Feature image: James York | other photography as credited
The 2020 edition of the Mark Gunter Photo Awards is in full swing — and I’ll thrilled to see so many meaningful, reflective, and powerful stories of life in 2020. It’s so inspirational to read how cycling has helped people through the tough times, and even help some find the gratitude in life and our surroundings.
The theme is hope – and it’s as much about the image as it about the story behind the images. I implore you to read the captions and understand the meaning the image had for each photographer.
Every entry is making a difference — and if you choose to pay, your entry goes towards the great cause of cancer research through Tour de Cure.
Get your entries in here and have a chance to win some great prizes by @wahooofficialfitness — check out the details here.
This week’s showcase is a representation of this years images — and we hope you’ll enjoy them. See images posted @cyclingtips and #markgunterphotoawards2020 and @markgunter.com.au
An iconic Tour de France cover Image by James York @yorkslismo Amateur category: “This was a shot I had scoped using Google Streetview before I travelled to France. The location proved to be as good as I hoped but I did concentrate on capturing Primož Roglič in yellow. On second glance I was glad to see I also had this one of eventual winner Tadej Pogačar whose hopes for winning the race were still alive with two stages to go.”
Entry into the fiercely-contested Professional Cycling Photographer category is permitted to anyone who earns a living from his or her cycling photography.
“Daniel Felipe Martinez of EF Pro Cycling in action during the time trial from Lure to La Planche des Belles Filles on stage 20 of the Tour de France.” Alex Whitehead @alex_swpix
“The peloton passes Madrid Town Hall during the final stage of the 6th Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta 2020, a 100,5km stage from Madrid to Madrid on November 08, 2020 in Madrid, Spain.” Justin Setterfield @justinsetters
“Early 2020, wild bushfires struck the beautiful region I live in. I had to evacuate twice in January and then, in the first week of February, the condition easing enough, I have been able to follow the Sun Tour 2020. Here is the photo of the leading group in the King Valley where the sun is filtered in the smoky haze.” Jean-Pierre Ronco @imagewriterphotography
“This image is the culmination of three years. A three year plan to the Jersey. A rider. A plan. A bike shop in Portland, Oregon and a pair of mechanics took the Stars and Stripes in cyclocross. This is the moment team manager/mechanic and rider sink into one another’s arms in celebration of winning the U.S. Cyclocross National Championship — while team owner sits in the bokeh as only he would have it. It’s a technically imperfect image. But it is and always will be a capture I hold dear.” Drew Colman @dcmediahaus
“Froomie. The definition of le Tour for the last 10 years. He dominated it. 2020 is the end of his nice story with Team Sky/Ineos. Good luck golden boy.” Paolo Martelli @paolopennimartelli
“With such limited racing in this crazy year, Colby Lange of Team Generation Wildlife, takes a commanding win in SRM P-1-2, the Colorado State Patrol Criterium in Golden, Colorado.” Ryan Muncy @ryanmuncy
For non-professional photographers using high-end cameras, and anyone with a smartphone or drone or action camera — we have the Amateur category. This year the Enthusiast category and the Smartphone / Action Cam category have been combined to make the Amateur category.
“In a year where the preparation was not the best because of the Covid-19 (the Ordiziako Klasikoa, this year was the final preparation before La Vuelta), the riders would face a hard circuit in itself, to which the rain and cold would be added. The faces of the riders at their arrival at the finish line, perfectly reflected this hardness and also the agony they had accumulated throughout the year.” Markel Bazanbide @markel.bazan
“Beth Crumpton embracing her father, after finishing 3rd in the Womens Elite British National Cyclocross championships. Showing how much it meant to her for all the support.” Doug McMillan @stagiaireshots
“Friendship, true friendship that helped me survive this crazy year. Thank you.” Pedro Carvalho @pedrotheguide
“Solo camping the day after lockdown was lifted in Poland and we could enter the forests legally again. Perfect isolation, despite the cold.” Szymon Pomorski @trail23dom
“I decided to take a new way home on an abandoned railroad that had been ripped up and came across this bridge. I took this photo on the commute home from work. It took me much longer to get home. But finding little gems like this is always worth it.” Henry Kennedy @henrythe_human
“I’m sure there isn’t a good year to lose the ability to ride a bike, but 2020 isn’t the year I would have chosen. While others spoke of how escaping on their bike was everything, my world was getting smaller. Getting a handcycle gave me back the pieces I needed most, the ability to push myself through hard workouts and a feeling that I could still be a part of the cycling community.” Amy Moody @amy.thurbs
“2 days of 100 miles we finally reach day 3. After a cool 30 miles the rain starts and doesn’t stop for the next 85 miles.” Tim Fleenor @timboflee
“The National Championship. The one race and jersey every British cyclo-cross rider hopes to win… For Tom Pidcock this was the start of an incredible 2020 race season.” James Hards @jameshguitar
For more information on the #markgunterphotoawards2020 check out CyclingTips and Mark Gunter Photography.