Championships, Jonathan Herring stole the show during Sunday's Bermuda Bicycle Association Road Race.

The 15-year-old once again proved his maturity by winning the 60-kilometre race, consisting of 20 tough, technical laps at South Side, St. David's in a time of one hour, 41 minutes and 26 seconds.

Category Two rider Mel Bennett came second, 16 seconds behind, with Duncan Simons third a further 13 seconds back.

With veterans, top juniors and Category Three and Two riders all competing over the same distance, the field quickly splintered with all the main contenders in a tight front group as one rider after another attempted to break off the front.

In a race that saw plenty of attacks during the early stages, a sudden downpour made roads slick and slippery. With the wet conditions, one rider after another picked up flat tyres. Paul Mederios, Jim Butterfield, Peter Eccles and Wayman Butterfield were all casualties, although Butterfield was able to rejoin the race, albeit one lap down.

The unluckiest rider of the day was Kevin Tucker, who flatted on the 18th lap and also found himself one lap down when he rejoined the field.

With four laps to go Herring made his move at the top of the main hill and opened up a gap on the rest of the riders. Despite an effort from another junior, Nuri Lathan, the gap proved to be enough.

Only Butterfield was able to join Herring and in fact out-sprinted the youngster, but his one-lap penalty left Herring with the victory.

Bermuda Bicycle Association have a new sponsor for this weekend's National Time Trial Championships with the Bank of Bermuda stepping in to support the event.

It is the second time this year that the bank have assisted the BBA, earlier having provided the newly formed Bermuda National Squad with their uniforms.

The Championships take place on Sunday at South Side, St. David's, starting at 8 a.m. and will see all the top riders attempting to take veteran Jeff Payne's title which he won last year when he dominated the time trial events all season.

Expected to challenge Payne will be two of his National Squad team-mates, Steve Sterritt, who beat Payne last week in the 40K time trial in Cuba in the small Nations World Cycling Championships. Sunday's event will be held over the same distance and will also feature MacInnis Looby, fresh from a fine performance on the track in Cuba where he won a bronze medal in the 4000 metre pursuit.

Another rider to watch for will be Kris Hedges who returns to the Island this week, having been competing all season in the United States. Hedges is known as a strong time triallist and should pose a major threat when he competes in the open category.

With Tyler Butterfield off the Island on Sunday, a battle for top junior honours is expected between Herring and Latham.

Despite being four months pregnant with her third child, Melanie Claude goes into the event as the favourite for the title in the women's field. She has shown hardly any effects as a result of her condition, winning the women's race on Heritage Day. However, she has been advised by her coach Greg Hopkins to end her season at the conclusion of this event.

The veterans competition which includes overall winner last year, Payne, will have a strong field with former champion Hopkins, Mel Bennett, Jim Butterfield, Paul Medeiros and newcomer Peter Eccles all looking to take a podium place in the over-40 category.

In the other junior categories, Nicholas Taylor, Brian Steinhoff, Chris Conway, Adam Petty and Matthew Herring will all be looking for top places.

JEFF PAYNE -- defending Time Trial champion.