Cycling Australia

The Awards will be presented at a gala celebration being staged at the Plaza Ballroom Melbourne on Sunday 22 November. The night will culminate with the announcement of the Scody 2009 People's Choice Cyclist of the Year and the presentation of the Sir Hubert 'Oppy' Opperman Medal and Trophy to the Jayco 2009 Australian Cyclist of the Year.

"Australian cycling has enjoyed a stellar year both at home and on the international stage," said Mike Victor OAM, President of Cycling Australia. "Forty five Australians have been crowned World Champions in 2009 across every discpline and category.

"Australia topped the medal table at the UCI Track (elite, junior and masters) and Road World Championships this year which is a clear indication of the depth of talent in our sport.

"From juniors to masters, in road, track, BMX, mountainbike and Para-cycling Australians continue to make an impact and the Jayco 2009 Australian Cyclist of the Year Awards is an opportunity to recognise the hard work and effort put in by everyone involved in Australian cycling."

The complete list of finalists in the respective Award categories are listed below. For more detailed infomation on each of the finalists please go to the Cycling Australia website.

Finalists in the Jayco 2009 Australian Cyclist of the Year Awards

Toshiba Elite Male Track Cyclist of the Year

• Jack Bobridge
  Jack launched the season with a victory in the individual pursuit at the Melbourne Track World Cup and added the Oceania individual and team pursuit titles to his collection. He is the reigning Australian Champion in the individual pursuit and at the World Championships claimed silver in both the individual and team pursuit events.
• Leigh Howard
  At the Melbourne Track World Cup Howard and his Australian team mates won the team pursuit gold medal. In Poland at the World Championships he added two silver medals in the team pursuit and Madison before backing up to collect victory in the omnium.
• Cameron Meyer
  After placing fourth in the points race at the World Championships in 2007 and 2008 and again at the Beijing Olympic Games Cam finally broke through to win gold at this year’s World Championships. He then joined his compatriots to claim silver in the team pursuit and paired with Leigh Howard for second place in the Madison. His points race prowess also saw him win the Oceania title.

Toshiba Elite Female Track Cyclist of the Year

• Kaarle McCulloch 
  Kaarle won the 500 metre time trial and team sprint at the Oceania Championships but when she teamed with Anna Meares in the team sprint at world level the pairing proved unbeatable. They won the Copenhagen World Cup round and at the World Championships Kaarle and Anna posted a world best time to earn rainbow jerseys as team sprint World Champions.
• Anna Meares OAM 
  Anna took a rest at the end of 2008 but came back firing on all cylinders to win both the time trial and sprint at the Australian Championships. At the World Championships she launched Australia’s medal assault with silver in the time trial. She then posted the fastest starting lap time of the competition in the team sprint final setting up Kaarle McCulloch to bring home the gold medal for the pair.
• Josie Tomic
  In only her second year in elite ranks Josie earned a rainbow jersey after her victory in the omnium at the World Championships. She also joined the Australian lineup to claim the bronze medal in the team pursuit. Earlier in the season she collected gold medals in both the individual and team pursuit at the Oceania Championships and is the reigning Australian Champion in the individual pursuit and omnium.

Cycling Central Elite Male Road Cyclist of the Year

• Allan Davis
  Allan kicked of his season with three stage wins and the champion’s trophy in the opening round of the UCI ProTour, the Tour Down Under in Adelaide. He was second in Paris Brussels and in Stage 9 of the Giro d’Italia. In the Milan - San Remo he crossed the line fourth and did the same in the Vattenfall ProTour race.
• Cadel Evans
  His year saw him wear the leader’s jersey on stage nine of the Vuelta a España. He ended the Grand Tour third overall. His form in the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré in France gave him a win in the opening stage and a second place on Stage 4. But it was September that saw him post his biggest ever result when he became the first Australian to win the elite men’s road race at the World Championships.
• Simon Gerrans
  Simon completed his Grand Tour stage win collection this year adding a stage of the Giro d’Italia and one from the Vuelta a Espanâ to his palmares. He won the Grand Prix Ouest France and in the Classics season posted top ten results in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Amstel Gold and Flèche Wallonne. At the World Championships he finished tenth in the road race.

Cycling Central Elite Female Road Cyclist of the Year

• Ruth Corset
  Ruth made her debut and was the top finisher for Australia at the World Championships in Switzerland crossing the line in 12th place. She won a stage in the La Route de France and was on the podium twice in the Tour Feminin en Limousin. She was the silver medallist in the road race at both the Australian and Oceania Championships.
• Rochelle Gilmore
  Rochelle notched up two stage wins in the Tour of New Zealand and at the Tour of Qatar collected a second and a third place in stages. She won the Sparkassen Giro in Germany and was second in the Nürnberger Alstadt race. She ended the season ranked eighth.
• Chloe Hosking
  Chloe sprinted home to win the Women’s International Cup in New Zealand. She also won overall honours, the sprint classification and two stages of the Tour of Chongming Island.

