The Tour of Britain is currently being contested and this prompted us to do a touch of research on the topic of trophies within professional cycling. In a sport where the traditional award for the biggest victories is a different coloured jersey we wanted to see what types and designs of trophies the riders receive as well. What we found was an incredible mix of awards of varying shapes, colours and designs. Below is a review of our favourites.
Our top 10 pro cycling trophy designs
1. The Giro d’Italia is an annual stage cycling race held in Italy, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries such as France. Along with the Tour de France and Vuelta a Espana, the Giro makes up cycling’s prestigious three Grand Tours. The race was first organised in 1909 to increase sales of the newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport. More importantly, the trophy is simple stunning, a perfect representation of sleek Italian design. The gold, swirl design is vast and the worthy winner of Premier Trophies best pro tour cycling trophy design.
2. Paris–Roubaix is a one-day pro cycling road race in northern France near the Belgian border. The event has started in different locations over the years, however it always finishes at the veoldrome in Roubaix. Paris–Roubaix is an early season beast of a race, famous for rough terrain and cobblestones. Not only does the winner get to ride over those cobblestones for a significant section of the ride, they also get to take one away with them on the winners’ trophy. This is probably the most symbolic cycling trophy and one that is held in very high regard by the contestants.
3. Our very own Tour of Britain is increasingly popular with the British fans and now a genuinely important stage race on the UCI calendar. This year’s stage winner trophy is simply magnificent. British Isle shaped, union flag covered and made of chain ring sections; its clever, very British and a fitting award for each winner. We love it!
4. The Tour de France is the jewel in the cycling crowd. The most prestigious of the three grand tours and the biggest stage race to win the world cycling. As well as the yellow jersey, the winner receives a bowl style trophy of intricate design. It’s understated and classic in appearance. A fitting award for the greatest bike rider in the world.
5. The Tour Down Under is a road bike race held around Adelaide, South Australia. In 2008 the Tour Down Under became the first UCI ProTour in Australia, and it later became the first event of the annual UCI calendar. The trophy for the winner is a monster, huge swirling glass design. What more can we say, it’s a beauty!
6. The ‘Cycle to the Sun’ is one of the most challenging bike climbs in the world. The ride in Hawaii climbs 10,000 feet over 36 miles and reaches gradients up to 18%! Not only that, the trophy for the winner is a cracking metal cyclist sculpture on a concrete road.
7. The Gent–Wevelgem is a Flanders classics road race held in late March each year in Belgium. The race is often competed in poor weather due to the early season start. The event was first run in 1934, and is a sprinters’ classic due to its flat finish. The trophy for the winner is a huge glass design which the winner might struggle to lift above his head after his efforts in the race!
8. The Tour of Qatar is also one for the sprinters as the stages are pan flat. The tour consists of six stages, and is almost always won by a sprint or classics specialist. Along with the golf and tennis trophies awarded at the pro events in the region, the cycling equivalent is equally unusual. It isn’t huge, like its previously mentioned counterparts, it is neat, diminutive shield with gold detail design.
9. The Eneco Tour is a road bike racing stage-event. It’s named after its sponsor, the energy company Eneco. It is also part of the UCI ProTour. In terms of winner’s trophy it’s an artistic effort, gold design cyclist and bike. Not the biggest, but an interesting design nonetheless.
10. The USA Pro Cycling Challenge is a new multi-day professional road cycling racing race that first took place in 2011. Nevertheless, the USA pro cycling challenge trophy provides some traditional silver bowl design. It’s a classic piece well worthy of its place in the hands of the the winner and also in this top ten!
A comprehensive range of other cycling trophies has been compiled over in our online store.
www.premiertrophies.co.uk – the trophy and engraving specialist