Sprint specialist Wayne Scott held off the attention of his Winners Edge team-mates Mark Hatherley and Darren Glasford to seal victory in the 23rd Sinclair Packwood Memorial Cycling Race yesterday.

Scott outduelled his rivals in the closing stages, crossing the finish line in 29 minutes, 20.22 seconds, just a second ahead of Hatherley and Glasford.

It wasn't a good day, however, for top rider Garth Thomson who crashed twice in the slippery condtions, having hoped to bow out with a victory in his final race before leaving the Island.

With a record 75 entries in this year's event and defending champion Graeme Miller no longer residing in Bermuda, it was a race that any number of riders could have claimed victory.

On a day that is traditionally sunny and humid, it was the wind and rain that played the biggest role in the race, claiming riders early and often. Thomson and Pitcher were early victims. Thomson recovered from the first accident and got himself back into contention before hitting the tarmac again.

Scott, who won the 2008 race and came second last year to Miller, said his 'game plan' was to stay out of trouble on the 13 mile course with the weather playing a big part, while also remaining in the hunt until the race reached Hamilton before calling upon his sprint skills to secure the win.

"It's always a good race to win, this is the race in Bermuda that everyone knows about and is always well attended by the spectators and it feels good," said Scott.

"This year the strategy first and foremost was to stay out of trouble, we rode well as a team and I just tried to stay out of harm's way.

"There were a bunch of crashes because some riders were too aggressive on the corners and the wet roads will make you pay.

"The yellow line also played a role and I simply stayed on the side out of the way until town.

"I knew if I was in the front group heading into town, which I was, statistically I would be ok and with my experience it could pay off.

"But the Winner's Edge team rode well; we finished one, two, three."

Scott believef the best is still to come in the sport with the Bermuda Bicycle Association (BBA) season set to kick into top gear.

"This year there are some many people riding very well, everyone is fit and I'm one of the least fit guys," he said.

"But in a race like this, I am able into get into town with the main pack and then it's based on experience.

"So I think the rest of the season will be very exciting with everyone riding well, and it is good for racing in Bermuda."

Sarah Bonnett (Team Madison) won the Female Open, with Nichole Mitchell (Winners Edge), and Earlina Ingham finishing second and third respectively.

Junior Male honours went Tre-shun Correia, riding for Winners Edge, while Alex Godfrey (Altree Bicycle Works) and Daniel Oatley (Altree Bicycle Works) rounded out the top three.

Gabriella Arnold (Winners Edge) claimed line honours in the Junior Female division, and was closely followed by Izabella Arnold (Winners Edge), and Hayley Evans (Team Madison) who came second and third respectively.