may have met, and beaten, some of the best.

But the 22-year-old Bermudian readily concedes there's never been a field as strong as that which he joins early this morning for the Atlanta Games' 137-mile road race.

For the first time, the Olympics has opened its doors to professional cyclists and that means many of the Tour de France stars -- newly-crowned champion Bjarne Riis of Denmark, Spain's five-time winner Miguel Indurain, Frenchman Laurent Jalabert and American Lance Armstrong et al -- will be shooting for gold.

Besides the pros, the world's top amateurs -- from Colombia, France, Italy and Spain -- will enter the fray on a fast, gently undulating course which will quickly separate the men from the boys.

Hubbard, in his first Olympics but no stranger to top competition -- he finished 24th at the Comonwealth Games in 1994, 17th at the Pan-Am Games last year and 117th in a field of 230 at the World Championships in Colombia -- is under no illusion about the task in hand.

"A realistic goal?'' he asks himself. "It all depends on how the race goes.

In a field of this quality, a finish in the main pack would be a major accomplishment.

"It's a very long race in the heat. It's not particularly hilly, but over 137 miles the humidity is going to take its toll. All I can hope is that I have the intensity and the endurance to hang in. A real goal for me would be a field finish and a strong sprint at the end. I'd definitely be thrilled with a field finish.'' Hubbard admits his dream for more than six years since he first took up the sport seriously has been these Games and his preparation has gone exactly according to plan.

"So far, so good,'' he said earlier this week. "The training's been going well. The plan for several months now has to been to peak for these Games.

I've been on a programme designed to peak me just for this race.

"And from what I can tell physically, I feel I'm getting stronger as the days go by. I think (today) should be a good day for me if everything we've done pays off.'' Accompanied by training partner Greg Hopkins, he's toured the course -- an 8.1-mile loop which the field of 183 will circuit 17 times -- on several occasions in the past couple of weeks.

"It's undulating, rolling terrain which is going to be very fast. I think I could have a good race on this kind of course, but the best in the world, professionals and amateurs, are going to be here, so we'll see.'' Hubbard dismisses the notion that those arriving from the Tour de France will be suffering from the effects of what is considered the most gruelling of all cycle races.

"It finished on the 21st so they've all had a good ten days to recover,'' he says. "They had to travel from France to Atlanta and that might have tired them out a little and the humidity here may affect them. But anyone who had a strong Tour de France is likely to do well here. That definitely steps up the competition another notch.'' As for tactics, without any help from team-mates, the Bermudian has few options once the race begins.

"Obviously the bigger names are the riders I want to stay close to but so does everybody else and without a team that's not as easy. Tactically, I just want to have a safe race. I don't want to take too many unnecessary risks.

I'll just play it by ear. If I feel good towards the end, I may try something.'' Unlike previous international races, he has no fear about being placed at the back of the pack at the start, as is normally the custom with single riders from small countries.

"There's not a major climb in the first few kilometres so it's not so essential to be at front,'' Hubbard explains. "Plus, the pros traditionally start their races a little slower than the amateurs and finish stronger. I don't think position on the start line will be a big deal. Hopefully, there'll be plenty of time along the wide road to maneouvre as we go along.'' The Olympics over, will Hubbard follow the route expected to be taken by many of the leading amateurs, and turn pro? "Good question,'' he smiles. "I definitely want to finish this season with the team I'm riding with, One-Plus.

We'll see what offers come up next season. Obviously we'll weigh up all the pros and cons and I'll make that choice over the off season.

Also in action this morning will be Bermuda's 400 metre semi-finalist, Troy Douglas, who has been drawn in the first of 11 heats in the 200 metres. Top American Mike Marsh runs in the same heat but with the first three in each plus the fastest seven losers going through to the second round this evening, Douglas is expected to advance.