Tour de Warsaw in Virginia over the weekend.

Claude managed a third-place finish in the 13.6-mile time trial yesterday to follow her 10th place in the road race the day before, when she was forced to make up ground after an early crash.

Hawley also impressed by finishing sixth in the field of 40 women in the time trial and eighth out of 49 in the road race.

Another Bermudian, Kris Hedges, racing for the Snow Valley team, finished 14th overall out of 83 men in the pro category road race.

Claude and Hawley said last night they were pleased with their performances as they prepared for the upcoming World B Championships in China.

"The course was very close to Bermuda in that there were a lot of rolling hills, but nothing mountain-size, a few open areas where we got some strong head winds and and ideal warm weather conditions,'' said Claude.

Claude said Saturday's crash, early in the road race, had been unavoidable.

"There was a collision in front of me. Two girls collided and I tried to turn to the right to avoid them, but it was impossible with the whole pack coming up behind us.''