month's World B Championships with medals in their sights, says national coach Greg Hopkins.

The two women and five men who will ride for the Island in Quinhuangdoa, near Beijing, from June 19 to 23, were named by the Bermuda Bicycle Association yesterday, with Hopkins adamant that they are capable of podium placings.

Melanie Claude and Julia Hawley, fresh from strong performances at the Tour de Warsaw in Virginia last week, make up the women's team.

Four of the five men -- Kris Hedges, Geri Mewett, MacInnis Looby and Wayne Scott -- are based in the US, while Steve Millington is the only Island-based rider selected.

Hopkins said: "This is the strongest team we have ever assembled. There is no one rider who stands above the others in the men's team and as such, they are capable of working together in a race.

"They have vast international experience and I believe that they have a legitimate chance of coming away with a medal. That is definitely our goal for these championships.'' Hedges is enjoying a strong 2001 season with highly regarded semi-pro team Snow Valley and appears to have taken his cycling to a new level under the guidance of former top Canadian professional Brian Walton.

Hedges and former Olympic swimmer Mewett are likely to lead the team.

Mewett joined another semi-pro outfit, DeFeet/LeMond, at the start of the season and has competed at most of the major US events so far this season, including the Redlands Classic and Sea Otter Classic in California. And he also competed in a 12-stage race in Argentina with his team.

Looby rides for Focal Communications in California and races primarily in pro one and two events.

His experience in a mixture of stage races and criteriums will make Looby a valuable member of the team, particularly in the early stages of the worlds.

Florida-based Scott competes for Atlantic Shores Velo and his promotion to category two this year is evidence of his vast improvement. The powerful rider has competed in all the top events in his region.

Millington has dominated local racing for the past two seasons. Voted Rider of the Year in 2000, he is unbeaten on home soil this year and has been enhancing his performances by travelling overseas to race with Hedges.

Hopkins was also pleased with the strength of the female duo and hopeful they could follow up Claude's bronze medal in Uruguay in the 1999 World Bs with more success.

"Melanie and Julia have already proved that they can ride competitively at this level,'' said Hopkins.

"Melanie won a time-trial medal last championships and that will be her focus this year. Julia is a vastly improved rider and, I have no doubts, will ride well.

"When we were in Vermont last year at the Killington Stage Race, it was clear that Julia was comfortable at that level.'' Coach Hopkins and Jennifer Hedges will form the management team for what promises to be a challenging trip in terms of distance and logistics, with team members travelling from four different locations in Bermuda and the US.

Locally based riders and BBA officials have managed through fundraising efforts to fully finance the trip which is expected to cost in excess of $25,000.

Kris Hedges: Has impressed in top US races for the semi-professional Snow Valley team.