Cycling Central Elite Male Mountain Bike Cyclist of the Year

• Jared Graves 
  Jared dominated the 2009 4X season on the international stage. The Australian and Oceania Champion demolished his opposition in the World Cup Series to win five of the eight rounds and the overall Series crown. But the season highlight was his 4X gold medal performance at the World Championships in front of thousands of Australian fans.
• Mick Hannah 
  Mick scored a win in the DH at the Sea Otter Classic and a second place at the South African round of the World Cup Series. He also placed in the top ten in three more World Cup rounds and at the World Championships in Canberra secured the bronze medal.
• Sam Hill 
  Sam won two rounds of the World Cup Series and his victory in the final round was a nail biting ride to decide if he would claim his second World Cup Series crown. He did that and during the season also won the downhill at a round of the Canada Cup and the Dual Slalom at the Sea Otter Classic. He was fifth in the downhill at the World Championships.

Cycling Central Elite Female Mountain Bike Cyclist of the Year

• Caroline Buchanan
  In 4X Caroline claimed both the Australian and Oceania titles and won the Slovenian round of the World Cup Series. Then in Canberra, with phenomenal hometown support, she had an unbeaten run through to the 4X final at the World Championships trouncing the world’s top ranked women to claim the gold medal.
• Gracie Elvin 
  Gracie dominated the U23 XCO competition in Australia winning the National Championship and the National Series. She was also second in the Oceania Championships.
• Janine Jungfels 
  Janine won the Australian Championship and lined up as our only woman in the trials competition at the World Championships where her performance saw her finish in fourth place.

Elite Male BMX Cyclist of the Year

• Luke Madill
  Luke collected the silver medal at the Australian Championships and was on the podium in three rounds of the Probikx National Series. At the World Championships he qualified through to the elite final where he finished sixth.
• Sam Willoughby
  Sam rode as both a junior and elite rider in 2009 and in the Supercross outpaced rivals in both categories. He was second in the American round but won in both South Africa and France and was crowned Supercross Series Champion.
• Khalen Young 
  At the World Championships in Adelaide, a semi-final crash saw Khalen and four others hit the dirt but the quick thinking Aussie ran across the line to qualify for the final in which he finished eighth. At the French round of the Supercross Series he was seventh.

Elite Female BMX Cyclist of the Year

• Rachel Bracken
  At elite level Rachel was sixth in the South African round of the Supercross and finished ranked tenth overall in the Series.
• Caroline Buchanan 
  Caroline won the BMX Australian Championship. In international elite level competition she scored a fifth place in the French round of the Supercross Series in which she finished sixth overall. She ended the year ranked 15th in the world.
• Lauren Reynolds 
  Lauren made the final in three of the four rounds of the Supercross Series finishing in sixth place in two rounds. She finished the season ranked seventh on the Series table.

Elite Male  Para-cyclist of the Year

• Michael Gallagher OAM - LC1
  Michael continued his run of success at international level claiming the silver medal in the road time trial at the Para-cycling World Championships. At Australian Championships he collected four gold medals from four starts, two track and two road. He also won two gold medals on the road at the Oceania Para-cycling Championships. Michael also won gold at the Para-cycling Track World Championships.
• Ryan Hughes - LC2
  Ryan lined up in four events at Australian Championships in 2009 and won gold in all four. He claimed the road time trial and road race and on the track the kilometre time trial and individual pursuit crowns.
• Craig Parsons - HCA
  Craig won both the time trial and road race in his division at the Australian Championships posting a National Team Qualifying Standard in the time trial. Whilst he was unable to compete at the World Championships this year he is on target to represent Australia in coming year.

Elite Female Para-cyclist of the Year

• Claire McLean - LC1
  Claire dominated her category to win the road race and road time trial at the Australian Championships. On the track she claimed the Australian Title in the 500m time trial and the 3km individual pursuit. She collected two more gold medals at the Oceania Championships and at the Para-cycling Road World Championships claimed the bronze medal in both the time trial and road race.
• Jayme Paris - CP3
  Jayme lined up in both the 500 metre time trial and the 3km individual pursuit at the Australian Championships and posted times fast enough to earn her two gold medals. Jayme won the silver medal in the 500m time trial at the Para-cycling Track World Championships.
• Susan Powell - LC2
  Susan stamped her name on the road time trial gold medal at the Para-cycling World Championships in Italy. She then backed up to claim silver in the road race. Susan won double gold at both the Australian and Oceania Championships through victories in the road time trials and road races.

