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Kiwi Greame Miller said winning the Sinclair Packwood Memorial Race was "just as good a feeling as the winning the Commonwealth Games."

The five-time Olympian and former Commonwealth Games double gold medal winner said nothing could have prepared him for the atmosphere of the island's biggest cycling race.

Miller said the boisterous crowds in Hamilton left his ears ringing like he'd been in a nightclub all night.

"It was amazing," he said. "The absolute hype and energy that goes into the race with just everybody in Bermuda gets out and watches the race and supports you. I had goose bumps the whole way. I've raced in every country in the world and I've never seen anything like this. Never. It's just totally amazing.

"People were telling me (about the atmosphere), but you know how people kind of exaggerate the truth a little bit, especially when you got guys like Neil (de ste Croix) from Bicycle Works and Greg (Hopkins) from Winner's Edge. Those guys exaggerate the smallest of things and they were telling me how big it was, but I was just ho hum about it."

Which is something you might expect from a veteran rider who has won over 200 professional races and competed in about every big international cycling event.

"I've been to four Commonwealth Games and five Olympics, but this was massive.

"It's just a great way to get the community involved in sport and exercise. I've only been here a year and Bermuda is a great island and there are some great people here."

The New Zealand native only had two other riders on his team - a slight disadvantage to the larger teams - but had developed his tactics as to how he wanted the race to play out.

Miller said: "I've had 30 years race experience and my ability to think on my feet I think is a bit ahead everyone here. I used my guys wisely - Phil Trussell and Scott Williams - I used them all up for my purpose. We had a couple of little tactics at the start but the race was very slow at the start. It was just a matter of containing everybody. There were just a few hard spots on the course so you know everyone is going to have a go on the hard spots, I just had to make sure I was in and near the front on those to cover the moves."

With the pack still together as they headed through Town, Miller was ready to make his move.

"I used to be a very good sprinter eight years ago so I worked out my spot to go where it would be far enough out that no one would be thinking of attacking there so I attacked about 700 metres from the finish about where Kentucky Fried Chicken is. I got about a 70 metre gap and rolled down to the finish."

So how did this compare to other victories for the Kiwi?

"I've won the Commonwealth Games and it was just as good a feeling. It's just fantastic to see so many people out here. When we came into town it was just nuts. My ears were ringing - it was like being in a nightclub all night."[[In-content Ad]]

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