Island Games silver and bronze medallist and current national time trial champion Deanna Thomson warmed up for next week's Caribbean Cycling Championships (CCC) in St. Vincent by setting a new record (24 minutes, 47 seconds) for the 10.2 mile Shelly Bay Time Trial over the weekend.

Thomson shaved 52 seconds off the previous mark of 25:39 which she set last year to suggest she is peaking at the right time with the CCC just around the bend.

The rider has captured both silver and bronze medals in the time trial and road race events at the CCC in the past and now hopes to make significant strides towards winning the coveted gold medal this time around.

"I won a silver and bronze before and so I would like to come home with a gold medal this time. My real goal is to come home with a gold medal and having just broke the Shelly Bay time trial course record has certainly given me lots of confidence for next week," Thomson told The Royal Gazette.

In her bid for CCC glory Thomson has left no stone unturned in her preparations, logging extra hours on the road with husband Garth who will represent Bermuda in the team event in St.Vincent next week along with former pro cyclist Tyler Butterfield and 2007 national time trial champion Geri Mewett.

Thomson's decision to skip local triathlons this fall also seems to be paying dividends, as was shown at Shelly Bay over the weekend.

"My preparations have been very good. I haven't done any running or swimming. I have just been putting a lot more hours on the bike," she explained.

"Normally when I am cycling, I also do triathlons but I have done nothing but cycling with my husband (Garth) for the past two and a half months, which has really pushed me. He is very strong and so training with him has definitely made me faster."

Thomson is now bracing herself for what she anticipates will again be "challenging" and "unpredictable" conditions in the Caribbean.

"It's very unpredicatble and so when you get there you have to be prepared for a lot of obastacles," she added.

"It's very hot and unpredictable and you never know where you are racing or who you are racing against until to the last minute."