After 75 miles and three-and-a-half hours of racing, the RMS Construction National Road Race Cycling Championship came down to half a wheel length.

That's what it took for professional triathlete Tyler Butterfield to wrestle the title from Steve Millington on Sunday morning at Southside.

In what predictably became a war of attrition for many of the 75 riders on the start line, Butterfield and Millington - who won the Time Trial National Championships beating Butterfield the week before - showed why they were both expected to represent Bermuda in their respective sports of triathlon and cycling at the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

The two riders spent the first half of the race watching each other's every move as other hopefuls tried to break up the field with continued attacks off the front.

Eventually, they burst into action at the half-way stage, Butterfield pouncing first. He opened up a gap in a small group of riders but Millington timed his counter perfectly, jumping out of the large pack of riders and bridging the gap.

As the race started the main climb on the course, Kent Richardson - another Games hopeful - and Earl Godfrey were the only two able to join the two leaders as the gap widened.

However, unable to maintain the furious pace, Godfrey quickly dropped back to the chasing pack, leaving the three leaders to work together and extend their lead over the field.

With three of the 16 laps remaining, Richardson faltered as he experienced cramps under the relentless effort, and dropped back from the lead group.

He was passed on the final lap by the dwindling chase pack of seven riders, now six minutes behind.

As it came to the finishing straight, Millington and Butterfield were neck-and-neck until Millington made the first move powering off the front in a mad dash to the line. Reacting quickly, Butterfield pulled alongside with literally yards to go and, with a final surge for the finish, took his first senior national road race title.

With Richardson now out of contention and with three different categories in the chase pack all looking to win their division title, Jonathon Herring took advantage and bounced back from a disappointing time trial result the previous week to power off the front and solo to third place.

The chase pack of seven riders included Melanie Claude and Julia Hawley in the category two women's event, Andy Kain and Dave Hill in the men's category three, and Greg Hopkins and Karl Outerbridge, both left to pick up the pieces in the men's category two division.

Visiting Australian triathlete Nikki Egyed also battled for position in the finishing straight.

When the dust settled, Egyed, who was not eligible for a title, had forced her way through a small gap to claim a moral victory with Claude and Kain winning their categories.

In the veterans' category, Ricky Sousa pushed Vic Ball all the way to the line, but the latter's experience decided the day as he edged Sousa on the line.

In the women's category three event, Marathon Derby champion runner Lynn Patchett made a rare appearance on the cycling scene and after staying with the main field throughout the race took honours unchallenged with Karen Smith and Allison Petty in second and third respectively.

Other category winners were Michael Dyer in the Novice men's and Ashley Robinson Roberts in the women's Novice.

Matthew Herring completed another strong performance winnin