Theirs are the two names on the lips of the cycling community as attention turns to Tuesday?s Sinclair Packwood Memorial Race ? Wayne Scott and Garth Thomson.

The annual Somerset-to-stadium classic brings out the best of Bermuda?s riders but the sprinting prowess of these two in recent times has led to them being singled out by their peers.

At 38, despite being the defending titleholder, Scott scoffs at any talk of him repeating last year?s championship feat in his first try at the event held in his late pal?s honour.

?I?m overweight and having fun,? he quipped, noting he is now 25 lbs heavier than in his prime racing days.

?In my mind I?m done with racing. I?m still riding a little bit but, compared to the racing I used to do, I?m just out there to have fun now.

?I?m not planning on a repeat of last year but if it?s on the cards, great. If it?s not, still great. I think you should be talking to guys like Garth Thomson, Kent Richardson, Khamari Greaves and Ricky Sousa Jr.?

Yet the Senior King of Sprint at this year?s IBC Front Street races acknowledges it?s ?a great position to be in? when cycling pundits are calling your name.

?There?s no pressure on me because I have nothing to prove but they still need to come and take it from me,? he said resolutely.

?If I?m in there towards the end and it becomes a 200-metre race then place your bets really quick. Until then my plan is just to try to make it to town.?

Neil de ste Croix was runner-up last year with Thomson third in the frantic Frog Lane finale, followed by Richardson and the blossoming Sousa in a creditable fifth.

However, the Bermuda Bicycle Association?s (BBA) Road Race Co-ordinator Peter Dunne notes that ?12 months can make a big difference in bike racing and Scott and the rest of the field will be pushed by Thomson?s power?.

?The Canadian physical education teacher at Francis Patton Primary has been training with renewed focus on being first across the line on Tuesday. In recent road races he has shown that he is the man to beat, making peloton-splitting surges which, on numerous occasions, have left just him and Scott to duel the rest of the way,? said Dunne.

The relatively short 13-mile course will require an all-out effort from every participant ? especially those seeking honours ? and there is opportunity for several surprises. De ste Croix has just returned to the bike after a prolonged absence due to complications following shoulder surgery and the highly regarded triathlete is never one to settle for second. He is certain to keep the field on their toes as will the experienced Greg Hopkins armed with his detailed course knowledge and race tactics.

Two of the Island?s rising stars in the sport will also attempt to make their mark and prove that youth and enthusiasm can match the experience and strategy of the main contenders.

Khamari Greaves and Ricky Sousa Jr are both competing in New Jersey this weekend at the Can-Am Junior Challenge stage race where they will try to qualify for the Junior Pro Cycling Tour Grand Prix scheduled for June 5 in Philadelphia.

While they will have tough races in the USA ? which require finishing in the top two or three in order to qualify ? they will be eager to give a strong showing before home fans on Tuesday morning.

In the women?s section, veteran Julia Hawley will again seek to underline her top billing on home turf. She should be up with the lead pack, bolstered by her impressive fifth-place finish in the UK last week. This recent success has given her the first step in qualifying for the 2006 Commonwealth Games and indicates she is in good shape to mix it up with the rest of the field at home.

Despite the absences of Lynn Patchett ? the favourite in the Marathon Derby ? and Melanie Claude, who has taken up rowing, there will be some excitement in the women?s race.

Ashley Robinson, previously know for her swimming exploits, will return from school in Canada to showcase her developing cycling skills. Now training under Ukrainian Svetlana Minianskaia, a former world champion as a member of the then-USSR team, Robinson just raced in two men?s events in the French Alps where she was soundly beaten.

This, however, is part of her coach?s plan who attributes annual training in the Alps to her own success as world champion. The May 24 race is a quick sprint for young Robinson who is also training for the Grand Prix Montreal and World Cup Montreal to be staged early next month.

Prizes will also be contested among the Veterans and several junior categories with Vic Ball looking to retain his Vets title amid a challenge from the likes of Charles Dunstan, Clive Hook and several other wily campaigners.