WINNERS #markgunterphotoawards2022
]Impressive. Thrilling. Exhilarating. Moving. Emotive. Thought provoking. And more.
The 2022 Mark Gunter Photographer of the Year Awards — our seventh year — and it definitely has not disappointed!!!
We’ve received an incredibly diverse range of photos from all over the world, from passionate enthusiasts and pro photographers. Our 2022 entrants are from over 40 countries across all continents — including Austria, South Africa, Portugal, Ukraine, Croatia, Ireland, Greece, Denmark, Canada — just to name a handful.
And so the bar continues to be raised each year. And the quality and the aspects of cycling images grows and moves us as viewers. It’s been a honour, as always to read every single caption telling hundreds of cycling stories, from all over the world. It is truely an international competition.
And one, I’m so proud to be a part of.
The Awards showcase the work of talented photographers and inspire us all to capture moments that mean something, to the photographer and the audience. Like one photographer this year said, “when I was at every race throughout the year — in the back of my mind — I thought I must have a photo worthy of submitting for the MarkGunterPhotoAwards2022”. It gives me goose bumps to know how important the awards are.
And they also support our important causes — raising money for cancer research via Tour de Cure. This year sadly we weren’t able to call for nominations for the Young Cyclists Assistance, so we’re not supporting any young riders this time — but we’ll be back in full swing next year.
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.
A huge thank you to our diverse and highly regarded panel of judges James Startt, Veronique Rolland, Antonio Colombo, Sean Hardy, Susanna Brown, and Graham Watson for your talent, your expertise and your time and your choices.
Thanks to Wahoo Fitness for the first prize in the Amateur category. It’s the icing on the “bike” for our winner in the Amateur category.
Thanks to Punchbuggy for doing work behind the scenes to keep these awards going — year after year.
Thanks to Rouleur magazine for supporting the 2022 Mark Gunter Photographer of the Year Awards, it’s very special for me to able to keep Mark’s legacy alive for our son Lucas, who’s now 8, and has successfully chosen his very own list.
The wait is over…. here are the winners and your top ten in each category! Congratulations to you all.
Feature image: James Middleton | other photography as credited
Cover image by Daniela Tommasi
PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY
1st Prize Professional category: Bram Berkien (Netherlands)
“Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard shares a quiet and intimate moment with his partner Trine Marie Hansen on the Champs Élisées in Paris just after the final stage of the 2022 Tour de France. After three weeks of racing, the Team Jumbo-Visma rider secured the overall victory of the most prestigious cycling race in the world. This photo was shot just before the podium ceremony, in a backstage area.” Bram Berkien @bramberkien
2nd Prize Professional category: Lian van Leeuwen (Netherlands)
“On stage 2 of the 2022 @MigrationGravelRace in Kenya, @teamamani ‘s @nancyakidebe dug deep to recover lost time from stage 1. Nancy had a terrible crash at km 70 that left her with a deeply bruised shoulder and a swollen eye. But she persisted, won the stage and took the overall lead for the day. It showed again that the strength and talent of East African cyclists is something to be reckoned with for the future of this sport.” Lian van Leeuwin @saltlake_lian
3rd Prize Professional category: Anouk Flesch (Luxembourg)
“2nd edition of Paris Roubaix Femmes. For many riders, getting a picture in the iconic showers in Roubaix is at least as important as a picture of them during the race itself. Here, Flora Perkins (Le Col Wahoo) after her first Paris-Roubaix participation.” Anouk Flesch @anoukflesch
4th Place Professional category: Nils Laengner (Germany)
“1050 km and 13.052 meters in climbing or in other words 49 hours and 25 minutes (victory & route record). That was Across Andes for Ulrich Bartholmoes.Across Andes is an unsupported ultracycling gravel race, which passes through the most remote places at the end of the world. Patagonia Verde is known for the famous Carretera Austral.” Nils Laengner @nils_laengner
5th Place Professional category: Eloise Mavian (Netherlands)
“Jonas Vingegaard struggling on the last meters of the 20th stage of the Tour de France. It was a very long warm day in Rocamadour, so it was a joy to find this escape from the sun. A very nice fresh tunnel with rocks (I love rocks) and dramatic light.” Eloise Mavian @eloisemavian
6th Place Professional category: Juan Felipe Rubio (Colombia)
“A different kind of fan giving away a different kind of support! ” Juan Felipe Rubio @thebreakaway.co
7th Place Professional category: Eloise Mavian (Netherlands)
