Last night, we announced the winners of Cycling Plus Rider of the Year 2024, sponsored by Lezyne, at our exclusive awards ceremony in Bristol.
The awards celebrate the amazing achievements of riders in 2024, with categories for Rider of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, and a Lifetime Achievement Award. Our sister title, Cycling Plus magazine, ran the show for the road cycling categories, with MBUK magazine leading the event for the equivalent mountain biking awards.
Our panel faced the unenviable task of narrowing down hundreds of nominations to a shortlist of 15 incredible athletes, local heroes and adventurers for the road categories.
Your votes settled the Rider of the Year and Newcomer of the Year gongs, while the expert panel, made up of staff from BikeRadar and Cycling Plus, selected the winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
And the winners? Read on! And then head to our MBUK announcement to find out the winners of the mountain biking categories.
Rider of the Year: Siraj Balubaid
You don’t have to work too hard to figure out why Siraj Balubaid secured almost 40 per cent of votes in our reader poll – and with it our 2024 Rider of the Year award.
The story of how this Yemeni refugee used his beloved bicycle to integrate into his adopted city of Glasgow is one our favourite features we’ve published this year and speaks of the boundary-breaking, frontier-opening possibilities of riding a bike.
Balubaid arrived in Scotland in 2019 from Yemen, happy at the prospect of the new life ahead of him but apprehensive at the thought of starting out all over again alone.
It took three years for his asylum application to be processed by the Home Office, a “very stressful” period when he couldn’t work or easily study, despite his motivation to do so.
He learned about Bikes for Refugees Scotland – a charity that helps resettle refugees by giving them bicycles, and so applied for one.
Balubaid had been used to cycling in his local neighbourhood before arriving in Scotland, but he sensed an opportunity to use two wheels for more – commuting around the city, as well as cycle touring, which he’d seen on social media.
The charity gave him a bike and he’d get out and ride whenever he could.
“It helped me keep my mind and body active, and to cope with the wait for my application decision, while exploring more of Glasgow and Scotland,” he says.
Freedom is what Balubaid enjoys most about cycling, and the self-propulsion – his effort, his time, his energy.
“It’s me deciding where to stop and where to keep going – it’s literally a freedom, I’m not restricted by anything,” he tells us.
Balubaid’s nurturing of his own bike led to the desire to become a mechanic, then on to leading bike rides – “little things to most people, but to me a great achievement,” he muses.
He started helping at the Drumchapel Community Project, where he gained a qualification in bike maintenance from Velotech, and later became a mechanic and bike library co-ordinator with Govan Community Projects.
There, he repairs bikes, for free, for anyone living in Glasgow.
After becoming a bike mechanic, Balubaid set himself new goals and is currently studying sports and exercise science at university.
He’s also been shortlisted to be a non-executive director with Dynamo Glasgow – a community interest company (CIC) supporting under-represented cyclists.
The bike has been a gift, in all senses of the word, with one door opening to another, helped by Balubaid’s own enthusiasm and motivation to make it happen.
He cycles up to five days a week, primarily commuting from his flat to work or university, depending a little on the weather. “It’s tough sometimes in Glasgow,” he admits.
There have been bigger trips too, into wider Scotland. In July last year, Balubaid cycled solo to the Outer Hebrides, witnessing the beauty of the Scottish landscape as well as the beast of its howling wind and persistent rain.
“Sadly I couldn’t complete the trip that I wanted to [because of the weather]. I was totally drained and fatigued by it, and I ended my ride by heading down to Skye and back down to Glasgow.”
He hasn’t been put off trying other trips though and has ambitions to ride Scotland’s North Coast 500, though big trips like this are having to take a back seat while he studies.
Balubaid was taken aback by his nomination for our Rider of the Year gong. “I was surprised, because the other individuals have done way more than me. I was really happy, it’s a completely different experience for me.”
Editor's comment: "Balubaid’s story shows just what a difference cycling can make to someone’s life, and now he’s helping others to experience that joy and freedom too.
"While all the nominees for this award were deserving, Siraj really stood out to those of us working on the magazine, and it seems like he did to you, too."
Newcomer of the Year: Daisy Barnes
In 2024, Daisy Barnes made her mark on the cycling world, finishing as the fastest woman at the Fred Whitton Challenge with an impressive 20-minute lead over her nearest competitor.
At just 24 years old, Barnes is already earning accolades and admiration for her performances, and her grounded approach to the sport hints at a bright future.
