Hayman, Meares lead cycling award nominees

Paris-Roubaix winner Mat Hayman and record-breaking track cyclist Anna Meares are among the Australian cyclist-of-the-year nominees

Mat Hayman's stunning Paris-Roubaix triumph and Anna Meares' record-setting Rio Olympics make them the favourites for Australian cycling's top individual honour.

They will be among the finalists on Friday night for the Oppy medal as Australian cyclist of the year.

Carol Cooke, Australian cycling's only gold medallist in Rio with her two Paralympic wins, is another contender.

Ten days before his 38th birthday and only six weeks after breaking his arm, Hayman had the biggest result of his career in April when he won Paris-Roubaix.

The Orica-BikeExchange rider is only the second Australian after Stuart O'Grady to win one of cycling's most famous one-day races.

It was Hayman's 15th attempt at the race renowned for its brutal cobbled sections and nicknamed the Hell of the North.

When Hayman broke his arm during a February race in Belgium, his team originally ruled him out of Paris-Roubaix.

But he made a stunning recovery and the decision was made to start him just a week before.

Also on Friday night, Cycling Australia will pay tribute to the retiring Meares.

The 11-time world track champion was the Australian team captain at the Rio Games.

Meares' keirin bronze in Rio was her sixth Olympic medal - an Australian cycling record.

It was a rare highlight in a disastrous Rio campaign for the Australian cyclists.

Hayman, Meares and Cooke are also among the finalists for the people's choice award.

Cycling Australia will make six inductions to its Hall Of Fame, which is in its second year.

They were announced last month and include Olympic track champion Ryan Bayley, road great Oenone Wood, mountain biker Mary Daubert (nee Grigson), and women's cycling pioneer Iris Bent.

Chris Scott is the first paralympic cyclist to receive the honour and six-day track specialist Alf Goullet is this year's only posthumous induction.

The Oppy is named after Australian cycling great Sir Hubert Opperman.


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Source: AAP



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