesterday's report on the Bank of Bermuda Team Triathlon it was erroneously stated that the swimmer for the victorious women's team was Mary Hopkins. It was, in fact, Hopkins' 12-year-old daughter, Morgan.