The Flandrien of the Year (Dutch: Flandrien-Trofee) is an annual award presented by the Flemish newspaper Het Nieuwsblad to the best Belgian cyclist of the year. The prize has been awarded since 2003 and was originally awarded based on a vote by the public, and open to any nationality. The first winner of the award was the Italian Paolo Bettini. Since 2008, separate awards were created for the best Belgian cyclist, the best international cyclist, and the best Belgian female cyclist (Flandrienne of the Year). Also since 2008, the voting system was changed and only people from within the world of cycling choose the winners from a jury's list of nominees. Since 2014, an award for best international cyclo-cross cyclist was added. This latter award was replaced in 2019 by the Trophy Patrick Sercu in honour of the Belgian rider who died that year. The Trophy Patrick Sercu is awarded to the best non-road race cyclist.

Greg Van Avermaet, Flandrien of the Year in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017

The award is seen as prestigious in the world of cycling, especially since it is voted on by fellow cyclists. It is also seen as rewarding the cyclist who most embodies the tough and hard-working values of the Flandrien cyclists of years gone by, such as Briek Schotte.[1] International Flandrien of the Year 2013 Chris Froome summed up these sentiments when he accepted the award, saying: "A Flandrien is to me someone, no matter how tough the conditions are, never gives up. Someone who has the character of a fighter."[2]

Road Race Winners edit

(Open) Flandrien of the Year (2003–2007) edit

Year Country Rider Team
2003   Italy Paolo Bettini Quick-Step–Davitamon
2004   Belgium Tom Boonen Quick-Step–Davitamon
2005   Belgium Tom Boonen Quick-Step–Innergetic
2006   Italy Paolo Bettini Quick-Step–Innergetic
2007   Italy Paolo Bettini Quick-Step–Innergetic

(Belgian) Flandrien of the Year (2008–) edit

Year Country Rider Team
2008   Belgium Greg Van Avermaet Silence–Lotto
2009   Belgium Philippe Gilbert Silence–Lotto
2010   Belgium Philippe Gilbert Omega Pharma–Lotto
2011   Belgium Philippe Gilbert Omega Pharma–Lotto
2012   Belgium Tom Boonen Omega Pharma–Quick-Step
2013   Belgium Greg Van Avermaet BMC Racing Team
2014   Belgium Greg Van Avermaet BMC Racing Team
2015   Belgium Greg Van Avermaet BMC Racing Team
2016   Belgium Greg Van Avermaet BMC Racing Team
2017   Belgium Greg Van Avermaet BMC Racing Team
2018   Belgium Yves Lampaert Quick-Step Floors
2019   Belgium Wout Van Aert Team Jumbo–Visma
2020   Belgium Wout Van Aert Team Jumbo–Visma
2021   Belgium Wout Van Aert Team Jumbo–Visma
2022   Belgium Remco Evenepoel Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team
2023   Belgium Jasper Philipsen Alpecin–Deceuninck

International Flandrien of the Year (2008–) edit

Year Country Rider Team
2008    Switzerland Fabian Cancellara Team CSC Saxo Bank
2009   Great Britain Mark Cavendish Team Columbia–High Road
2010    Switzerland Fabian Cancellara Team Saxo Bank
2011   Great Britain Mark Cavendish HTC–Highroad
2012   Great Britain Bradley Wiggins Team Sky
2013   Great Britain Chris Froome Team Sky
2014   Poland Michał Kwiatkowski Omega Pharma–Quick-Step
2015   Slovakia Peter Sagan Tinkoff–Saxo
2016   Slovakia Peter Sagan Tinkoff
2017   Great Britain Chris Froome Team Sky
2018   Netherlands Tom Dumoulin Team Sunweb
2019   France Julian Alaphilippe Deceuninck–Quick-Step
2021   Slovenia Tadej Pogačar UAE Team Emirates
2022   Slovenia Tadej Pogačar UAE Team Emirates
2023   Netherlands Mathieu van der Poel Alpecin–Deceuninck

By country edit

Country Number of wins Winning years
  Great Britain
5
2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017
  Switzerland
2
2008, 2010
  Slovakia
2
2015, 2016
  Slovenia
2
2021, 2022
  Netherlands
2
2018, 2023
  Poland
1
2014
  France
1
2019

(Belgian) Flandrienne of the Year (2008–) edit

Year Country Rider Team
2008   Belgium Grace Verbeke Lotto–Belisol Ladiesteam
2009   Belgium Grace Verbeke Lotto–Belisol Ladiesteam
2010   Belgium Liesbet De Vocht Nederland Bloeit
2011   Belgium Grace Verbeke Topsport Vlaanderen-Ridley Team
2012   Belgium Liesbet De Vocht Rabobank Women Cycling Team
2013   Belgium Jessie Daams Boels–Dolmans
2014   Belgium Jolien D'Hoore Lotto–Belisol Ladies
2015   Belgium Jolien D'Hoore Wiggle–Honda
2016   Belgium Jolien D'Hoore Wiggle High5
2017   Belgium Sanne Cant Beobank–Corendon
2018   Belgium Sanne Cant Corendon–Circus
2019   Belgium Sofie De Vuyst Parkhotel Valkenburg
2020   Belgium Lotte Kopecky Lotto–Soudal Ladies
2021   Belgium Lotte Kopecky Liv Racing
2022   Belgium Lotte Kopecky SD Worx
2023   Belgium Lotte Kopecky SD Worx

International Flandrienne of the Year (2022–) edit

Year Country Rider Team
2022   Netherlands Annemiek van Vleuten Movistar Team

Non-Road Race Winners edit

Flandrien of the Cyclo-Cross (2014–2018) edit

Year Country Rider Team
2014   Belgium Sven Nys Crelan-AA Drink
2015   Netherlands Mathieu van der Poel BKCP–Powerplus
2016   Belgium Wout Van Aert Crelan–Vastgoedservice
2017   Netherlands Mathieu van der Poel Beobank–Corendon
2018   Netherlands Mathieu van der Poel Corendon–Circus

Trophy Patrick Sercu (2019–) edit

Year Country Rider Team
2019   Belgium Victor Campenaerts Lotto–Soudal
2021   Belgium Tim Celen Ploeg Kemp Sports Paracycling
2022   Belgium Lotte Kopecky SD Worx
2023   Belgium Lotte Kopecky SD Worx

Lifetime Achievement Award edit

Year Country Rider Team
2016    Switzerland Fabian Cancellara Trek–Segafredo
2021   Belgium Jolien D'Hoore -
2023   Slovakia Peter Sagan -
2023   Belgium Greg Van Avermaet -

Spark of the Year edit

Year Date Winner Team Performance
2023 29 July   Lotte Kopecky (BEL) SD Worx Stage 7 of the Tour de France Femmes

References edit

  1. ^ "BikeRaceInfo: Briek Schotte, the Last Flandrian".
  2. ^ "Van Avermaet, Froome win Flandrien of the year prizes". Cyclingnews.com.