Rivals called them unbeatable.

And after four days of daring, stamina and strategy brought here by some of the world's top cyclists, everyone else is calling the Bermuda -- now Conyers, Dill and Pearman -- Grand Prix another major player on the Island sports calendar.

In what was billed as the finest field ever assembled for a Bermuda cycling event, Derek Bouchard-Hall of the United States and his Team Shaklee yesterday put the finishing touches on the four-day test -- not to mention the bulk of some $11,000 in prize money.

First-time visitors to the event, the squad of Bouchard-Hall, Koschara, Julian Dean and Scott Mercer quickly made a name for themselves with their kamikaze approach, then merely added to their legend with yesterday's harrowing final stage through the streets of Hamilton.

"We're all daredevils,'' said Koschara after capturing the 90-minute criterium of corners, hills and turns to lead the way for Bouchard-Hall's overall victory.

Bouchard-Hall, a 26-year-old Californian, entered the day with a 20-second bulge on second-placed Mercer and nearly a minute on Dean, the third member of the team in the top four. That meant only Snow Valley's Eric Samuels, sitting third, had a chance at unseating one of the top pro teams in North America.

But with 39 seconds to make up on a course tailor-made for the Audacious Americans, that meant almost no chance at all.

"These are events we specialise in. It's something that comes very naturally to us,'' said Koschara The 30-year-old arrived on the Island still suffering from salmonella and it showed during the first three events. In light of his sickness, Koschara said his role yesterday was to "just control the race for my team-mates''.

But he was sufficiently recovered yesterday to reel in a solo breakaway attempt by Mason Rickard with eight laps left and to burst in front by himself with three laps to go.

He was six seconds ahead of Rickard and Saunders' team-mate, Dean Rittenhouse, with two laps left. He extended it to ten at the bell, with another five seconds back to the 27-man pack of riders still remaining.

Rittenhouse and Rickard promptly dropped off the pace, allowing the man with the yellow jersey -- Bouchard-Hall -- to take second, with Saunders third.

It was another impressive performance for Bouchard-Hall, who won Thursday night's Front Street Classic, then donned the yellow jersey by leading a one-two-three Shaklee finish in Friday's time trial.

With the criterium a day later, the only hope for the other teams was Saturday's 75-mile road race at the former St.David's baselands. When Bouchard-Hall finished in three hours, 12 minutes and 47 seconds, with the main pack of Mercer, Dean, Saunders, former Canadian champion Czeslaw Lukaszewicz and top British racer Julian Ramsbottom, it was all over but for the sweating.

"It sounds cliche but it was totally a team effort,'' said Bouchard-Hall.

"It was a team win, not an individual win.'' That win became easier yesterday with only a few attempts at driving a wedge in the team. What ones there were -- by Kyle Smith, who was second behind Elliot Hubbard here a year ago, Rittenhouse and, at the halfway point, Britain's Rob Reynolds-Jones -- were quickly covered by the Shaklee team and only succeeded in temporarily splintering the group.

The few attacks were due to the fact "we were so intimidating at the front,'' explained Bouchard-Hall. "I think it was discouraging for the other teams because it was so futile (to try and break away).'' Yesterday wasn't entirely futile for the others, however, thanks to a series of cash primes put forward by sundry benefactors. Rittenhouse took a pair -- for a total of $200 -- while Smith, Luke Middleton, Saunders and Lukaszewicz were the other lap leaders to cash in.

It was at the end of one of the last one -- with Rittenhouse claiming the $150 -- that Koschara made his move.

"It just came down to a roll of the dice,'' he said.

Two teams of Bermuda riders tested their mettle against the visitors, with all but one -- Steve Sterritt -- getting lapped.

Sterritt finished in the middle of the pack and was 21st overall. It might have even been better had he not broken a spoke on his rear wheel late in the race.

"These guys are better than me,'' he acknowledged. "I was just glad to be here.'' Photos by Tony Cordeiro UPHILL BATTLE -- Riders powered up Queen Street during yesterday's 90-minute criterium, the final stage of the Bermuda Grand Prix. Below, Matthew Koschara celebrates his individual, and his team's win.