The Mark Gunter Photographer of the Year Awards have once again delivered some amazing photos! We’ve received images from all over the world, from passionate enthusiasts and pro photographers.
2020 — what a year it’s been — unusual times, isolation, long lonely rides, and in many cases more family time. Our new normal — has created some new perspectives and some meaningful moments captured in photos and told through stories.
We are proud to showcase the winners here, their images, and the story behind their image — and everyone who made the top 10 in both categories.
It’s not always easy to be thankful in times like these, but I am. I want to thank everyone who was part of this years awards — either as a photographer, or as an avid viewer of the work of colleagues in the cycling community—, everyone who spread the word, and to Wahoo Fitness for the prizes in the Amateur category.
A huge thank you to judges Kristof Ramon, Tim Bardsley-Smith and Jered & Ashley Gruber, and Graham Watson. Even the pros found it difficult to choose just the top 10 in each category — but they finally did after four hours. Your expertise and your time — it’s been a pleasure — thank you.
Thanks to Punchbuggy for doing work behind the scenes to keep these awards going.
Thanks to Cyclingtips for making the 2020 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 6 years old, who for the second year running 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: Chris Auld (United Kingdom)
“Italian cycling fans are some of the most passionate, an image that would make any Tifosis heart swell with pride, seeing World ITT Champion, Filippo Ganna riding past a giant Tricolori flag in the Giro d’Italia.” Chris Auld @cauldphoto
The Judges said;
“I just love that flag. This is pretty much the preeminent example of a flag shot. I remember seeing it the first time. I was like…. oh, boy — I like that one.”
“The shot in front of the giant Italian flag in some weird way — I felt like it conveyed hope.”
2nd Prize Professional category: Albert Gallego (Spain)
‘LOCKDOWN. That moment of 2020 when everyone had to stop. With this photo, I’m sure many cyclists will be reflected by their days of being confined at home and where they spent hours and hours on their trainers. I portrait some cyclists, without moving from home, via video call, to tell them how to configure their cameras, to take the picture that I had in mind. All the photos had a common thread between them by the light that came from their screens and that illuminated their “pain cave”.’ Albert Gallego @brazodehierro
The Judges said:
“To have such consistency in lighting, such consistency of framing, and with the photographer not actually being on site…. Something I couldn’t even imagine myself.”
3rd Prize Professional category: Luis Alcantarilla (United Kingdom)
“All weathers. Wales’ answer to Sa Calobra. A closed road and only one way up, it’s a short but brutal climb, featuring some of the few Switchbacks available in Britain and halting when you reach the Dam at the top. Shooting for Ribble Cycles, we were met with sun, hail, snow, wind, rain and finally an immensely atmospheric and chilly descent.” Luis Alcantarilla @eltoromediadotcom
The Judges said;
“This is one hundred percent the kind of picture that I dream of taking — the kind of picture I dream of being in.”
4th Place Professional category
“Pre-covid media scrum around Wout Van Aert after the finish of the men elite race at the Cyclocross World Championships in Dübendorf.” Francesco Rachello @strict
5th Place Professional category
“As we all know this year has been quite difficult for everyone, luckily the Giro managed to arrive on its last stage in Milan. Here is Simon Guglielmi riding through the empty streets of the Italian city with two carabinieri wearing masks as only spectators.” Eloise Mavian @eloisemavian
6th Place Professional category
“The perfect line. Mathieu van der Poel is truly an exceptional rider with outstanding bike skills. To see him finding the perfect line is an impressive show. At the World Championship 2020 in Duebendorf (Switzerland) i aimed for this minimalistic shot from a bridge, reduced on Mathieu van der Poel and these lines in the mud. For me this image represents the beauty and demands of this sport, combined with maybe the best rider in the world.” Marcel Hilger @marcelhilger
7th Place Professional category
“As the theme for the awards this year is defined by ‘hope’, I chose this photo of Stig Broeckx during a rehabilitation training at Igo4fit with trainers Paul Van Den Bosch en Wouter Moors. In the field of psychology ‘hope’ can be linked to the existence of a goal. Combined with a determined plan for reaching that, ‘hope’ should be viewed as a cognitive skill that demonstrates an individual’s ability to maintain drive in pursuit of a this goal. Well, Stig Broeckx has this skill.” Rhode Van Elsen @rhode_photo
8th Place Professional category
“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
9th Place Professional category
“Denmark’s men’s team pursuiters shattering the world record at UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Berlin, Germany, 2020. The new Worlds best time on 4km track is 3:44.672 min.” Michal Cerveny @michalcervenyphoto
10th Place Professional category
“It was a cold snowy day in February; Back when the calendar was full of possibilities. I was in my favourite place in the world: Hood River-Mosier, Oregon. There was a light dusting of snow. I decided to head up to Rowena Crest. As luck would have it, three Eagles were circling that day and a lone cyclist pedalled up the icy climb. If “hope” is the theme, this is an image I think about often: in spite of the conditions — keep pedalling.” Drew Coleman @dcmediahaus
1st Prize Amateur category: Anthony Leutenegger (Switzerland)
“Everyone loves a happy ending, especially during these difficult times. My submission last year was of Marion Norbert-Riberolle in tears at the finish line of the Cyclocross World Championships as she had an untimely mechanical and lost in the final lap. In 2020 she stormed away to victory to win the U23 World Championships by a mile. Embracing her family, draped in a French flag, it was a moment of true happiness, one of hope, and this year without despair.” Anthony Leutenegger @anthonyleutenegger
The Judges said;
“It’s just perfect. You can feel how much they love each other — her hand is so relaxed, and the shoulder goes into her face because he’s just hugging her that much!”