“The final stage of the Tour de France Femmes ended on the infamous Super Planche des Belles Filles. When Demi crossed the finish line she directly went to lie down on the ground, exhausted. Her mother was holding her hand and she quickly jumped over the barriers to hold her tight. She had a big smile on her face and she was constantly whispering to Demi while she was trying to catch her breath. I stayed on the ground enjoying this beautiful magical moment between mother and daughter.” Eloise Mavian @eloisemavian
8th Place Professional category: Daniela Tommasi (Australia)
“Yellow is the ‘happy colour’, right? This aerial shot taken at Backroads Gravel Race in Australia’s wheatbelt makes me smile. This image has a group of riders covering the brightest coloured landscape of all races I’ve photographed. The canola fields were in full bloom and riders were crossing wide expanses of what looked like hand-painted canvases.” Daniela Tommasi @daniela_tommasi_photography
9th Place Professional category: Matt Grayson (UK)
“Winning a race at is a pretty big deal, especially when its in front of your home supporters. Ibrahim Kamara celebrates with his family after winning the Junior mens race at The Tour de Lunsar, Sierra Leone’s only multi-stage bike race. Like a lot of riders in the race, teams wear donated kit. The UAE Team Emirates jerseys having been donated by Dan Martin.” Matt Grayson @mattgrayson_photo
10th Place Professional category: Harry Talbot (New Zealand)
“Kevin Vermaerke punctures on Stage five of the TDF. His soigneur was stranded on the other side of the cobbles with riders and team cars still blasting through the sector. Without a chance to run across between the chaos he threw the wheel infront of a team car to an assisting fan. I shot the saga in disbelief at what I witnessed. I love this sport.” Harry Talbot @visualsofharry
AMATEUR CATEGORY
1st Prize Amateur category: Iurii Makalis (Ukraine)
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“The bicycle is a true symbol of defiance. Empty streets, sandbags, air-raid alarms, anti tank hedgehogs – our reality now. For those who volunteer or came back from the front, cycling is a great way to relax mentally and physically. In many regions of Ukraine, bicycles have become the main means of transport.” Dmitriy from Odesa, Ukraine in Aug. Iurii Makalis @makalisiurii
2nd Prize Amateur category: Stijn Bastens (Belgium)
“Marvel. Admiration. Emotion. Inspiration. Isn’t that what sports is all about. Thalita de Jong during a derny criterium in Wilrijk – Antwerp. And a young marvelled fan.”Stijn Bastens @stijn_bastens
3rd Prize Amateur category: Darren Athersmith (England)
“Local hill climb aptly up a lakeland hill named The Struggle, always a fantastic atmosphere in the run to the finish.” Darren Athersmith @da_sportsphotos
4th Place Amateur category: Stuart Baker (Australia)
“Lina Hernandez from Columbia waiting to start the women’s individual TT during the World Titles in Wollongong 2022.” Stuart Baker @stuhbaker
5th Place Amateur category: James Middleton (England)
“Tiny riders. Yet another from the 3 peaks race and one that sums up cyclo-cross: you’re either on the bike or the bikes on you. I saw these two like ants from a distance and knew I needed to go for the silhouette shot, thankfully they lined themselves up perfectly in different poses for me too!” James Middleton @jmidphoto
6th Place Amateur category: Lewis Allan (UK)
“The moment the stadium roared and the roof came off! as Emma Hinze beat Mathilde Gros in the third all or nothing round of the women’s sprint, bringing Hinze her third gold medal of the European championships in Munich.” Lewis Allan @lewisallanphotography
7th Place Amateur category: Lewis Allan (UK)
“I caught this candid shot of the young girls supporting and cheering on the women as they neared the top of this epic climb.” Lewis Allan @lewisallanphotography
8th Place Amateur category: Jeff Corcoran (USA)
“Gravel racing in the mid-west. Pella-Roubaix. 100k of gravel, hills and wind in southern Iowa. The flags were flying straight out all day. Is this heaven? No, it’s Iowa.” Jeff Corcoran @corcoransphotos
9th Place Amateur category: Saskia Martin (UK)
“A Tuesday ritual in London. Everyone meets at Regents, to then go and do the laps around the Iconic Regent’s Park and then we all meet up for the most important thing, Coffee.” Saskia Martin @saskiacmartin
10th Place Amateur category: Jenna Leigh (UK)
“Three years ago, on a local loop through southeast London, I met a family of foxes. Since then, I’ve visited them a few times a week and their gentle curiosity has never failed to raise my spirits.” Jenna Leigh @jenna7788
Thank you everyone again — for being part of the Mark Gunter Photographer of the Year Awards.
The judges decisions are in and they are final! Thank you to James Startt, Sean Hardy, Susanna Brown, Antonio Colombo, and Veronique Rolland.
For more information on the #markgunterphotoawards2022 check out Rouleur.