December 30/05 8:20 am - 2005 Canadian Cyclist of the Year Winners!

Posted by Editor on 12/30/05
 

2005 Canadian Cyclist of the Year Awards

Canadian Cyclist is pleased to announce the results of its Readers Choice balloting for the ninth annual Canadian Cyclist of the Year awards. Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mountain-Business Objects) won both the Female Cyclist of the Year and Best Individual Performance awards, while Geoff Kabush (Maxxis) took the Male Cyclist of the Year honours. After two weeks of voting, thousands of readers chose these two riders for Canada's oldest and most popular cycling awards.

For the Female Cyclist award, Premont beat two former winners ˆ Lyne Bessette (Louis Garneau) and Alison Sydor (Rocky Mountain-Business Objects). The mountain bike professional's award-winning season included two World Cup victories, the national cross-country mountain bike title, a fourth place at the world championships and third overall in the season-long World Cup series. Premont took 51% of first place ballots cast. Bessette and Sydor finished in a virtual tie for second, with Sydor edging Bessette by a few dozen votes.

Geoff Kabush dominated the men's competition in similar fashion, with 48% of first place votes, followed by Gord Fraser (Health Net Presented by Maxxis) and Michael Barry (Discovery). Kabush is a first time winner in the Canadian Cyclist awards, but this season was the dominant rider on the North American professional mountain bike circuit, winning two Norba series titles on the U.S. circuit, plus the Canadian national title and finishing on the podium in numerous other international events.

Marie-Helene Premont also took the Individual Performance award with her victory at the Mont Ste Anne, Quebec round of the World Cup. Premont is the only rider to have beaten World and Olympic champion Gunn-Rita Dahle (Multivan-Merida) in a World Cup race since 2002.