Bicycle Association, having replaced Vance Stevens in the top post at Tuesday night's annual general meeting.

His election was one of two changes on the executive committee as neither Stevens nor vice president Earl Pringle sought re-election.

All the executive positions were filled unopposed. The new vice president is Sinclair Packwood while Linda Dillon returned as secretary and Richard Mason as treasurer.

"I've got a really good executive committee behind me,'' said Payne yesterday. "They've all done work on the executive before so they're not new.

I've seen how well they work, so that's really going to help me.'' Time trial co-ordinator is Jennifer Hedges and Stevens becomes road captain, taking over the position held last year by Payne. Greg Hopkins has succeeded Packwood as public relations officer, a position that is appointed and not elected.

Payne said he would soon sit down and work out a "plan of attack'' as he seeks to build on the work carried out by past executives.

"What we're looking for is to improve the public image of cycle racing and cycling in general,'' the new president said. "We want to enlarge our numbers to bring in new people.

"We've seen a lot of people out riding and riding some very good bikes -- and riding very comfortably -- but they never turn out to race and we want to get them out.'' A packed AGM at the Department of Youth and Sport saw Payne, once one of the Island's top road and track runners, elected to lead the Island's cyclists through the 1995 season which will include the Pan-Am Games and the build-up to the 1996 Olympics.

"We had a very good turnout, much bigger than normal,'' explained Payne. "I got very good vibes from the body general.

"It was made clear to people that to be a member of the Bicycle Association you're going to be called on sometime during the year to do something, and please expect to be called on. And we've seen a positive response. Everyone indicated yes, that was the way to go.'' Now in his 50s, Payne regularly competes on the local racing scene against much younger senior riders and still beats many of them.

These days he only runs occasionally, and never competitively. "Running is only a supplement to cycling,'' he stressed.

Payne said he was anxious to carry on where Stevens left off.

"It (BBA) grew last year and it's my job now to keep the growth coming and give whoever serves the next term as president, whether it's me or a new president, a sound base to go on to bigger and better things.'' Cycling in Bermuda saw an influx of new riders this year, particularly in the junior and novice divisions, as well as a resurgence of interest in the ladies division which has suffered from lack of riders in recent years.

The overseas success of Elliot Hubbard, who is competing on the tough French cycling circuit, appears to have come as a shot in the arm for the association which hopes to encourage more newcomers to the sport in the coming months.

Jeff Payne