Voting is now open for the first part of Voxwomen’s Sharon Laws Rider of the Year award, 2019. In partnership with the Rouleur Classic, the world’s finest road cycling exhibition, and named in honour of the British cycling champion, who died in 2017.
Last year’s winner was the first American to take the overall prize at the Women’s Tour, Coryn Rivera.
As last year the award will be decided after two public votes to find the riders of spring and summer. The two with the most votes from each round will go through to a final round poll to find the overall winner.
The overall winner will be announced at the 2019 Rouleur Classic, which runs from October 31 November 2 in central London. One lucky voter will receive a pair of weekend passes to the event, giving them the chance to see the winner crowned in person.
Those that have been shortlisted in the spring period of 2019, covering any races from Strade Bianche WE to Liège-Bastogne-Liège Femmes, are:
Marta Bastianelli – Team Virtu Cycling
The European road race Champion, Marta Bastianelli seems to have enjoyed showing off her starry chemise this season. She didn’t finish a race lower down than 8th, with five podiums, including two victories, across a mere 11 race days. The biggest of those results came at De Ronde, when she arrived at the finish with Annemiek Van Vleuten and Cecile Uttrup Ludwig and comfortably beat them both in the sprint.
Annika Langvad – Boels Dolmans
At the grand old age (for a cyclist) of 35, Annika Langvad has this season managed to score most of the biggest results of her career. The Dane came close to victory at Strade Bianche – bumping Kasia Niewiadoma down a step in the process – and claimed another podium six weeks later on the Mur de Huy.
Annemiek Van Vleuten – Mitchelton-Scott
Annemiek Van Vleuten owes her place on this list to the fact that she didn’t finish a single race outside of the top ten in spring. A rather higher standard is set for the two-time winner of La Course than for others.
Van Vleuten’s remarkable run of results began with a 4th at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, her first first at Strade Bianche, and then a series of seconds from Flanders through to Flèche Wallonne. She concluded her spring with a victory in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, riding away from her rivals in characteristic Van Vleuten style.
Demi Vollering – Parkhotel Valkenburg
One of the finds of the spring, Demi Vollering looks to be knocking on the door of a very big result. The 22 year-old blossomed in the Ardennes, starting with 7th at Amstel Gold, going two places higher at Flèche Wallonne, before finally landing a Women’s WorldTour podium at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
Marianne Vos – CCC-Liv
The fittest who survived the Tour de Yorkshire but, as it falls outside our timeframe, that’s not what this nomination is for. Vos’s sole spring success came at Trofeo Alfredo Binda and was probably the most convincing victory from a bunch sprint you’ll see all season.
The three-time World Champion went round her rivals early and lifted her arms in celebration a long way from the line. Her legendary status is secured, and Vos in the running for this year’s Cycling Hall of Fame, but she’s still every bit a rider of today.
Kirsten Wild – WNT-Rotor Pro Cycling
More victories than any other rider this season earns Wild her second nomination in as many votes. Two classics and two stages of the Healthy Ageing Tour have made WNT-Rotor look like the team of the spring. Wild might have historically had more success on the track, but she’s been ripping up the road in 2019.
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