Malaysia Airlines Elite Male Masters Cyclist of the Year

• Graeme Allbon - MMAS 4
  Graeme was named Champion of Champions at the Australian Masters Road Championships after collecting gold in the time trial, road race and criterium. On the track at national level he won gold in the points race and pursuit and at the Masters Track World Championships he triumphed in both those events as well. Not content with road and track Graeme also had a shot at MTB in 2009 claiming the silver medal in the cross country.
• Keith Oliver - MMAS 8 
  Keith collected a pot of gold at the Masters Track World Championships with victory in the scratch and points races as well as the pursuit where he set a world best time. At the World Masters Games he won gold in the road race and at the Australian Championships claimed the Criterium title and bronze in the road race.
• David Willmott - MMAS 6 
  David set benchmark times in the time trial, sprint and team sprint events at the Masters Track World Championships to claim triple gold. He also took home a bronze medal from the points race.

Malaysia Airlines Elite Female Masters Cyclist of the Year

• Shirley Amy - WMAS 6 
  Shirley clocked a world best time to win gold in the pursuit at the Masters Track World Championships in Sydney. She was also on the top step of the podium in the time trial and scratch race.
• Michelle Crawford - WMAS 2 
  Michelle won a medal in five events at the Masters Track World Championships. She set a world best time to win the pursuit gold medal and added wins in the points and scratch races. She then claimed silver in the sprint and bronze in the time trial. At the World Masters Games she was a triple gold medallist on the track.
• Megan Marsh - WMAS 3
  Megan kicked off her medal campaign in 2009 with double gold at the Australian Championships where she won the pursuit and the time trial. At the Masters Track World Championships in Sydney she also won both the pursuit and 500m time trial.
  Male Masters

Junior Male Track Cyclist of the Year

• Alex Carver
  Alex teamed with Luke Durbridge to collect gold in the Madison at the Junior World Championships and was fourth in the scratch race. He also collected double gold at both the Oceania and Australian Track Championships.
• Luke Durbridge
  Luke, with Alex Carver, scored victory in the Madison at the Junior World Championships. He also brought home a silver medal from the team pursuit. He was also in the winning pursuit teams at the Oceania and Australian Championships as well as the Youth Olympic Festival.
• Michael Hepburn
  Michael posted an U19 World Record time to win the 3km individual pursuit at the Australian Championships and at the Junior World Championships lowered the mark twice more to claim the world title. He was also a silver medallist in the team pursuit at the Junior World Championships.

Junior Female Track Cyclist of the Year

• Michaela Anderson
  Michaela collected double gold at the Junior World Championships in Moscow with her wins in the individual and team pursuit events. The team pursuit win was in a World Record time.
• Amy Cure
  Amy kicked off her Junior World Championships campaign with a silver medal behind her team mate Anderson in the individual pursuit. The tenacious Tasmanian then claimed gold of her own in the scratch race. She also won two gold medals at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival.
• Megan Dunn
  The ‘Dubbo Dynamo’ scored a hat trick of gold medals at the Junior World Championships. She began with victory in the team pursuit in a World Record time and a day later displayed her versatility to earn the omnium crown. She ended her Moscow campaign with the points race where she scored more than double her nearest rival to claim the win.

Junior Male Road Cyclist of the Year

• Luke Durbridge
  Luke had a phenomenal year which included victory in the time trial and fourth place in the road race at the Australian Championships. But the highlight was his triumph in the road time trial at the Junior World Championships.
• Patrick Lane
  Patrick impressed in Europe with a second place in the Ascoli Road Race and performed strongly in the Australian team at the Junior World Championships.
• Jay McCarthy
  Jay crossed the line in seventh place in the road race at the Junior World Championships and was fourth in the time trial at the Australian Championships.

Junior Female Road Cyclist of the Year

• Amy Cure
  Amy won two of the selection events for the World Championships team and was second in the time trial at the Australian Championships.
• Megan Dunn 
  Megan collected the gold medal in the road race at the Australian Championships and in Moscow was 15th in the road race at the Junior World Championships.
• Kendelle Hodges 
  Kendelle won the time trial crown at the Junior Australian Championships. In Moscow she was an agonising seven tenths of a second off third place finishing fourth in the time trial at the Junior World Championships.

