Island on Sunday as the two riders powered their way to a joint victory at Southside in the third race of the Bermuda Bicycle Association's 1999 season.

On the toughest course on the calendar, with a long, energy draining hill being the main factor in a 17-lap event for the top riders, Hopkins made what many thought was a suicidal break from the start as several competitors were hoping to at least have a few laps to settle in.

Although his lead over the main pack only reached 15 seconds, the 46-year-old national coach, and Hedges' personal coach, kept working to keep the gap over the field.

And there was obviously method to Hopkins' apparent madness as after four laps on his own at the front, Hedges, the reigning national road race and time trial champion and Commonwealth Games cyclist, blasted away from the pack as it began its descent off the hill and quickly closed the gap on Hopkins.

From then on the two riders made the most of their years of training together as they worked like clockwork to hold onto their lead over the rest of the field.

As the laps ticked away the chasing group began to splinter as the efforts of the chase and the hill began to take its toll. The only rider to make contact with the leaders was Tyler Butterfield on lap 13 of his 14-lap race in the junior 15-16 category after he and Jonathon Herring had broken away from the pack.

Butterfield was pulling away from Herring when the latter suffered a puncture, leaving Butterfield a clear run to the finish in a time of 54 minutes, 13 seconds.

A quick wheel change enabled Herring to re-mount and still finish second in 55.42 with Brian Steinhoff rounding out the top three in 1:00.22 as Butterfield and Herring clearly showed why they are more than capable of riding with the top senior riders.

Meanwhile, with two laps to go, Hopkins and Hedges knew the only thing to be decided was who would be first across the finish line. Not surprisingly, having worked tegether for most of the race, the team-mates chose to coast over the line together, raising each other's arm in the air in a victory salute in 1:05.28.

Afterwards Hopkins said: "The race worked out perfectly for us. Once Kris joined me I knew we had a chance to stay ahead if the pack didn't get organised.

"With about three laps to go Kris was much stronger than me and could have dropped me, especially on the hill, but having worked so hard together with each other we decided to finish together.

"It was Kris' race, I am just pleased to have been a part of it. He has a great future.'' In a sprint for third place Dayna Henry overcame Steve Millington as the two sprinted for the finish after breaking away from the rest of the field to finish in the same time of 1:06.16.

Nuri Latham recorded his second win of the year in the category two race with Melanie Claude having an excellent race in second and Vance Stevens third.

Jim Butterfield was a decisive winner in the veterans category in the 14-lap race, finishing in a time of 57.19 with Vic Ball in second in 58.54. Paulo Medeiros came in third in 1:00.58.

In the novice category, Jahdal Williams, in only his third race, was an impressive winner in a time of 59.03 over 14 laps. Andy Kain was second in 1:02.26 and Jim Hinton third in 1:03.59.

Sheila Ruse was first in the women's field as was Kim Mason in the women's veterans category. Allison Petty, home on vacation, returned to her winning ways in the girls' 17-18 category.

In an exciting battle in the boys' 13-14 division, Matthew Herring and Adam Petty sprinted for honours with Herring getting the judges' call after both riders recorded the same time of 37.15. Geoffrey Smith won the boys' 11-12 and Tim Fox the boys' 10 and under.

Laura Ruse won the girls' 10 and under age group. Over 50 riders participated in the event.