A 'down-graded' Conyers, Dill and Pearman Cycling Grand Prix will be contested over Bermuda's roads this weekend, starting this morning with a criterium at Morgan's Point.

That will be followed by a road race around Hamilton tomorrow and a time trial at Clearwater tomorrow evening.

But what was once considered one of the major events on the biking calendar won't feature any top riders from overseas as has been the case in previous years.

It will, however, see most of Bermuda's leading cyclists in action, including triathlete Flora Duffy who will be competing for the first time since her disappointing performance at last month's Olympic Games in Beijing, where she failed to finish.

And there's also an unknown quantity to Bermuda in Graeme Miller of New Zealand, once one of the world's top riders who now lives on the Island.

Miller, a former New Zealand national champion, was arguably his country's best known cyclist who appeared at three Olympic Games and collected two Commonwealth Games titles.

He boasts some 200 wins as a professional during a racing career that spanned 22 years.

Bermuda Bicycle Association (BBA) president Peter Dunne admitted Miller's appearance would give the Grand Prix a new flavour, but he admitted the annual event was no longer considered a priority by his association.

He said the BBA were now concentrating on youth development.

"This year we have a much different field than in prior years," said Dunne.

"We had been wasting a lot of time and energy raising money for the pro event, which was basically to pay for people to come and have a nice trip to Bermuda, which was lovely.

"But in the end, it was taking away from projects we felt had a higher priority, namely junior development.

"We are now focusing our time around our junior programmes.

"There are clubs starting now at CedarBridge and Berkeley Institute and this is where we want to push this energy."

The Grand Prix starts at 9.30 this morning with a criterium at Morgan's Point, a site where the BBA have been holding races since the spring.

Tomorrow's circuit race (8.15 a.m.) will be on an extended course that will see riders race along Front Street as far as Corkscrew Hill and swing back through town.

Tomorrow evening's time trial at Clearwater (4.30 p.m.) will be contested over seven miles, after which the overall winners will be decided.

Awards will be handed out to the top cyclist is each division.

"We are coming to the end of our season and would like spectators to come out and support the sport of cycling and enjoy a race or the entire weekend," added Dunne.