Youth triumphed over experience during yesterday's Sinclair Packwood Memorial Race - if only by half a bike length.

Summoning on all his youthful reserve over the final 100 yards of the annual 13-mile race, 18-year-old Saltus Grammar School student Jean-Nicolas Bertrand barely eclipsed veteran Andy Kain in a frenzied uphill sprint to the finish line on Frog Lane to lay claim to a maiden win in the coveted Bermuda Day event.

Bertrand crossed the tape in 31 minutes, 13.84 seconds and Kain in 31:14.49 while third-place honours went to Karl Outerbridge who clocked 31:16.48.

Another promising youngster, Flora Duffy, comfortably retained her women's title.

"It's just so surreal!" exclaimed Bertrand shortly after winning his first Memorial title. "I don't think that it has sunk in yet. The race was so hard. Guys were attacking everywhere and it was just really, really fast and difficult to stick in there."

Not many were surprised by the thin margin between triumph and anguish as throughout the race no one rider was able to break free and establish an advantage. And as had been predicted, the real race didn't begin until close to the finish line with the odds heavily favouring a sprinter.

After honouring the late Packwood with a moment of silence prior to the start in Somerset, which was followed by a prayer read out by veteran rider Earl Godfrey, the chess game began in earnest as several of the Island's top cyclists plotted their course for Kris Hedges' vacated crown.

Among them was Bertrand who had a trick or two of his own.

"My strategy was just to try and stay in there for the sprint and just to stay with the attacks and try to be in the top five or six riders," he explained.

"When Garth (Thompson) attacked it was really tough to get on his wheel because he is a real powerhouse. So it was a really good race on his part trying to ditch the sprinters. But my strategy was just to try and stick on those guys wheels and it worked."

Thompson briefly pulled away from a lead pack of nine cyclists at Burnt House Hill and then desperately tried to pry away again near Red Hole on Harbour Road.

However, it would all come to no avail as not even those two tactical manoeuvres, slightly dampened roads or yesterday's humid conditions could derail a focused Bertrand.

"By the time the race started it wasn't too bad. Just a few wet patches here and there but the only weather factor was the humidity," he added. "It was just really, really hot from the beginning and it was tough just to get through that."

The youngster paid tribute to all of his local rivals while singling out special praise for veteran Greg Hopkins, who commented from the pace car throughout yesterday's race.

"I would like to thank Greg (Hopkins) for supporting me all of the time, my dad and all of the spectators who boosted me all along the way," said Bertrand. "I would like to thank everybody for their encouraging support."

Despite being pipped at the finish line by Bertrand, the 38-year-old Kain had plenty to smile about after recording his best-ever finish in the annual race.

"Bertrand is a great young rider," said Kain. "He's probably the best sprinter on the Island. When we came around the corner at Montpelier Road, Garth (Thompson) was out in front and I was comfortably on his wheel and I thought that I'd be better off if I went earlier."

Kain did manage to distance himself momentarily from the pair but like a magnet to steel, Bertrand reeled the veteran back in and nipped him on the uphill climb at the finish just outside of the National Sports Centre.

"It really was a sprinter's race and you really just want to stay in and be competitive on someone's wheel . . . not do too much work and if you are there with the lead pack coming around Montpelier corner, then it's still anybody's race.

"But I'm very pleased with second place because the short races haven't been working for me this year. And so I prefer the longer ones and I am very pleased with this one."

Equally pleased with his own personal best was Outerbridge.

"Today the weather the way that it was played a very important factor," he said. "Today there was a cross wind that made it very tough. You had to be in the right spot and not get caught too long out in front where you end up burning up your resources. So I am happy with my performance. I dropped off the pace on the final 200 yards of the race. That's where I lost contact with the riders. I just couldn't go on. My legs were tired."

Outerbridge still had just enough energy stored to hold off Thompson and finish in the top three.

Duffy also had good reason to cheer about after retaining the women's crown yesterday. "I felt pretty good and I was extremely pleased because I was able to keep up with the lead pack," she said.

Asked about bidding for a three-peat, Duffy replied: "I don't know. That all depends if Melanie (Claude) is in the race. If she is, then I don't think I stand a chance."