in his career as a first category cyclist, Hubbard was forced to deal with gale force winds during a pair of events on the weekend.

Competing in the Tour de Vars in France, Hubbard crashed during the initial stages of a 110-kilometre race on Saturday and never recovered. Trying to avoid an accident involving at least eight cyclists, the Bermudian then lurched into Monaco team-mate Christopher Podvin resulting in bent wheels for both.

Competing more with the blowing winds than his European rivals, Hubbard was unable to catch the remainder of the pack and was forced to pin his hopes on Sunday's 14-K time trials and 130-K race.

High winds again buffeted the racers, slicing crucial seconds off their times.

Hubbard managed to finish the race in a not too shabby 14th spot with an average speed of 39 kilometres. A pair of team-mates, Podvin and Stephane Operto, finished in 15th and 17th places respectively.

Hubbard equalled the 14th-place showing in the 130-K race, but remained largely disappointed with his weekend efforts, especially considering he was coming off his first victory a week earlier at a criterium in Italy.

Using the same strategy, which served him so well there, Hubbard seized the initiative by attacking early on. Those tactics seemed to pay off initially and for a brief time he was the leader after 40 kilometres.

"I know it was a big risk doing that,'' said Hubbard from his Monaco home.

"I had never raced in winds that strong, so I figured I might as well give it a try. It was sort of an all-or-nothing thing. Well, maybe next time.'' The 19-year-old cyclist will now set his sights on next weekend's Grand Prix du Pierrefeu, a 142-kilometre race on the outskirts of Nice in the French Alps.

After that Hubbard will ease off on his training regimen somewhat, gearing up for the Grand Prix of Monaco in September, an event he and his team-mates will be pressured to win. The Monaco event is expected to consist of a 130-K race, a pair of 10-K hill climbing races and an 80 to 100-kilometre criterium.

"I'm going to ease off on my training, hoping to conserve most of my energies towards the end of the season,'' Hubbard said. "I just hope I won't have to face winds like this again.''