The rain came lashing down on Front Street but it couldn't put out the fire in Melanie Claude's belly.

The Bermuda national team rider tuned up for her bid to qualify for next year's Commonwealth Games by blitzing the field in the final stage of the Conyers, Dill and Pearman Grand Prix yesterday.

While the Pro Men's criterium went ahead but was scrapped from the general classification because of both the atrocious conditions and Erik Wolhberg's seemingly insurmountable lead, the women had to go into battle.

Just three seconds separated three riders entering the event climax, so organisers had no choice but to go ahead with the round-Hamilton stage as planned.

Claude, international team-mate Julia Hawley and Catherine Powers, all from the TeleBermuda team, were each capable of taking overall honours and for several rain-soaked laps it was anyone's guess as to who might lift the title.

The defining moment, however, came after 15 minutes when Bermuda Bicycle Association president, Greg Hopkins informed the field there was a five second bonus available for whoever was in the lead at the end of the next lap.

Claude saw this as her cue to put the hammer down and by the time she came across the line she had built up a sizeable lead over her rivals.

Having seen how easily she had managed to pull away and how the other riders had shown little inclination in the treacherous conditions to put in a chase, Claude kept going until at one point she was being offered a cash incentive to lap the other competitors.

That never actually happened but so commanding was her grip on the race that when she crossed the line for the final time she had time to slow down, turn around and watch the rest of the field stroll in.

"I have enjoyed all the racing, even with the conditions today I still felt strong and just wanted to do the best I could," said Claude afterwards.

"My four days of racing have been strategically planned. I conserved as much as I could through all the stages and I knew that going into today that I was going to be strong. I saw how it (the race) was during the first 15 minutes and felt comfortable enough to make the break."

Claude said she hadn't anticipated being out on her own at the beginning of the race.

"Originally that was not my plan, I had planned to hang in with the group. But I got such a strong sprint that when I looked behind I thought `gee they are a long way away from me, I may as well go for it'," she said.

"I thought I would go for a bit and see how it goes and if they catch me up so be it, if not I am just going to continue and time trial and that's basically what I did."

Though the rain was obviously unwelcome Claude said she didn't let it become a factor.

"You shouldn't let the rain interfere with your racing. It's just another day, you have to be a little bit more cautious, but you still have to be gutsy as far as your racing is concerned. I wasn't going to let that interfere with my strategy today," she said.

Claude and Hawley, who finished second overall in a field depleted by no-shows due to the recent terrorist attacks in the US, now prepare for a crucial trip to the Caribbean.

The pair travel to Aruba next month in the hope of meeting the qualifying time for the time trials at next year's Commonwealth Games to be held in Manchester, England.

"This was a good training race for me," said Claude. "Next week we have got the Bank of Bermuda team triathlon at which I would like do well and then we are off to Aruba."

Meanwhile, in the men's event Saturn rider Wohlberg had the title sewn up by the end of Saturday's road race.

The bad weather first led organisers to reduce yesterday's criterium to 45 minutes, then after a quick get together with some of the leaders it was decided to remove the stage from the general classification altogether in the interests of rider safety.

So with the race now a one-off event, riders who would not have had a chance of glory ordinarily were suddenly in with a shout.

But most wanted the scalps of the likes of Wohlberg, and US Postal riders George Hincapie and Tyler Hamilton, more than anyone else.

Buck Miller made the break early on and with the help of strategically offered cash incentives motored on to the end, finishing the race in the main pack, having caught them up with several minutes left.

Overall winner Wohlberg had said he was confident of taking the title before the event started, and he was proven right.

"My whole team rode a good race. I think we gave a good demonstration of team racing and anyone of us was capable of winning," said Wolhberg, who lifted the title in 1999. "But I happened to have the fastest time trial of the guys on Thursday and they just supported me all along, so it was pretty much a textbook race."

On the local front Kris Hedges, Bermuda's top pro rider, had a Grand Prix to forget.

Looking to put in a stellar performance in front of his home crowd the Snow Valley rider suffered not one, not two but seven punctures during the event.

Fellow Islander Steve Millington, while not grabbing the glory, was nevertheless proud of his efforts in a world class field.

"I was happy with yesterday's ride, the road race, which I wanted to do well in," he said. "I finished in the bunch. The Postal and Saturn guys controlled everything with a couple of laps to go when they put the hammer down."

Millington said he was in full agreement with the decision to remove yesterday's race from the overall standings.

"They made the right decision. It was just so dangerous," he said. "The white lines on the road are like ice when you go round them, plus the pot holes fill with water and if you hit one of them . . . the last thing I want to do is bring down Wolhberg or Hincapie and finish their career!"

Millington, Hedges, Wayne Scott, who also raced this week, and Geri Mewett, who missed out to get married, are also heading to Aruba for the Caribbean Championships.

"I think we have got a good chance of winning actually," said Millington. "I don't want to put the kiss of death on it or anything, but with Kris and Geri being as good as they are nowadays I think we have got a really good chance.

"Wayne and I will hopefully prove to be able lieutenants and we'll come away with the team prize as well."