His fast-paced multiple circuits of Dockyard complete, Ivan Stevic leapt into the harbour happy in the knowledge that the CD&P Grand Prix title was his.

The charismatic Serbian may have only finished ninth in the Cheerios Dockyard Criterium but his hard work on the wet and wild road race at Clearwater the previous day ensured that the overall prize was all but in the bag heading into yesterday?s fourth and final stage.

His arms went above his head as he completed the final lap along with a pack of other riders, the culmination of a superb first season stateside that ended by claiming Tyler Butterfield?s vacant CD&P crown and helping his team Aerospace Engineering team to overall victory.

And, like everyone else, Stevic was quick to congratulate the winner of yesterday?s stage, local Geri Mewett who managed to hold on after an early breakaway and stormed to victory with fellow escape artist Karl Bodine despite the ever-advancing chasing pack.

?I am very happy, very happy,? said Stevic, a former Olympian who spent five years competing in Italy before heading over to the States where he finally snared ?the big contract? he was looking for.

?On Saturday I had a very good ride and that made sure I won the overall classification. I went with strong riders and we stayed with it and helped get a nice lead coming into the final Criterium.

?I still put in the extra effort for the sprint bonuses here but that wasn?t for me, that was for my team because we needed the points. I was quite comfortable by then already, knowing I had a big lead overall.?

Stevic went into yesterday?s final event 15 seconds ahead of his nearest rival after finishing in third place more than a minute ahead of the pack in the Tropical Storm Philippe-hit St. David?s race on Saturday ? ?wow, that was some weather,? he laughed.

Although the Serbian made sure he stayed near the front of the group yesterday, he never made a push for the lead and was not motivated to chase when Mewett and Bodine went for it.

With Saturday?s racing stringing out the group, there was little motivation for any riders to chase down the escapees, leaving the $200 prime and all the time bonuses to the front runners.

Although there was a late surge in the final three laps, there was still plenty of clear daylight behind the front two when the main group finished.

?We decided to go early and once we had invested a couple of laps in it we knew it would be had a chance of sticking it out,? said Mewitt, an Island Games road racing gold medallist for Bermuda who has been racing well in the States this year.

?There were plenty of times I thought they?d catch us but we worked together and hung on. It got tougher towards the end but there is always the motivation of being at home that makes you dig that little bit deeper.

?Of course it?s great to win the final stage here, like I said, it was a lot of hard work and we just had to tough it out.?

In the Masters category, David Osborne of Maryland ? a former semi-pro basketball player and team-mate of Charles Barkley ? took honours despite riding the final three laps with a front flat. The 42-year-old held on for the overall prize despite an eighth place finish yesterday.

Andy Kain took honours in the Masters yesterday while local rider and former Sinclair Packwood Memorial winner Wayne Scott took the Open category ? Travis Pidcock won the general classification.