Dominique Mayho will become the first Bermudian to compete at the UCI Road World Championships Under-23 race since Tyler Butterfield in 2005.

Mayho, who has represented Bermuda at last month’s Pan Am Games in Toronto, will compete against the top young cyclists in the world at the event, which will be held in Richmond Virginia on September 25.

The 21-year-old qualified for the championships by virtue if his continental ranking, which stood at 55th at the cut-off date of August 15.

Mayho said qualifying for the championships had been one of his main goals of the season.

“I’m happy to have achieved this as it is my final year in the under-23 category,” said Mayho, who rides for the Ride for Rendall team in Ottawa.

“Between now and championships I will be based in Ottawa and will be racing local events, as well as the Green Mountain Stage Race in Vermont over the Labour Day weekend.

“After that I’m hoping that I’m selected by my team to race the Reading 120, a UCI calendar event on September 12. If selected for that event, I will make a short return to Bermuda for about a week and then head to Richmond.”

The course will include downtown Richmond and will be ten laps of ten miles each.

While the larger cycling countries will have teams of as many as five riders, Mayho will be on his own in what is often the most competitive race of the weeklong championships.

Peter Dunne, the Bermuda Bicycle Association president, said: “With younger riders all trying to impress the bosses at the upper echelons of the sport, the under-23 event is typically is a brutal affair and fast-paced from the outse.

“We are thrilled that Dominique has qualified for the event and feel that his focus this year has helped him prepare to meet this challenge. We are totally supportive of his efforts and look forward to seeing him race in Richmond.”

Mayho returned to the Island last weekend to defend his Presidents Cup Road Race.

Butterfield, a two-times Olympic triathlete, is a former professional cyclist, competing for Team Slipstream in 2006 and 2007.