When experience was mentioned as a key ingredient in yesterday's Lucozade Heritage Day cycle race, the name of Jeff Payne never came up.

And that's probably understandable, considering Payne is 58-years-old.

But with a performance that was as surprising as Kavin Smith's Marathon Derby win was predictable, Payne's old legs carried him to the most remarkable victory in the 11-year history of the popular race.

It was Payne's first victory and completed a unique double as he became the first man to win both the Marathon Derby and the Heritage Classic, his road race triumph having come 17 years earlier.

Payne's record as the oldest winner of the cycle race is likely to stand for many years -- unless, of course, he can repeat next year. And on yesterday's showing, there seems every possibility he could.

He has more than 20 years on most of the top riders, including second-placed Aaron Schindler who, at 28, is 30 years his junior.

As a Category Three rider Schindler, Chicago-born and a resident of Bermuda for three years, was also not expected to be among the likely winners. But in the end he was just narrowly beaten by Payne as the crowd glanced further up Cedar Avenue to find the pre-race favourites.

The pair broke away from the pack near Port Royal Service Station and when nobody responded they were left to set the pace in what would develop into a two-man sprint for the finish. Both crossed the line in 28 minutes, 19 seconds and were almost a minute ahead of the second group of Steve Sterritt, Damion Wilson, Dana Henry and Sinclair Packwood who were third to sixth, all in 29.11 in a sprint that was supposed to be for first place.

"I don't carry a good sprint -- I'm not up there with people like Sinclair and Damion -- so I have to try to get away,'' said the new champion who knew he had nothing to lose.

"When we got on the top of Burnt House Hill and they weren't in sight I said to him (Schindler) `let's go right through'. I know how hard it is to pull back a couple of hundred yards. You can't do it on your own, not against two guys.'' Packwood, one of the pre-race favourites, admitted it had been a mistake to allow Payne and Schindler to make the break.

"Everybody waited for somebody else to do something,'' said the two-time champion. "I wasn't committed to breaking that early and I don't think anybody thought they would stay away.

"When they got to the top of Burnt House Hill I realised they had a chance.'' Payne, a top time triallist on the Island, kept a cool head as he headed along Harbour and onto Front Street with Schindler still with him. And his 58-year-old legs were still going strong towards the finish.

"I don't fuss with the age bit,'' said Payne afterwards.

"It's just a number, 58, 48, 68. ..I'm an athlete like everyone else and that's purely how I look at it.

"This is a race that is very important on the Bermuda calendar, despite the fact that it is so short and relatively un-cycling in its structure.

"To have a 12 mile mass start road race is almost unheard of anywhere but that gives it a character of its own.'' Schindler was more than satisfied with his achievement, not disappointed in the least that he was so close to victory.

"When I broke away early on I thought it was a futile effort because I was up there by myself,'' said Schindler.

"I figured I was going to get tired without anybody to work with, but then I saw that Jeff Payne had caught up to me and I was looking around for the rest of the pack but we were there alone and started working together.

"He almost dropped me at one point but I struggled to hang on. Jeff just put on the speed, he's really got strong legs. I was first onto Cedar (Avenue) and it was a sprint to the end and he nicked me by a quarter of a wheel at the finish.'' Added Schindler: "I'm not disappointed in the least, I did a lot better than I expected to. He did a lot of the work coming in and deserved to take first place.'' Mervyn Van Putten won the Veterans category while Kris Hedges, Nuri Latham and Matthew Herring were the top three juniors in Categories One, Two and Three.

Melanie Claude won the ladies division while Yolanda Smith was the lone junior female rider.

Photos by David Skinner AGELESS WONDER -- Fifty eight year-old Jeff Payne (left) breaks a winning smile after beating Aaron Schindler at the finish line on Cedar Avenue to win yesterday's Heritage Classic cycle race.

BUNCHED TOGETHER -- This group of cyclists at Barnes Corner were left to battle for third place after Jeff Payne and Aaron Schindler broke away early in yesterday's Heritage Classic cycle race.