CYCLING

World champions among national cycling awards winners

By Sports Media NZ

New Zealand’s first road world championship has earned Linda Villumsen the honour of women’s road cyclist of the year for 2015, in the national awards announced by Cycling New Zealand.
 
Villumsen, five times on the podium in the time trial at the world championships, claimed the world crown for the first time in Richmond, USA last year.
 
Two world championship medals led to Southland sprinter Eddie Dawkins being named men’s track cyclist of the year after silver medals in the keirin and team sprint at the world championships in Paris.
 
Waikato’s Jaime Nielsen is the women’s track rider of the year after consistent form at international and national level.


Jaime Nielsen and Eddie Dawkins receiving their awards at the New Zealand Track Cycling Championships at Cambridge this week. Photo © Dianne Manson

World champions dominated the junior rider awards with Palmerston North’s Campbell Stewart claiming the junior men’s award after two rainbow jerseys in the omnium and scratch race as a first-year junior, while Auckland’s Bryony Botha was part of the winning team pursuit and was fourth at the omnium in Kazakhstan.
 
The track team o f the year went to the men’s team pursuit combination of Dylan Kennett, Pieter Bulling, Regan Gough, Alex Frame and Marc Ryan after their victory at the world championships.
 
The full awards list for 2015 is:
Track Cycling:
Men: Eddie Dawkins (Southland);
Women: Jaime Nielsen (Waikato),
Under-19 Men: Campbell Stewart (Manawatu),
Under-19 Women: Bryony Botha (Auckland),
Team: Men’s Team Pursuit (Dylan Kennett, Piet Bulling, Regan Gough, Alex Frame, Marc Ryan).
 
Road Cycling:
Women: Linda Villumsen (Canterbury),
Men: Dion Smith (Auckland), Under-19 Men: Sam Dobbs (Waikato), Under-19 Women: Hannah Gumbley (Auckland).