Defending national mountain bike champion Brian Steinhoff started off the new season just as he finished the last by winning the first event of Bermuda Bicycle Association’s mountain bike series at Admiralty Park on Sunday.

It proved to be a day of excitement for some, disappointment for others, and a painful experience for at least one.

The 17-year-old Steinhoff blasted the eight lap course in 33 minutes and one second — more than two minutes ahead of second placed Chris Conway (35.22). Neil de St Croix, making a rare appearance, placed a distant third in 39.09.

But the youngster was the first to admit that his time at the top may be limited after seeing MacInnis Looby.

Although Looby was forced to retire with mechanical problems, Steinhoff said: “(He) was just so smooth and strong, he made it look easy. He is definitely going to be the one to beat this season.”

However, it was Peter Matcham that set the early pace as the riders tried to sort themselves out on the tight technical course.

Within a lap, though, Steinhoff and Looby had taken charge.

But just as an exciting battle appeared to be in the making the rear gear mechanism on Looby’s bike shattered, forcing him to stop.

The national squad rider, who was part of the Bermuda team in China earlier this year for the B World Road Race Championships, is back on the Island temporarily from England where he now lives with his wife and daughter, and is looking forward to competing in more races during the season.

“I was just looking to work my way in and was blowing a few cobwebs out,” he said. “Brian was riding well, especially on the downhills but I could see he needs to work on his fitness and some of his techniques. But basically he is a good rider.”

With Looby out of the picture, Steinhoff rode to victory unchallenged, but it was not such an easy day for another rider.

Swiss cyclist Rolf Runkel, riding in the open category, crashed on a steep downhill section of the course on the first lap and broke his collarbone.

The head pastry chef at the Southampton Princess explained: “It is ironic. The day before I was on the course with my son and I saw a patch of gravel at the bottom of the hill and warned him it could be dangerous and it was me that crashed. I think I must have landed on a tree root.”

However Runkel, who is the brother of the 1995 World Cyclo Cross Champion, Diter Runkel, took the accident in his stride and says he will be back once the injury has cleared up.

“It’s part of cycling. It has happened at a bad time because it is very busy at work, but I will just work with it,” he said.

Another irony is that his brother, who was also a top mountain bike racer, suffered the same injury but in a far more important race.

“Diter was winning the Grundig World Cup and in the last event of the series he broke his collarbone and lost the series,” he said.

Veteran Paulo Medeiros won his category after making a return to the racing scene.

The former veteran national champion took a break in 2001 but looks to be back on track for this season.

Gavin Davis won the novice category while Kyle Smith was a strong winner in the boys 15-16 category and Jesse Kirkland the winner of the 13-14 category.

The next event is on December 30 at Hog Bay Park, Somerset.