He's no longer just Elliot Hubbard, Bermudian.

He's now Elliot Hubbard, top pro cyclist.

Any doubts that the two were identical were erased last night when Hubbard stunned a field of world-class riders to win the Conyers Dill and Pearman Classic criterium in Hamilton.

Kicking off the four-day Bermuda Grand Prix, the 23-year-old Southampton resident, riding with the New Jersey-based Navigators team, wedged himself in the lead pack early and hung on until a final breathtaking move over the last half-lap.

With his hands raised high above his head and broad smile filling his face, Hubbard crossed the Front Street finish line about five yards ahead of American Frank McCormack. George Hincapie nosed out Robbie Ventura, Hubbard's team-mate, for third, two seconds behind.

In his second full season as a pro, Hubbard is used to riding with the best, largely as a worker bee for designated team leaders. But last night was not a personal test, it was his chance to show the hundreds of fans who lined the tricky course that he is more than a token Bermudian.

"It tells me, that on any given day, I can ride with the strongest on the circuit,'' said Hubbard, breaking briefly away from a receiving line of hometown well-wishers.

"It's reassuring to know that I can race with people of this quality. And it's good for Bermuda to see this level of racing so that hopefully it will encourage some more youngsters to come out.'' Hubbard is early into his first season with Navigators, one of five top pro teams in the Grand Prix, which continues today with the first of three accumulated-time events, the time trial in St. David's.

But last night was not as much about team-work as it was about endurance and tactics.

The 49 men and one woman set out on a blistering pace, on a demanding course that took them west on Front Street, followed by a hairpin turn at the Birdcage, then east, up Burnaby Hill, along Reid Street and down Court before returning to Front.

The one in front after 55 minutes -- or about 35 laps -- wins.

"Great course,'' said McCormack, a 28-year-old Saturn rider who was almost as happy about the 83 he shot on Castle Harbour golf course yesterday morning as he was with his second-place finish.

"Definitely different,'' said Hincapie, a member of the US Postal Service team, but riding solo in Bermuda.

The course and the speed in which riders attacked it quickly took its toll. By seven minutes, riders, including Bermuda's Steve Sterritt and Wayman Butterfield, began dropping out. Midway through, the field had been cut in half and after 41 minutes there were only ten riders left.

Hubbard planted himself on Hincapie's back wheel -- a pretty good position to be in considering he's a Tour de France veteran -- and seldom budged.

The strategy paid off. By the 28-minute mark, a breakaway group of four, including Hubbard, had opened a huge lead and only broke apart for some of the half-dozen lucrative primes, or lap prizes worth as much as $600.

Recuperating from a nasty bout with the 'flu, Hubbard didn't cash in -- Hincapie collected $750 -- and in fact almost cashed out when the others went for the bucks.

"I was suffering,'' he said. "And those primes just about killed me.'' Hubbard made his move going up the steep incline of Burnaby Hill on the final lap. A noted climber, he said he noticed "a moment of hesitation'' as McCormack and Hincapie played cat-and-mouse. Before they had a chance to change gears, Hubbard had blown by.

"It was all or nothing there,'' he said. "It was either I win or I come fourth, so I put everything I had into that attack on the last lap.'' "Elliot rode strong and he caught us by surprise,'' said Hincapie. "The guy was really motivated to be racing at home and I'm happy for him.'' Top finishers 1 Elliot Hubbard 57:13 2 Frank McCormack 57:14 3 George Hincapie 57:15 4 Robbie Ventura 57:15 5 Czeslaw Lakaszewicz 58:35 6 Chris Wherry 58:35 7 Olin Bakke 58:35 8 Kevin Monahan 58:36 ELLIOT HUBBARD takes a breather midway through last night's Grand Prix in which he rode to a memorable victory.