Aussie cycling's night of nights: the Oppy Awards

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

Last year, Rohan Dennis won the Sir Hubert Opperman Award as Australia's best cyclist (CA) Source: Cycling Australia

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.

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.

You can catch the awards live tonight on Cycling Australia's Facebook. Stay tuned from 7.45pm.