Only a couple of wheel lengths could tell them apart, but it was Kris Hedges and not Steve Millington who put his over the finish line first to retain his Sinclair Packwood Heritage Day title.

In conditions not normally associated with May 24, pre-race favourites Hedges and Millington left the other riders in their wake, splitting from the rest of the field as early as Port Royal for what is widely believed to be the fastest ever finish -- 25 minutes and 47 seconds.

The duelling duo went toe for toe along the remainder of the 13-mile course, until the lesser fancied Millington -- unbeaten in five outings this year -- made his move in the City of Hamilton.

As the pair reached the bus station, the Winners Edge rider put the hammer down in the hope of breaking his friend and rival, Hedges.

But the Snow Valley team member refused to bend under the pressure and passed Millington on the final approach.

The man from Hull in England came back again and as the pair headed along Cedar Avenue you could not have got a cigarette paper between them, but with 20 yards to go Hedges made one last push and Millington had no answer.

"Greg (Hopkins) took it up to Scaur Hill pretty quick. I didn't want to do the same thing I did last year and attack over there. I sat down, kept the traction on the wheels, put up the pace and Steve came with me,'' said Hedges.

"Two other guys came with us and we had a good gap but the group was not going to let us go. Then going over White Hill, Greg went again and I went with him that time and we got clear of Karl (Outerbridge) and Steve.'' However, Millington was not going to let Hedges have it all his own way.

"Going down by Port Royal Golf Course I really put the hammer down, we just dropped everybody which was quite surprising and from then on it was just Steve and I,'' Hedges said.

"We kept it pretty steady, pretty fast. Coming down Front Street I didn't want to leave it to a sprint with Steve as I thought he might be a little fresh because we weren't going super hard.

"I put in a pretty good effort there but he responded well and then he made me lead it out which I had to do after going at him like that.'' Coming into the home stretch, Hedges believed he might have lost his chance.

Hedges wins sprint finish From Page 21 "Usually the first person out of the corner wins the race, no matter what, but Steve obviously didn't have the legs today,'' he said.

Millington said he thought he had a chance of victory until the last moment.

"He jumped me on Front Street but I got back to him. I was going to sit on and try my own jump near the finish. I had a plan to go at the bus station and that's pretty much where I went. He was just too strong in the end,'' he said.

"It was pretty close but, hey, no cigar.'' Ever the competitor, Millington could not hide his disappointment that the win had eluded him, despite a fantastic ride.

"There is always disappointment when I don't win, especially a race like this were everybody is out watch,'' he said. "I'm pleased with my ride because I was able to stay so close to Kris and put up a challenge to him.

"It's the second time I have been second now so it looks like one of those races that I am destined not to win.'' Jonathan Herring was credited with third spot in the race, one minute and eight seconds behind the first two, with a group of 16 riders, all classified with the same time, finishing next.

Despite the conditions, only one accident of note was reported during the race, James Adams failing to negotiate the bend at the bottom of Burnt House Hill and going straight on into a residential yard. Luckily he escaped serious injury, suffering just from road rash.

Homeward bound: Kris Hedges leads Steve Millington in the City of Hamilton en route to retaining his Heritage Day cycling title. Hedges pipped Millington on the finish line in Cedar Avenue with Jonathan Herring taking third.