The development of track cyclist Jesse Sergent into a world class road rider was honoured at the BikeNZ road and track cyclist of the year awards in Christchurch tonight.
The 23-year-old, a silver medallist at the world track championships, won male road rider of the year after enjoying a remarkable maiden season for the high profile Radioshack team.
While the team's supremo Johan Bruyneel did not over-burden the Feilding rider in his first year, Sergent showed his potential with prologue victories at the Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen, the Eneco Tour and Tour du Poitiou Charentes. He went on to claim the overall honours in the Belgium and French stage races.
Other winners included world championship medallist Linda Villumsen, who was awarded female road rider of the year, while world championship silver medallists Shane Archbold and Alison Shanks won the male and female track riders of the year, respectively.
Villumsen again proved her abilities in the time trial, with a silver medal at the world championships in her native Denmark last year. She is the only BikeNZ rider to win two medals in elite competition at a world road championship, following her bronze at Melbourne last year.
