We’ve once again been privileged to experience so many amazing images in the 2019 Mark Gunter Photographer of the Year Awards, there were so many epic images entered – in all three categories. The final week was a last minute rush with hundred of images flooding in; you can see some of these images in Showcase Five.
Our judges this year – Simon Wilkinson, Chris Auld, and Pauline Ballet and our honorary Judge Graham Watson – definitely had a tough task on their hands to decide the winners amongst a field of high quality work. Thank you to our Judges for your expertise and you time – it’s been a pleasure.
The Judges poured through 1,200 images. They first had to select the images – without knowing the who the photographer was – then narrowed down a shortlist for each category. Then collectively they chose the winning images. Read about their experiences in their Shortlists.
We are proud to showcase the winners here, their images, and the story behind their image and for everyone who made the top 10 in each category.
Thank you to all our sponsors for putting up the prizes in the Enthusiast and Smartphone / Action Cam categories; @feltbicycles, @maviccycling, @wahoofitnessofficial, @thesufferfest, @ridebontrager, @parktoolblue, @castellicycling, and Graham Watson online.
Thanks to Punchbuggy for doing work behind the scenes to keep these awards going.
Thanks to Cyclingtips for making the 2019 Mark Gunter Photographer of the Year Awards happen again, it’s very special for me to able to keep Mark’s legacy alive for our son Lucas, who’s now 5 years old, who chose his own favourite photos in Lucas’s List.
The wait is over…. here are the winners and your Top Ten in each category! Congratulations to you all.
1st Prize Professional category: Alex Broadway (United Kingdom)
Photo by Alex Broadhead @_alexbroadway_: ‘2nd May 2019 Tour de Yorkshire – Stage 1: Doncaster – Selby – Nicholas Dlamini of Team Dimension Data leads the Peloton at Boothferry Bridge.’
2nd Prize Professional category: Eloise Mavian (Italy)
Photo by Eloise Mavian @eloisemavian: “We photographers tend to avoid this kind of situation, but I couldn’t help myself with wanting to shoot up close this beautiful moment: Annemiek Van Vleuten holding her well-deserved trophy unaware of the imminent prosecco shower thrown by her teammates. Annemiek won the GC, points classification and QOM of the Giro Rosa 2019.”
3rd Prize Professional category: Daghan Perker (United States)
Image by Daghan Perker @dperker: “Caroline Mani gives everything and collapses at the finish line after a hard and muddy race at Trek CX Cup.”
4th Place Professional category
Image by Jordan Benjamin-Sutton @peloton_perspective: “Mads Pedersen is surrounded by the media after claiming victory in the 2019 World Championships in Harrogate.”
5th Place Professional category
Image by Kristof Ramon @kramon_velophoto: “”Hugging Helmets” > Team Jumbo-Visma just won the opening TTT in Brussels of the 2019 TdF. In the scrum that followed, I had no better option then to stretch my arm above it and eyeball (and shoot) a few frames. The resulting pic captured the outburst of joy perfectly.”
6th Place Professional category
Image by Tomas Montes @@arrieredupeloton: “On the third day of the Pan Celtic Race, the ultra-distance race would pass through an iconic Irish place called The Dark Hedges. Matt, the organizer, led us there to try to photograph the head of the race. But when we arrived at the place I thought it wasn’t worth the photo because it was full of tourists. But for once the rain was allied with us and a huge storm dumped upon us by emptying the place and creating the perfect scenary to capture the place and the thoughness of the race it self.”
7th Place Professional category
Image by Chiara Redaschi @chiara_redaschi: “Loulou just after his victory at Milano Sanremo, a moment of pure joy with his masseur.”
8th Place Professional category
Image by Zac Williams @z_w_photography: “This image is from Stage 18 of the 2019 Tour de France. It shows Julian Alaphilippe descending the Col du Galibier, solo, after being dropped by the GC favourites on the climb. Alaphilippe flew past me into the blind corner behind where I was stood, truly laying everything on the line to secure another day in yellow.”
9th Place Professional category
Image by Luca Bettini @lucabettini87: “Milano Sanremo, Capo Berta a group of fans lit smoke bombs as the group passed by.”
