The young brigade finally came of age in the Sinclair Packwood Memorial Heritage Day cycle race yesterday with Kris Hedges and Tyler Butterfield finishing first and second in the Somerset to Hamilton event.

But it proved to be another sad holiday for defending champion Greg Hopkins who missed the race because his father died of a heart attack in Kansas on Tuesday. Hopkins rushed to the States the same day.

A year ago an emotional Hopkins dedicated his victory to former Heritage Day champion Sinclair Packwood, in whose memory the race is now named.

This time Hedges dedicated his victory to Hopkins, his Winners' Edge team-mate, whom he describes as "a mentor''.

The youngster completed a memorable win after reclaiming the lead from Butterfield near the top of Cedar Avenue and staying a few bike lengths in front to take the win.

"It's not been a sprinter's race in the last couple of years and I didn't want it to be one today,'' said the delighted 20-year-old afterwards.

"I have never done well as a junior in this race and haven't raced it in the last three years.'' Hedges, a student at Johns Hopkins University, only returned to the Island on Tuesday and will be leaving again tomorrow to rejoin a category II team he has been riding with in New England.

And no doubt he will savour the victory. He worked himself into a good position after being one of the pacesetters from the start while the more experienced riders formed a chasing pack just behind the lead group.

First there were the likes of Jason Krupp, Earl Godfrey and Steve Millington and Hedges and Butterfield, but gradually the others dropped off between Scaur Hill and just after Port Royal to leave the two youngsters out in front.

"That was the Winners' Edge plan, to come out strong from the start,'' explained the champion.

"I was surprised when Earl dropped back and left Tyler and myself in front.

It was good having Earl with us at the start.'' Godfrey, riding more seriously these days, acknowledged that Hedges and Butterfield were in a class of their own. "I just didn't have it in my legs to go after them,'' said Godfrey who dropped off at the top of White Hill.

"I know what Tyler is capable of, but I didn't know too much about Kris because he's been away in school. My fitness was not equal to theirs.'' Despite being in the lead pack early on, Millington, who has been in good form this season, could not sustain his push and dropped back to finish third in the open category. Last year he was second to Hopkins.

Category three rider Karl Outerbridge was also in the chasing pack during the early stages, trying to keep Hedges and Butterfield in their sights.

"With Ted Temple, Jason Krupp and Jonathan Herring we all worked pretty hard trying to keep the pace up and getting guys going,'' explained Outerbridge.

"We couldn't get anybody going and Winners' Edge had a strategy that was working pretty good. The last time I saw them was just before SAL and after that they were gone.

"It was kind of hard trying to get guys motivated because nobody wanted to work too hard and burn themselves out.'' Vic Ball won the veteran male category with Paulo Madeiros second and Vance Stevens third.

Brian Steinhoff took the junior category with Matthew Herring second and Justin Simmons third.

Jeana Godfrey avenged previous losses this season to Wenda Godfrey (no relation) when she won the women's race.

"Wenda has been beating me in the last couple of races so this is a nice confidence booster,'' said Godfrey, the wife of Earl. "I'm feeling great.'' Jeana, who rode most of the race with Nuri Latham and junior rider Nick Taylor, credits Melanie Claude and her husband for giving her an incentive to ride more seriously this season.

Godfrey will travel with Claude and Julia Hawley to Montreal this weekend for the Montreal World Championships to be part of a women's team along with some American women. The events include a 108k road race on Sunday and a 35k criterium next Tuesday.