Top local female cyclists Nicole Mitchell made a triumphant return to regional competition at the weekend.The 29-year-old software developer earned the Island’s only medals at the 2012 Caribbean Cycling Championships in Antigua.Mitchell started the two-day event on a solid note, winning the silver medal in Saturday’s women’s time trial, covering the 12 -mile course in a personal best time of 31 minutes and 15 seconds to finish just 2.5 seconds behind winner Shalini Zabaneh of Belize.She then added to her medal haul yesterday, capturing the bronze medal in the 42-mile women’s road race.Mitchell, who missed last year’s championships through injury, went into this year’s event with high expectations.“I was pretty confident that I could medal in one of the events,” she said. “The time trial is my main event and I was pretty confident coming in that I could end up on the podium for the time trial.”Mitchell, though, admitted she was surprised to win the bronze in the road race in which she carried Bermuda’s hopes alone on her broad shoulders.“The road race was a bit of a surprise and being a lone rider you have to be smart about not doing too much work,” she said. “You have to be really smart in the road race and not do too much and try and be in the winning breaks. You had to be careful you didn’t do too much, you just have to tryand let others do some of the work as well.”Mitchell described the competition in Antigua as formidable.“It was a very tough field this year and the level here has definitely improved a lot, it’s really unbelievable,” she added. “The field was a lot more competitive this year and I’m very happy with how I performed and hopefully next year I can bring home a gold medal.”Mitchell also won bronze medals in the women’s time trial and road race at the 2010 Caribbean Cycling Championships in Guadeloupe.Antigua’s Tamiko Butler won yesterday’s women’s road race.Also representing Bermuda in this year’s championships were top men’s cyclists Dominique Mayho, Mark Hatherley, Darren Glasford and Geri Mewett.Mayho (one hour and eight seconds) and Mark Hatherley (one hour, one minute and 44 seconds) finished 15th and 20th in the men’s time trial that was won by Carene Boris (53:43) of Guadeloupe.Glasford and Mewett then joined forces with Mayho and Hatherley for yesterday’s road race.Mayho succumbed to stomach cramps and ended up with a DNF (did not finish), Glasford dropped out after falling off the pace on the main climb while Hatherley and Mewett both finished in the top 25.Boris won yesterday’s road race to cap a remarkable double.