The local sports community was shocked yesterday at the sudden passing of top cyclist Sinclair Packwood in hospital. Packwood went into the hospital yesterday morning for tests and died hours later of complications. He was 36 and leaves a wife, Maria, a schoolteacher at Bermuda Institute, and two young daughters. Packwood was recognised as the top sprinter in cycling and was, for many years, one of the top riders in the sport, winning many events. In the last few years he did not compete much as he began dedicating more time with his new company, Soft Pro Bermuda, a computer consultancy firm. But he clearly made his mark on the cycling scene, representing Bermuda abroad and twice (1992, '93) winning the popular May 24 Heritage Race from Somerset to Hamilton. "When it's a personality within sports like Sinclair, we're deeply shocked and feel very, very sad for his wife and two children,'' said Greg Hopkins, president of the Bermuda Bicycle Association. "Not just was he a tremendous cyclist over the years but also worked very hard for the association behind the scenes. He was a member of the executives for a number of terms and one of the organisers for the May 24th (race). "He was just actively involved for many years and took teams away to international competitions. He will be a great loss to the association, to the sport and to Bermuda.'' Hopkins described Packwood as a great competitor on the road. "He was a very determined and tough cyclist and in the last couple of years as far as his business was concerned he had the same sort of attitude. He was very determined and very hard working.'' Top cyclists MacInnis Looby and Jason Krupp no doubt spoke on behalf of the Island's other cyclists when he paid tributes to Packwood. They, too, were shocked to hear of Packwood's death yesterday afternoon as the news spread fast around the Island. "The first thing I thought of was his family who are going to miss him the most,'' said Looby. "I was just going through my scrapbook today and was looking at some pictures from a Heritage Race and we were duking it out coming to the line,'' said Looby. "He played a big role in me becoming a strong finisher. "I remember the first Heritage Day I outsprinted him and was jumping for joy that I had beaten him. He was tremdously strong on the bike and a tremendously strong personality.'' Added Looby: "We did go at it like athletes do. He said he was the top sprinter and then came out and proved it. He was one of the people who gave me advice about travelling overseas and what to look out for.

"I asked everybody and he was the person who stepped up and said `this is what it's like, be prepared for this'. I never thanked him for that.'' Krupp, like Looby, already found Packwood established in the sport when he got involved. He also respected Packwood for what he had achieved. "He was well established and was pretty close to his peak when I got in,'' Krupp recalled.

"He's been winding down the last couple of years. He was certainly one of the best sprinters I've ever raced against. "He was very competitive and a fair competitor and we're all going to miss him.'' SINCLAIR PACKWOOD -- cycling community were stunned by his sudden death yesterday.

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