"King of the Road'' McInnis Looby is already charting his next course.

Just hours after taking advantage of a finish-line blunder by Dana Henry to win Wednesday's Heritage Cycle Race -- and a much-needed $400 -- Looby was seated aboard a Continental Airlines flight, heading for California in order to resume training.

And while Wednesday saw the lanky 25-year-old engaged in what amounted to a 12-mile sprint from Somerset to Hamilton, tomorrow he faces a much stiffer test. Looby is set to take part in the 80-mile Mount Hamilton Challenge, which will take competitors through parts of the Diablo Range of mountains, including an 18-mile climb to the top of Mount Hamilton some 4,261 feet above sea level.

Yesterday Looby was under no illusions as to his prospects. Winning, he admitted, appeared out of the question.

"I just want to finish with the field. That would be my least expectation, but I hope to do better,'' said Looby, who received royal treatment on his journey to the west coast, first having the plane called back specifically for him to board and then being pampered while travelling first class.

"What these type of races do is allow me to work on my climbing because basically that's what the World Amateurs are all about.'' The World Amateur Championships referred to by Looby will be held in Bogota, Colombia during October and represent the rider's next major goal. They are expected to dominated by those with a propensity for climbing, that being the major strength of the Colombians.

With that in mind Looby said that most of his training would be geared toward improving his strength and endurance.

Following his stint in California, where he trains with but remains unattached to the Strada Sampraduro Club of San Francisco, Looby expects to travel to the east coast to take part in the East Coast Racing Circuit and live in that area for the remainder of the year.

Ultimately he would like to turn pro and travel to Europe, but for now Looby will settle for the battles against fellow Category Pro One and Two riders.

"Things are coming along, I'm working hard to achieve the goals I've set, but I will achieve them,'' said Looby.

MCINNIS LOOBY -- faces stiff competition in tomorrow's mountain climb in California