10th Place Professional category
Image by Kristof Ramon @kramon_velophoto: “1 of the most impressive procycling moments of 2019: Annemiek van Vleuten attacks up Cray Hill (during the 2019 Worlds in Yorkshire) and initiates a mammoth 100+ km solo ride into Harrogate that would crown her the new Elite Women World Champion. The atmosphere of Yorkshire was perfectly captured as well here.”
1st Prize Enthusiast category: Miguel Ena (Spain)
Image by Miguel Ena @enasanjuan “Alaphilippe arrived in the Pyrenees with the intention of defending the yellow with teeth and nails, but nothing further from reality, with the French fans crowded in the roadside, he set the best time of the day. A serious candidate for the GC?”
2nd Prize Enthusiast category: Luis Alcantarilla (United Kingdom)
Image by Luis Alcantarilla @eltoromediadotcom: “The British contingent. British National Time Trial champion Alex Dowsett is out of the darkness. I watched Alex at the National TT in 2018 and saw just how devastated he was to finish 3rd behind Tanfield and an absolutely peak Geraint Thomas. He prepared immensely for the Worlds, reclaiming his national title and on home roads, put in an incredible ride to finish 5th at Yorkshire2019.”
3rd Prize Enthusiast category: h.a.velopix (Germany)
Image by h.a.velopix @h.a.velopix: “Paula Leonhardt wins the junior women’s points race at the German Track National Championships 2019. The Finals Berlin are worth a visit, a variety of different sports celebrate their national finals together at one weekend.”
4th Place Enthusiast category
Image by Anthony Leutenegger @anthonyleutenegger: “”The agony of defeat.” Just after the final sprint at the CX WC in Bogense I heard a shrill scream in the finishing area. Shooting amongst the craziness past the finishing line I saw french rider Marion Norbert-Riberolle burst into tears and collapse against the fence. She sobbed along the fence whilst her mother tried to comfort her from the other side.”
5th Place Enthusiast category
Image by Roderick De Guzman @rodpedals: “When a pro rider comes home for the holidays and gets a homecoming reception (and a target on his back!). The pro taking the corner at the Teardrop with precision and speed. The other racers keeping up behind him. Local boy and EF Education First pro rider, Jimmy Whelan comes home for the Australian summer. Joins the local crits at the Hawthorn Cycling Club, showing some love!”
6th Place Enthusiast category
Image by Rupert Hartley @ruperthartleyphoto: “Neil Lauder takes the Ferry from Scotland to Northern Ireland during the inaugural Pan Celtic Ultra Race. He had led the race for much of the first 1000km through Scotland, before being hit by a car near the ferry terminal in Stranraer. After 4 hours in hospital, an X-Ray showed unlike his bike, his shoulder was not broken. He boarded the ferry unsure if he could source a new wheel or be able to ride a bike. He managed both, and grimaced his way through another 1200km to take 5th place.”
7th Place Enthusiast category
Image by Ron Short @shortcycles: “Morning training ride in New jersey. Photographed myself using the interval timer on my camera.”
8th Place Enthusiast category
Image by Angelica Dixon @angelicadixon825: “Water resistance. Travis Dixon/Pro Group Contracting Fall River Criterium/ Fall River, MA.”
9th Place Enthusiast category
Image by Martijn Pols @tijnpols: “The European Track Championships came to The Netherlands last fall, my chance to finally see this great sport live and shoot some nice pics too…”
10th Place Enthusiast category
Image by Daniela Tommasi @daniela_tommasi_photography: “Cyclocross from the air. This image was taken with a drone at the Beverley Heroic, a weekend of cycling events in the Wheatbelt that celebrates one of Australia’s toughest race. The original Beverley ran from 1897 to 1999 between Beverley and Perth.”
1st Prize Smartphone / Action Camera category: John Braynard (Austria)
Image by John Braynard @jbraynard: ”This the small bit of all cobble road at the very top of the Grossglockner Alpine Road in the Austrian Alps. It is one of a kind – nothing like it in the world.”
2nd Prize Smartphone / Action Camera category: David Mai (United States)
Image by Daniel Mai @sailinbum: “One of the most iconic stretches of road in California. Ridgecrest never disappoints.”
3rd Prize Smartphone / Action Camera category: Galen Stilgebauer (United States)
Image by Galen Stilgebauer @lightersideimages: “S is for Super FUN! Colorado cyclocross State Championships, Elite men. What a race!”
