Untouchable this season, Slovenian Tadej Pogacar won the Vélo d’or on Friday, rewarding the best cyclist of the year 2024. Belgian Lotte Kopecky was crowned among the women.
Already awarded in 2021, Pogacar, who crushed the season with victories in the Tour de France, the Tour of Italy and during the Zurich Worlds, succeeds the Dane Jonas Vingegaard on the list of this prize organized by Vélo Magazine and considered as the most prestigious in cycling.
Lotte Kopecky, who became world champion and won Paris-Roubaix, is rewarded for the first time and succeeds the Dutchwoman Demi Vollering. Pogacar and Kopecky also won the Eddy Merckx prize for best classic riders, according to the vote of an international jury of 40 specialist journalists.
It was the second time that the Vélo d’or trophy, awarded every year since 1992 (2022 for women), was presented during a ceremony at the Gabriel Pavilion, on the Champs-Elysées, modeled on the Ballon gold in football. In total, nine trophies were awarded, in the presence of Pogacar.
Le premier Prix Gino Mäder
-This edition of the Vélo d’or was also that of the first attribution of the Gino Mäder Prize. This trophy rewarding solidarity actions or commitment to societal causes bears the name of the Swiss rider, who tragically died after a fall during the 2023 Tour de Suisse. It was awarded to the Spaniard Luis Angel Maté for his involvement in environmental issues. .
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Swiss
