January 3/11 10:38 am - Hesjedal and Whitten Dominate 2010 Canadian Cyclist Awards

Posted by Editor on 01/3/11
 

Ryder Hesjedal of Victoria and Tara Whitten of Edmonton dominated the 14th annual Canadian Cyclist of the Year Awards for 2010, capturing all five awards in Canada's oldest and most prestigious People's Choice awards.

In the Female Canadian Cyclist of the Year competition, Whitten, with two world titles on the track and a Commonwealth Games gold medal, finished marginally ahead of the 2009 champion, Catharine Pendrel of Kamloops, BC.  Pendrel won the overall mountain bike World Cup and two individual World Cup events in 2010.  Whitten took 45.4% of first place votes cast, to Pendrel's 42.3%.

In the Male Canadian Cyclist of the Year balloting, road professional Ryder Hesjedal easily repeated as the 2010 award winner, well in front of second place finisher Svein Tuft of Langley, BC.  Hesjedal, who finished seventh overall in the Tour de France and is currently ranked eighth in the world among professionals, took 81.4% of first place votes.  Tuft, the second highest ranked Canadian professional in the world and national time trial champion, took 7.5% of first place votes.

Hesjedal, when contacted at his training base in Maui, Hawaii, commented, "2010 was a very special year. Thanks to everyone for all the support throughout the years and your vote once again in a very tough competition! Canadian cycling is heating up and 2011 looks to be the best yet!"

In the Individual Performance balloting for the top three results of 2010, Hesjedal's fourth place in stage 3 of the Tour de France was voted the top performance of the year, followed by his second place finish in Holland's Amstel Gold race.  Whitten's title in the Omnium event at the track world championships in Copenhagen took the third title, just ahead of her world title in the Points race.