4th Place Smartphone / Action Camera category
Image by Graeme Langhorne @Graemelanghorne: “A freezing cold evening descent of the Col du Galibier in September. Everything about this mountain is immense, and the light disappearing behind the peaks that day was magical. #Galibier #MarkGunterPhotoAwards19.”
5th Place Smartphone / Action Camera category
Image by AJ Moran @ajmoranphotog: “In search of gravel !! early one morning the boys set out on another excellent adventure…On hitting the gravel our first section of gravel we turn left and Im blown away by the magnificent stream of light beaming through the conifers of the Southern Highlands, out came the phone and away I went !!”
6th Place Smartphone / Action Camera category
Image by Rasmus Pellizotti @traedekongen: “Last effort before the hotel in Bilbao after a long day in the saddle.”
7th Place Smartphone / Action Camera category
Image by Robbie Allen @Robbiedustyallen: ”This Xmas holiday I took the bike into the mountains behind Ulladulla just near Pidgeon House and ….. far out😢. Not sure if it was the smoke stinging my eyes, the loss of wildlife or just acknowledging the legendary effort of our firies👨🏻🚒👩🏼🚒but this ride was gut-wrenchingly real. Stating this country needs rain fast… is surely the understatement of 2019.”
8th Place Smartphone / Action Camera category
Image by Matt Stevenson @mattwstevenson: “Winter is almost here, the high passes could soon be blocked. The road from Kenmore towards Crieff looking towards the east. Not for the faint hearted this road. The climb weaves over open moorland, exposed to the elements with gradients up to 25%. I’ll be back to tackle this one again in the spring but for now it’s time to enjoy lower level roads as winter closes in.”
9th Place Smartphone / Action Camera category
Image by Emily Alexander @eealxndr: ‘Moto in turn four, riders ready…!”
10th Place Smartphone / Action Camera category
Image by Mark Geary @ogaram: “Cool dad! I was out for a bike ride with my son. We stopped for a break. I saw this family group approaching, with one of the adults popping a mono. I had time to get one shot with my iPhone. This is it. Perfect! It is one of my favourite pics of the year. No preparation, no editing, just people enjoying time on their bicycles.”
1st Prize Graham’s Choice Enthusiast Category: Wouter Hoogenboom (United States)
Image by Wouter Hoogenboom @bicycle.racing.pictures: “After periods of rain, huge puddles of water accumulate at Floyd Bennett Field, a former airfield in Brooklyn that is occasionally used for bicycle racing. For the racers, the water may be nuisance, but for the photographer it is a gift.”
2nd Prize Graham’s Choice Enthusiast Category: Jon Turner (United Kingdom)
Image by Jon Turner @jondturner: “Col du Petit Saint Bernard – May – Snow Patrol! We went in search of snow walls and it was an exceptional year. Shot from high above with a 300 mm lens in zero temperature. In order to capture these images I am also riding so carrying my camera gear and looking after it in bad weather is a challenge. I’ve stood on the same road at the same time in 2017 and it was 26 degrees! This year was incredible – and brutal all at once!”
3rd Prize Graham’s Choice Enthusiast Category: Miguel Ena (Spain)
Image by Miguel Ena @enasanjuan “Alaphilippe arrived in the Pyrenees with the intention of defending the yellow with teeth and nails, but nothing further from reality, with the French fans crowded in the roadside, he set the best time of the day. A serious candidate for the GC?”
1st Place Graham’s Choice Smartphone / Action Cam: Galen Stilgebauer (United States)
Image by Galen Stilgebauer @lightersideimages: “S is for Super FUN! Colorado cyclocross State Championships, Elite men. What a race!”
2nd Place Graham’s Choice Smartphone / Action Cam: David Mai (United States)
Image by Daniel Mai @sailinbum: “One of the most iconic stretches of road in California. Ridgecrest never disappoints.”
3rd Place Graham’s Choice Smartphone / Action Cam: Mark Geary (Australia)
Image by Mark Geary @ogaram: “Zachary Marshall and Daniel Gandy do a sling at the recent Australian Madison Champs. My GoPro was on the bike of Jensen Plowright at the Australian Madison Champs. This race is like no other – riders take turns to race and sling the new rider into race pace.”
Lucas’s List – his favourite photo of this years Awards: Brain Hodes (United States)
Image by Brian Hodes @veloimages: ‘Boys will be boys…..Just have fun!’