Former Olympic swimmer Geri Mewett obliterated a field of the Island's top cyclists to cruise to victory in the National Road Race Championships on Sunday.

Mewett's winning margin over his closest rival Kris Hedges in the 76.5-mile category two race at Southside, St. David's, was an amazing eight minutes, 17 seconds.

For Mewett, it was sweet revenge after losing out to Hedges in the National Time Trial Championships the week before.

Steve Millington finished five seconds behind Hedges to claim third spot, with fourth-placed Peter Eccles 17 seconds further back. Mike Lee placed fifth and Jeff Payne sixth.

Mewett, who swam for Bermuda in the Barcelona Olympics of 1992, has made it his ambition to take part in next year's Sydney Games as a cyclist.

The 24-year-old, who now lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, said: "I thought if I went off real hard in the first two laps, then even if I eased off later on, I'd be able to hold the rest off.

"I made an attack on the first lap. Greg Hopkins came with me, but no-one else did. Then I just got into a groove and kept up the same pace.'' If national coach Greg Hopkins was looking for proof that Mewett was good enough to make the national team, he got it first hand.

Hopkins said: "I was riding for Kris (Hedges) and when Geri went, I went with him to try and keep some control over him, but he was just too strong.

"My heart-rate monitor was telling me I shouldn't be there so I stopped looking at it. On the flat, he was dragging me along at 34 miles per hour. I was out of my depth and had to let him go.'' By the time the pack caught Hopkins at around 26 miles, Mewett was extending his lead with every lap.

Hedges' efforts to break from the pack were frustrated by close marking from Steve Sterritt and Dayna Henry Rochester. But with 20 miles to go, Sterritt pulled up with a flat tyre and Hedges, Millington and Eccles broke away.

Long after Mewett had crossed the line in a time of three hours, 25 minutes, 15 seconds, Hedges produced a sprint finish to edge Millington for second place.

In the category three race, Melanie Claude took the honours in a time of 3:38:56, as Vance Stevens and Neil Cattell failed to finish.

Vic Ball produced a remarkable effort to win the veterans category, recovering from a puncture to beat Paul Madeiros by two seconds in a sprint finish.

Jay Simons was an emphatic winner in the novice category, beating Jahdal Williams into second place by 13 minutes, 24 seconds in their 54-mile contest.

Laurie Orchard was an unchallenged winner in the women's category, while Brian Steinhoff enjoyed a comfortable victory over 54 miles in the boys 15-16 category.

Mewett has now set his sights on a good performance with the Bermuda team at the World B Championships, to be held in Uruguay in November.

"I think it will be one of the strongest teams Bermuda has ever fielded, with Elliot Hubbard, Kris Hedges, McInnis Looby, myself and whoever else,'' added Mewett.

"Elliot's had to do a lot on his own in the past, so it'll be nice for him to have some team-mates who can take some of the strain.'' This weekend, Mewett will continue his summer race schedule in the Tour of Miami Valley race in Dayton, Ohio.

And then he will travel up to Wisconsin for a series of 17 races between July 9 and 26, which will give him just one day off.

"Maybe in August, I'll take a break from racing for a couple of weeks to allow my legs to recover and then return to racing in September and October, so I should go into the World B's in good form,'' said Mewett.

To emulate Hubbard by earning a place in a US professional team is one of Mewett's aims, but he said it was far from easy.

"It's very competitive and there are a lot of people trying for those places,'' said Mewett.

"When they find out you're from Bermuda, they ask what cycling is like there.

So the fact that Elliot is with the Navigators and I can talk about him -- that helps.'' Geri Mewett: sped to an emphatic victory in Sunday's 70-mile national road race championships.