Junior Male Mountain Bike Cyclist of the Year

• Michael Baker 
  Michael got the better of his Australian rivals to secure the gold medal at the National MTB Championships. He earned selection for the World Championships where he finished 22nd in the Junior Men’s XCO.
• Shaun O’Connor 
  Shaun won both the Oceania Championship and the National Series before heading to the World Championships in Canberra with a medal in his sights. He set the early benchmark time before being knocked out of the hot seat by the eventual winner. But the ‘Barrengarry boy’ had done enough to claim the silver medal.
• Rhys Willemse 
  Rhys won the Australian Championship and was runner up in both the Oceania Championships and the National Series in the downhill competition. In 4X he collected the bronze medal at the Australian Championships

Junior Female Mountain Bike Cyclist of the Year

• Holly Baarspul 
  Holly conquered the downhill competition at the National Championships and her consistency saw her also collect the National Series title. At the World Championships she claimed the bronze medal.
• Shelly Flood 
  Shelly was the National Series winner in the U19 XCO and at the Oceania Championships claimed a bronze medal.
• Rebecca Henderson 
  Rebecca is the reigning Australian and Oceania U19 XCO Champion and at the World Championships in her hometown she scored a top ten finish with her seventh place across the line.

Junior Male BMX Cyclist of the Year

• Michael Chasteauneuf 
  Michael won the Junior Australian Championship and earned a start with the national team for the World Championships in Adelaide. He qualified into the junior final but a crash put paid to his medal hopes and he finished in eighth place.
• Anthony Dean
  Anthony took out the Probikx National Series and at the World Championships overcame a shaky start in the motos to qualify for the junior final where he performed when it counted to claim the bronze medal.
• Sam Willoughby
  Sam went into his hometown World Championships as the defending World Champion with a weight of expectation on his shoulders. But it didn’t phase him as he made light work of the motos to move through as the top ranked starter in the final. He hit the front from the moment the gate dropped and stayed there to claim back-to-back crowns.

Junior Female BMX Cyclist of the Year

• Rachel Bracken 
  Rachel was Australia’s best performed junior woman at the World Championships where she finished in fourth place. She was second overall in the Junior National Series and at international level was sixth in a round and ended the year ranked tenth overall in the Supercross Series.
• Lauren Reynolds 
  Lauren won the Junior National Series before making her mark at world level. She made the final in three of the four rounds of the Supercross Series and finished the season ranked seventh overall on the Series table.

SBS Television Coach of the Year

• Wade Bootes
  Wade forged a career in BMX overseas before moving back to Australia to head up the program to develop Australia’s talent pool. It’s a role that has already delivered results with athletes in the program consistently qualifying for finals in international competition. This year Sam Willoughby collected both World Championships and Supercross Series crowns.
• Matt Gilmore
  Matt came into the coaching ranks after a stellar career as a competitor. He employs that insight and tactical nous in his role as Head Coach of the Tasmanian Institute of Sport. He also guides Australian national team riders in the massed start events of scratch, points and Madison. This year Cameron Meyer, Leigh Howard, Amy Cure and Peter Loft all claimed medals at World Championship level after benefitting from Matt’s tutelage.
• Ian McKenzie
  Ian’s coaching skills have produced a string of success for Australia over the years and 2009 was no different. He headed a coaching group that guided Jack Bobridge to an U23 time trial gold medal and a silver medal in the individual pursuit at the World Championships. Ian has rebuilt Australia’s team pursuit program guiding the new generation of endurance riders to the silver medal at the World Championships.

2009 Scody People's Choice Cyclist of the Year

The finalists nominated by popular vote are:

• Brendan Bailey
  
• Caroline Buchanan
  
• Cadel Evans
  
• Simon Gerrans
  
• Jared Graves
  
• Anna Meares
  
• Mark Renshaw
  
• Sam Willoughby

Cycling Australia Media Awards - Keith Esson Regional Media Award

• 666 ABC Canberra - Jim Trail  - Coverage of the 2009 UCI MTB & Trials World Championships.
• Canberra Times - Coverage of the 2009 UCI MTB & Trials World Championships.
• Ballarat Courier - Coverage of the 2009 Australian Open Road Championships.

Cycling Australia Media Awards - Best Photo

• Damian Breach - Australian Mountain Bike ‘Dylan at Dawn’.
• CJ Farquharson - womenscycling.net ‘Lance is Back’.
• Sarah Reed - Adelaide Advertiser ‘Celebration’.

Cycling Australia Media Awards - Best Story

• Mark Falahey, Mike Tomalaris & John Flynn - SBS Television ‘Cadel Evans - A Profile’.
• Samantha Lane - Sport & Style ‘The Second Coming’.
• Andrea Williamson, Peter Walsh & Roger Wills - 891 ABC Adelaide ‘The Tour Down Under’.

Awards will also be presented in the following categories:

• Australian Sports Commission Volunteers of the Year
• Cycling Australia Event Merit Award
• National Road Series Champions (Male, Female and Team)
• Australian Club Premiership
• Norm Gailey Trophy for Champion State