2016 Paris-Roubaix winner Mathew Hayman has won Cycling Australia’s highest award – the Sir Hubert Opperman Medal and Trophy. The announcement was made at an awards ceremony in Melbourne on Friday night.
In April, Hayman became just the second Australian to win Paris-Roubaix after Stuart O’Grady who took the victory in 2007.
The Orica-BikeExchange rider took a surprise victory on the Roubaix velodrome in April after making it into a select group. Hayman managed to outsprint Tom Boonen (Etixx – Quick Step), Ian Stannard (Team Sky), Sep Vanmarcke (Team LottoNL-Jumbo) and Edvald Boassen Hagen (Dimension Data) for the win.
In addition, 38 year-old Hayman finished the Tour de France for the first time in his career.
Other finalists for the ‘Oppy’ included Richie Porte (BMC Racing) who was 5th in the Tour de France and 3rd in Paris-Nice, two-time Paralympic gold medallist from Rio 2016 Carol Cooke, and Anna Meares who won her sixth Olympic medal with bronze in Rio and recently announced her retirement.
Hayman also won the elite male road cyclist of the year and Katrin Garfoot was named elite female road cyclist of the year.
The Sir Hubert Opperman Trophy has been presented to the Australian Cyclist of the Year since 1958. For the years 1958 to 1995 the Award was presented for the most outstanding Australian ‘cyclist of the year’.
Cycling Australia took custodianship of the Award in 1996 and it is now presented to the best all-round performing cyclist each year who also displays a high level of sportsmanship and is an ambassador for the sport of cycling.
Amongst those who have won the ‘Oppy previously are Robbie McEwen, Michael Rogers, Cadel Evans, Anna Meares, Simon Gerrans and Rohan Dennis.
