Grace Brown and Saya Sakakibara are the AusCycling Cyclists of the Year

AusCycling has recognised the exceptional performances of Grace Brown and Saya Sakakibara by jointly awarding them the Sir Hubert Opperman Trophy of 2024 AusCycling Cyclist of the Year.

Brown, 32 and Sakakibara, 25, have been crowned with Australian cycling’s highest honour – known as the Oppy Medal – thanks to outstanding achievements in their respective disciplines, including magnificent victories at the Olympic Games.

Brad McGee, a member of the AusCycling Awards Committee, said they were unquestionably deserving winners.

“Both Saya and Grace stood out with their exceptional performances across the entire year that culminated in their Olympic gold medals, won in absolutely dominating form,” McGee said. “Saya, going through unbeaten in all the rounds and taking the gold medal. Grace, winning by a minute and a half.

“Both of these women had notable performances throughout the year, with Saya winning the World Cup, and Grace with World Championship wins and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.”

Today’s announcement makes Brown and Sakakibara the first joint recipients of the Oppy Medal since Brett Aitken and Scott McGrory in 2000.

McGee said the Committee was united in its decision.

“We made this decision unanimously and we’re all very comfortable with it: We get to celebrate two very exceptional athletes with two exceptional years,” he said.

Brown's fairytale finish

Photo: Josh Chadwick

Victorian road cyclist Grace Brown began the year – the last of her professional career – with her fourth national title in the individual time trial. She then became Australia’s first winner of the women’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

In July, Brown powered to victory in the Olympic individual time trial, winning Australia’s first gold medal of the Paris Games by an enormous margin of 1:31.59.

In September, Brown earned cycling’s ultimate prize, winning the rainbow jersey of UCI World Champion in the individual time trial.

Days later, the Camperdown native repeated the result by helping the ARA Australian Cycling Team win the world title in the mixed relay team time trial. Together with wins at the Bretagne Ladies Tour and Chrono des Nations in France, Brown accumulated eight professional victories this year.

“2024 has been a momentous year for me on so many levels and it feels very special to have my achievements recognised by Australian cycling. The list of previous Oppy winners is full of our sport's heroes, and it's a huge honour to add my name to that list," Brown said.

“Thanks to AusCycling and the broader cycling community for the incredible support this year and over the course of my career. It's been an amazing journey to share with you all.

“I also want to congratulate Saya for her stunning performances in BMX. She inspired me this year with her fearlessness, and I would like to say what a privilege it is to share the award with her.”

Sakakibara's golden year

Photo: Tim de Waele / Getty Images

Sakakibara enjoyed a brilliant start to the 2024 season, winning the opening two rounds of the UCI BMX Racing World Cup in New Zealand and finishing runner-up twice in Brisbane.

At the final rounds in the USA, Sakakibara was unstoppable again, winning back-to-back events to seal the UCI World Cup overall for the second consecutive year.

After finishing eighth at the UCI BMX Racing World Championships, Sakakibara set her sights on the Paris Olympic Games.

At the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines BMX Stadium, Sakakibara rode flawlessly to win every race and become Australia’s first Olympic champion in BMX racing. Her emotional victory made headlines across the globe, including in her hometown of Helensburgh, New South Wales.

Brown and Sakakibara join recent winners such as Cadel Evans, Caroline Buchanan and Anna Meares on the honour roll of AusCycling Cyclist of the Year.

“I’m very honoured to be awarded the Oppy Award for 2024,” Sakakibara said. “I remember when Caroline Buchanan won it. Caroline was someone that I looked up to, and having her win it as a BMX racer really allowed me to think maybe I could as well, and that it’s not always awarded to the track cyclists or the road cyclists.

“Ever since then, I’ve always wanted to have achieved something like a world championship title or something like that, that would put me in the running to win something like the Oppy Award.

“So, I’m very grateful to be recognised alongside Grace Brown who’s just had an incredible year and incredible career. I’m very honoured and I’m very grateful.”

An outstanding field

Lauren Parker, women's para-cyclist of the year on the road. (Photo: Jean-Baptiste Benavent)

AusCycling has also announced the winners of its annual awards for all cycling and riding disciplines.

