We are proud to announce the Voxy Award for Road Rider of the Year will now be named the Voxwomen Sharon Laws Road Rider of the Year Award, in memory of Sharon Laws.
One of the most determined and talented bike riders in the peloton, the former national mountain bike, road and time-trial champion lost her battle with cancer last December. The outpouring of love for Sharon demonstrated the impact she had on the cycling community and the legacy she leaves behind.
“The biggest heart and the softest soul”: memories of Sharon Laws
The winner of the 2018 Voxwomen Sharon Laws Road Rider of the Year Award, in partnership with the Rouleur Classic, will be announced in November at the world’s finest road cycling exhibition.
In 2016, Megan Guarnier won the inaugural Voxwomen Road Rider of the Year Award, after a stunning season which saw her become the first ever Women’s World Tour champion. She was picked from a shortlist of six riders by an esteemed panel of judges.
And last year, Annemiek van Vleuten triumphed after the public voted for their Spring, Summer and Autumn rider of the year and the final three were judged by the same panel.
After the success of the last two years, Voxwomen and the Rouleur Classic are now inviting women’s cycling fans to vote for the overall winner for the first time.
There will be two rounds of public votes. The Voxwomen team will choose a shortlist of six riders and cycling fans will vote for the best rider – the top two from each round will go to a final shortlist of four riders.
You will then get the chance for the first time to vote for the winner from that quartet. All four riders will be invited to the Rouleur Classic and the winner will be announced on the night.
The first round of voting is at the end of April, after the first 10 events of the UCI Women’s World Tour. The second round of voting will be at the end of August, after the next 10 events of the WWT.
Anthony McCrossan, founder of Voxwomen, said: “Sharon was admired by us all before she became such an important member of the Voxwomen team. Her insights, her relationships with the peloton and her pure hard work made such a difference to us. In all she went through in the last months of her life she never complained, she always looked forward and she always inspired us.”
“I am so pleased that her mum Joy has agreed to let us add Sharon’s name to this award as a long term legacy of her memory and what she achieved on the bike and in life. We have changed the voting system to let the fans have the final say, this fits with Sharon’s outlook on cycling.
“Whoever wins in 2018 and beyond will forever remember Sharon Laws and we hope that this honour will mean even more to those who are awarded the accolade of the Voxwomen Sharon Laws Road Rider of the Year.”
Read: Sharon Laws: Defying Convention
Andy McGrath, editor of Rouleur, said: “We’re delighted this award continues to go from strength to strength and are looking forward to celebrating the next winner, and what’s shaping up to be another thrilling World Tour season, at the Rouleur Classic in November.”
Keep your eyes peeled for the first round of votes in a few weeks and in the meantime, let us know on social media who you think has been the most impressive riders of the season so far!
For more information on the Rouleur Classic, head to their website www.rouleurclassic.cc
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