“The eyes say everything and with the colours and the hug — it’s really powerful.”
2nd Prize Amateur category: Julien Payette-Tessier (Canada)
‘This is an iconic spot in Montreal city. It’s our biggest hill called Camilien Houde. I ride their almost 2 times a week on my bike with friends. I had a tone of pictures of it but during this morning ride everything was align for me. The sun, the position of my friends on their bikes etc. Important note on this one: I was climbing a 10% hill on my bike holding my Canon 5D IV and a 24-70 lens. That was a heavy setup.’ Julien Payette-Tessier @payette
The Judges said;
“I really like it — it was super casual, and it has a good feeling about it. It was the perfect light. And it’s a hard shot to replicate.”
3rd Prize Amateur category: Rasmus Pellizotti (Denmark)
“Social distance in the forest.” Rasmus Pellizotti @traedekongen
The Judges said;
“What I like is the atmosphere and the mist. I like it, I love it, wow!”
“I mean this is a movie poster! It’s so dramatic.”
4th Place Amateur category
“No roaring engines that day at the circuit of Zolder. Only human power during the cyclocross race on the former Formula One track. Taking a step back made it possible to get the motorsport atmosphere, when Mathieu van der Poel passes by.” Mats Palinckx @matspalinckx
5th Place Amateur category
“During lock down the local bunches ceased, and there was plenty of solo rides and riders. As things settled, racing started again. This image is taken on a hot Sunday morning at the local, purpose built crit track in Noosa. It is a break gone early, emerging from the dark bridge & tunnel and into the light, solo, with the pack chasing. It’s lonely out there, as it has been in in periods of 2020. The bunch ultimately caught up and a pack formed, together again, as we hope for in 2021.” Glen Bucklar @gbvisi0n
6th Place Amateur category
“My most intense moment at a Cross Race so far. @JoshuaDubau (FRA) fell off the Bike and was not able to continue the Race, due the Conditions in Dendermonde.” Felix Homann @fellusch
7th Place Amateur category
“Gravel riding in the Tarentaise (France). The region is mostly known for the ski resorts and regular Tour de France stage finishes of Val Thorens, Meribel and Courchevel (in the background). But it offers way more to the discerning cyclists, like this great loop to the Refuge du Mont Jovet.” Alain Rumpf @aswisswithapulse
8th Place Amateur category
“This pic was taken when me and two friends rode the South Downs Way, a 100 mile off-road route from Winchester to Eastbourne. I took my beloved Yashica T3…I stored the camera in the top tube bag along with a half eaten protein bar. After some pretty rocky, bone shaking descents I pulled the camera out to take this snap only to find that the bar had disintegrated and had filled every part of the camera…..this was its last frame …ever. Quite a cool ending to a cameras life.” Tom Glendining @tom_glendining
9th Place Amateur category
“After we abandoned our Project Pedal Further venture early 2020 due to the pandemic, I was discouraged. The past 7 months had been full of adventures and now we were stuck in Switzerland, which sometimes seemed too familiar and therefore not too worth discovering. How wrong I was: When we went on a bikepacking trip in mid-November, I found my adventurous spirit again and drew hope: Not only that I live in a beautiful country, but also that somewhere – whether near or far – surprises await me.” Sara Bukies @projectpedalfurther
10th Place Amateur category
“I often pass geese on the road. One day I decided to take a photo of myself with the geese. I set my camera on a timer and as I passed they got a little to close. Fortunately everyone was ok, and I got an interesting photo.” Ron Short @shortcycles
1st Prize Graham’s Choice Amateur Category: Remi McManus (USA )
“A smoky night in the Idaho Mountains.” Remi McManus @r_adventurist
2nd Prize Graham’s Choice Amateur Category: Andres Felipe Cano G (Columbia)
“In february the Bora team arrived to my Hometown Medellín and i join them a couple of days in bike and taking pictures, in this one i say to Peter to do an sprint in the back of the motorcycle, my cousin Lucho put the pace on the motorbike and i lean a little bit to take it with a good angle.” Andres Felipe Cano G @pipecano_photo
3rd Prize Graham’s Choice Amateur Category: Christopher Dacey (USA)
“A favourite local gravel segment north of Boulder that I love for rare traffic and wonderful sun setting light.” Christopher Dacey
Lucas Gunter, Mark’s son (6 years old, Australia)
“The contrast in this picture really stood out to me with the vibrant sunrise popping out from the ominous clouds and the fresh centerline paint drawing your eye past the dark silhouette of a rider in an all black kit.” Marc O’Leary @olearymarc40