As a reward for a phenomenal season, Tadej Pogacar unsurprisingly won the Vélo d'or trophy, the most prestigious individual prize in cycling, on Friday during a ceremony in Paris which crowned the Belgian Lotte Kopecky in the women's category.
Who else? Given the overwhelming domination of the Slovenian ogre, the verdict of the international jury of 40 journalists assembled by Vélo Magazine was a foregone conclusion when it came to choosing the best rider of the season.
It's difficult to do better than Pogacar this year, author of one of the greatest seasons in the history of his sport. 25 victories including the Tour de France, the Tour of Italy, the World Championships and two Monuments (Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Tour of Lombardy): it's a hunt worthy of the cannibal Eddy Merckx that the rider of UAE pinned in 2024.
“When I received this trophy for the first time in 2021 I was still young and I didn't care a bit about it. As the years go by, we realize its importance. I feel honored, it rewards everything the work done,” the 26-year-old runner told AFP.
A sign of his supremacy, he was also awarded, just like Lotte Kopecky, the Eddy Merckx prize for best classics rider ahead of the Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel who nevertheless won the two cobbled Monuments with the Tour of Flanders and Paris- Roubaix.
“I didn’t expect this one, maybe it will bear my name one day,” he joked from the platform.
– “Almost impossible to repeat such a year” –
As much as the result, it was the manner that struck people's minds, Pogacar winning Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the Tour of Lombardy, the Strade Bianche and the Worlds thanks to fantastic rides of several tens of kilometers.
“He didn't ask himself the question. As long as he has the handle, he screws and that's it. He's an extraordinary champion”, applauded Bernard Hinault, five-time winner of the Tour de France, guest earlier today commenting on the Slovenian's exploits.
“It seems almost impossible to repeat such a year but I will do my best to get close,” Pogacar added to AFP. He must unveil his program for 2025 next Tuesday on the sidelines of an internship with his team in Spain.
Pogacar, who succeeds the Dane Jonas Vingegaard, received the prize from the hands of the Irishman Stephen Roche, the last before him to have achieved the Giro-Tour-Mondiaux triple in 1987, at the Gabriel pavilion on the Champs-Elysées.
It was the second year that the Vélo d'or trophy, awarded since 1992 (2022 for women), was presented during a ceremony modeled on the football Ballon d'or to give it more visibility.
In total, nine trophies were awarded.
– Bardet, “symbol of longevity” –
Among the women, Lotte Kopecky, who notably won the World Championships and Paris-Roubaix, is rewarded for the first time and succeeds the Dutchwoman Demi Vollering.
Romain Bardet, who wore the yellow jersey in the Tour de France after winning the first stage and who finished second in Liège-Bastogne-Liège behind Pogacar, was awarded the Bernard Hinault trophy for best French rider of the season.
The 34-year-old Auvergne climber must retire next June after the Critérium du Dauphiné. “The symbol of longevity,” he said.
The Daniel Morelon Prize for best French cyclist representing off-road Olympic sports (track, BMX and mountain biking) went to Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Olympic mountain biking champion in Paris.
Its world equivalent, the Chris Hoy Prize, was awarded to the king of track speed, the Dutchman Harrie Lavreysen.
The Trophy for the best French para-cyclist was awarded to Alexandre Léauté.
Finally, the Gino Mäder Prize, rewarding solidarity actions or societal causes named after the Swiss runner who died in 2023, was awarded to the Spaniard Luis Angel Maté.
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