The Bermuda Bicycle Association recognised its top cyclists in an award ceremony at the Association?s annual dinner at the weekend, held at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club.

In addition to recognising the winners of the Time Trial and Road Race National Championships, as well as the Time Trial Series and Road Race Points Series winners, a number of special awards were presented to individual riders.

Sixteen-year old Saltus Grammar School student Thomas Godfrey received the award for Most Improved Junior, presented by CycleCellar. Godfrey?s achievements included a significant improvement in his average speed in time trialing, and a season of strong performances culminating in his representing Bermuda at the Junior Caribbean Cycling Championships held last month in Puerto Rico.

Another 16-year old, Rick Sousa Jr., received the Most Improved Rider award. Sousa, at school in the United States and doing most of his competitive riding overseas, elected this season to ride in the Open adult category when in Bermuda, and won both the IBC Front Street Race and the Sinclair Packwood Memorial Race from senior competition.

Fifteen-year-old Tim Fox, also of Saltus Grammar School, was recognised as the Junior Rider of the Year, with a trophy presented by the Winners Edge Bike Shop. Fox, who previously won the award as a 12-year old, has performed well, winning the Road Race Points Series, and also representing Bermuda in the Junior Caribbean Cycling Championships.

In a break from tradition, the award to the Female Rider of the Year went to mountain bike racer Kim McMullen. She was the top female finisher in the BBA?s 2005-06 mountain bike series, but also represented Bermuda in the Women?s Caribbean Cycling Championship where she won silver in the road race.

The popular and unsurprising winner of the Male Rider of the Year award was Bermuda?s top professional cyclist, Tyler Butterfield. Butterfield has had his hard work rewarded by some impressive results this past season including the Commonwealth Games and the Caribbean Cycling Championships where he represented Bermuda, and the Tour of Guadalope riding for his Vendee-U France-based cycling team. He is about to join US professional team TIA-CREFF, that move coming about in part as a result of a visit to Bermuda last year by team owner, Jonathan Vaughters, who spoke at last year?s BBA awards dinner.

Volunteers were also thanked for their contribution to the success of the past racing season, and Hilary Evans-Turner was recognized as Club Person of the Year for her tireless efforts in finding accommodations for overseas riders competing in the CD&P Grand Prix.

Finally, Greg Hopkins and Paulo Maderios, from Winners Edge Bike Shop, made a special award to Brian Iris for his enthusiastic efforts in encouraging new riders to compete this season, including the establishment of the Crime Stoppers Cycle Team.

l The BBA mountain bike racing season continues next Sunday morning with race 3 of the Conrad?s Series at Ferry Reach Park, starting at 8.30 a.m. New riders are encouraged to come out and try this challenging course.

Also coming up is the brand new Tokio Millenium Youth Mountain Bike Series, sponsored by Tokio Millenium Re Ltd., starting at 4 p.m. on Saturday, December 9, in the Arboretum. This series is open to children up to and including P6 grade.