Barnes describes herself as a lifelong athlete, saying, “I’ve been sporty for as long as I can remember. I was a typical active kid at school who looked forward to sports day every summer.”
Her journey into cycling began during her undergraduate studies at the University of Stirling, where she developed a deep passion for the sport and forged strong friendships through riding.
Hailing from Carlisle in Cumbria, Barnes takes pride in her Northern roots: “I’m someone who believes the North is best, and where else would you want to ride a bike when you can ride the Eden Valley from your doorstep?”
Her favourite training ground is Hartside Pass in the North Pennines, a route rich with personal significance.
“I remember it as the first long ride I ever did with my brother,” she reflects. It was on this climb that she claimed a Strava QOM (Queen of the Mountain) and realized she might have a talent for the sport.
Barnes’s introduction to cycling was sparked by her brother’s enthusiasm for the discipline.
“I’d been a runner my whole childhood,” she explains, “but then my brother took up cycling, and I’d go to the local time trials to help out or watch.
"Everyone was always really friendly, and the events finished with cake at the end. I just thought it would be a nice thing to be part of, so I bought a road bike and went from there.”
For inspiration, Barnes doesn’t have to look far.
Her mother, who took up triathlon after Daisy began cycling, remains her greatest role model. “Watching her commitment and dedication inspires me every day,” Barnes shares.
Cycling has become more than just a sport for Barnes – it’s a way of life. “It’s a treat at the end of the day, an escape from studying at university,” she says. “I feel lucky that’s how I get to spend my free time. I also met some of my best friends through road cycling.”
When asked about her aspirations, Barnes focuses on experiences rather than accolades. “I want cycling to take me on days I look back on and say, ‘That was the best day ever.’ The 2024 Fred Whitton will always be one of those days.” While she enjoys racing, Barnes values the simple joy of a relaxing ride just as much.
Barnes’s standout year earned her a nomination for Newcomer of the Year, a recognition she describes as both surprising and humbling.
“It’s probably the only time I’ve ever been in the same category as a triple Olympian and double world champion, so I had a little giggle about it,” she says. Reflecting on the honour, she adds, “It’s been nice knowing my efforts are being appreciated.”
Editor’s comment: "Daisy may not have the palmarès of some of the other nominees, but that’s what makes her a great choice in this category.
"She’s a true newcomer, who most readers won’t have heard of before this year, and her performance in the Fred Whitton suggests we’ll see more of her in future."
Lifetime Achievement Award: Maurice Burton
Maurice’s reaction to finding out that he’s won our Lifetime Achievement award may be somewhat like when he was inducted into British Cycling’s Hall of Fame last year.
“They asked me if I wanted to accept it and, of course, I did. But I did feel, when I looked at some of the other people in it, like Tom Simpson… I mean, I did okay as a rider, but I didn’t do anything that was on the level of someone like him.”
Wait until he finds out he fended off competition from Mark Cavendish to win Cycling Plus’ 2024 Rider of the Year award!
It’s been a big year for Maurice. His life story was immortalised in print, with the help of author Paul Jones, in The Maurice Burton Way: Britain’s First Black Cycling Champion – a superb but often uncomfortable biography detailing the racism in Britain and beyond that he was up against to make it in his beloved sport.
The most public incident came in 1974 at the British National Track Championships. Having won his first senior title, in the 20km scratch race, he was booed by the crowd on the podium – for the colour of his skin, as Maurice says in the book.
Less public but no-less-damaging flashpoints came through treatment by fellow riders, the press and even the British Cycling Federation.
Competing in the Six Day circuit in the 1970s meant a decent career and wage for those talented and committed enough to tolerate its unique demands.
Maurice competed in 56 meets throughout his decade at the top, racing against Eddy Merckx.
All roads of the Six Day season would lead to Ghent – it was and remains the biggest show of the year – and Maurice competed in the annual showpiece six times.
His last race there was in 1983, shortly before a career-ending crash at the Buenos Aires Six the following year.
Maurice’s early retirement was never going to mean an end to his life around bikes. First, he rode around London as a cycle courier in the 1980s, then bought De Ver Cycles in Streatham from a former racer. He still owns it today.
Barring illness or injury, he continues to ride his bike every day.
What our panel said: "From fixing up bikes in his youth to selling Colnagos in his own London shop over 50 years later – and, in between, racing them in a pioneering career – Maurice Burton offered us so many reasons to acknowledge him with this award."