 The winners of each category were eligible to be finalists for the Oppy. Besides Brown and Sakakibara, the shortlisted athletes were Emily Petricola, Lauren Parker, Ben O’Connor, Korey Boddington and Australia’s men’s team pursuit.

McGee said the quality of the field was outstanding.

“When we looked at the large amount of performances, we took a moment, stood back, and went, ‘Wow. Let’s just appreciate the year that’s been,’” McGee reflected.

“Extraordinary across multiple disciplines, para-cycling and able-bodied. Multiple gold medals from Paris. That’s before we dive into the professional ranks on the road: Ben O’Connor and non-Olympic results, World Championships and World Cups in the BMX. It’s been an extraordinary year.”

 McGee reserved special praise for the masters cyclists of the year.

“Looking at the masters winners, it’s pleasing for me personally. A lot of the names I recognise. I know a few of them and I’ve followed their careers closely,” McGee said.

“There are also new athletes coming through, and they are flying the Australian flag very high, in particular at world championships.

“The culture, the way they support each other when they go away and compete as a nation – our masters athletes offer a lot of support when they compete, which is outstanding and part of the Aussie culture.”

Awarded since 1958, the Sir Hubert Opperman Trophy and Oppy Medal are awarded by AusCycling to the best all-round performing rider who also displays a high level of sportsmanship and is an ambassador for the sport.

 2024 AusCycling Cyclist of the Year Awards

AusCycling Cyclist of the Year – Sir Hubert Opperman Trophy and Oppy Medal

Grace Brown and Saya Sakakibara

 Team of the Year

ARA Australian Cycling Team Men’s Team Pursuit: Oliver Bleddyn, Conor Leahy, Kelland O’Brien and Sam Welsford

 Women’s BMX Freestyle Rider of the Year

Natalya Diehm

 Men’s BMX Freestyle Rider of the Year

Logan Martin

 Women’s BMX Racing Rider of the Year

Saya Sakakibara

 Men’s BMX Racing Rider of the Year

Izaac Kennedy

 Women’s Mountain Bike Rider of the Year

Rebecca Henderson

 Men’s Mountain Bike Rider of the Year

Ryan Gilchrist

 Women’s Road Para-cyclist of the Year

Lauren Parker

 Men’s Road Para-cyclist of the Year

Alistair Donohoe

 Women’s Track Para-cyclist of the Year

Emily Petricola

 Men’s Track Para-cyclist of the Year

Korey Boddington

 Women’s Road Cyclist of the Year

Grace Brown

 Men’s Road Cyclist of the Year

Ben O’Connor

 Women’s Track Cyclist of the Year

Georgia Baker

 Men’s Track Cyclist of the Year

Matthew Glaetzer

 Women’s Cyclo-cross Rider of the Year

Isabella Flint

 Men’s Cyclo-cross Rider of the Year

Tristan Nash

 Women’s Gravel Cyclist of the Year

Tiffany Cromwell

 Men’s Gravel Cyclist of the Year

Brendan Johnston

 Women’s Esports Cyclist of the Year

Kate Trdin

 Men’s Esports Cyclist of the Year

Josh Harris

 Junior Cyclist of the Year – Women

• BMX Rider of the Year: Teya Rufus
• Mountain Bike Rider of the Year: Sacha Mills
• Road Cyclist of the Year: Lauren Bates
• Track Cyclist of the Year: Nicole Duncan

Junior Cyclist of the Year – Men

• BMX Rider of the Year: Joshua Jolly
• Mountain Bike Rider of the Year: Bailey Christie
• Road Cyclist of the Year: Wil Holmes
• Track Cyclist of the Year: Tayte Ryan

Masters Cyclist of the Year – Women

• BMX Rider of the Year: Lauren Cavasin
• Mountain Bike Rider of the Year: Sharon Heap
• Road Cyclist of the Year: Glenda Signorini
• Track Cyclist of the Year: Alison Lee

Masters Cyclist of the Year – Men

• BMX Rider of the Year: Corey Frieswyk
• Mountain Bike Rider of the Year: Adrian Jackson
• Road Cyclist of the Year: Alan Nelson
• Track Cyclist of the Year: Gary Mandy