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No teams, no tactics, it's just you and your bike against the clock.

That's what Garth Thompson loves about time-trial racing.

Arguably the best rider on the island right now, Thompson has not won a road race all season.

But on Sunday, with the numerous factors that can sway the outcome of a race taken out of the equation, he powered to an impressive victory at the national time-trial championships.

"That's the beauty of it. It's you and your bike, your legs and your lungs, trying to go as fast as you can.

"You are racing on your own against the clock. Your competition is out on the course so you are just trying to go all out, while keeping it relatively steady so you don't blow out."

Thompson was the last man out, with the staggered start-times meaning his main rivals Evan Naude and Wayne Scott, were already involved in their own personal battles when he wheeled off the starting ramp and into the race.

"He (Scott) had left 10 minutes before me and I was not able to gage where he was at. You are putting down the effort that you are capable of, trying to put it right on the line for 45 minutes, and always wondering whether it is going to be enough."

In the end it was enough, with Thompson crossing the line in 52.38, 40 seconds ahead of Scott. Evan Naude was 88 seconds further back in third while veterans Kent Richardson and Mark Yeulett took 4th and 5th.

May 24 winner Ricky Sousa Jnr had another excellent day, the 15-year-old once again demonstrating his enormous potential to finish sixth overall, less than five minutes behind Thompson.

Julia Hawley, in one of her first races since the Commonwealth Games, was the top woman.

Thompson's win means he adds the national time-trial championship to his national mountain bike title. If he wins next Sunday's 90-mile national road race he'll have the grand slam.

"That was my goal for the first half of the season before going away to race internationally. It's two out of three, so far."

Despite his form and fitness Thompson is aware that road racing, particularly in Bermuda, is an entirely different animal.

"It's totally different. In mountain biking or time-trialling if you have put in the work and you are the fittest and the strongest technically you are probably going to win. In road racing there's so many other factors that come into play."

And with Kris Hedges and Wayne Scott in the field, a third victory is far from assured.

"Kris is the defending champion and he and Wayne are team-mates so that should make it interesting. They have forgotten more races than I have been in.

"Wayne is in great shape but hopefully my team-mates can help me out a bit and then it's just a matter of who can hold out the longest."

The race will be a test of endurance with the cyclists going for 90 miles around the Clearwater circuit in the sweltering July heat.

There's likely to be a group of around nine riders out in front in the Open class and each of them knows each others strength and race tactics inside out, a source of frustration for Thompson.

"It often comes down to a sprint finish and Wayne has got the natural ability in that department, so he is probably the favourite."[[In-content Ad]]

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