The Road to Recognition: The British Conti Awards 2025
As the dust settles on a season defined by grit, talent and relentless commitment, the British Conti Awards return to honour the people and performances that breathed life into the domestic peloton in 2025.
Last November, we launched something new for the domestic scene: an awards series designed not to compete with the big end-of-season galas, but to celebrate the riders, teams, organisers and unsung contributors who keep British road racing alive.
It struck a chord. The response – from fans, riders, organisers and volunteers – was overwhelming. So today, we’re pleased to confirm that the British Conti Awards return for their second year, continuing our commitment to recognising the very best of the UK’s grassroots and elite-development road racing ecosystem.
The Awards return with the same purpose as before: to recognise the standout achievements, performances, and contributions from an unforgettable year of racing. The nominees for each category will be revealed this week. But before that, we’re reintroducing the Awards, outlining the categories, and presenting the expert panel who will decide the 2025 winners.
The Awards
Just as in 2024, the British Conti Awards honour excellence across nine categories, each representing a vital strand of the domestic road racing ecosystem:
Domestic Rider of the Year: Male Recognising the standout male rider in domestic racing, based on results, level of competition, and their impact on the domestic scene.
Domestic Rider of the Year: Female Celebrating the most outstanding female rider, judged on their performances, consistency, and contribution to British racing.
Breakthrough Rider of the Year: Male Acknowledging the rising stars of men’s cycling, this award highlights riders who’ve made significant strides and demonstrated their potential.
Breakthrough Rider of the Year: Female Honouring emerging talent in women’s cycling, this award celebrates riders who’ve shown remarkable progress and promise.
Team of the Year Highlighting the best domestic team, this award considers race success, rider development, consistency, and the team’s overall impact on British cycling.
International-Based Rider of the Year Recognising British riders excelling abroad, judged on their performances in UCI races and their representation of British cycling on the international stage; for riders in UCI Continental teams or below.
Domestic Race of the Year Honouring the UK race that best captured the spirit of the sport in 2024, considering its organisation, atmosphere, and contribution to domestic racing.
Outstanding Performance of the Year Celebrating the most memorable individual or team performance of the year, this award highlights moments of brilliance, resilience, or skill.
Outstanding Contribution to Domestic Road Racing Acknowledging individuals or organisations whose efforts have made a lasting impact on British domestic cycling, this award recognises their dedication and innovation.
Meet the Panellists
The British Conti Awards are again decided by our independent panel of experts, each drawn from a different corner of British cycling. Returning for a second year, the panel mirrors the inaugural lineup, ensuring continuity and a shared understanding of the domestic landscape.
Sian Botteley
A seasoned and respected rider on the British domestic scene, Sian spent the 2025 season racing for Smurfit Westrock CT. With deep experience of the National Road Series and elite development pathways, she brings an invaluable rider’s perspective on what truly constitutes excellence across a season.
Sarah King
Now serving as the Chair of British Cycling’s Road Commission, Sarah also manages the trailblazing London Academy programme. A long-standing advocate for grassroots development – particularly for women and girls – she brings both strategic oversight and on-the-ground knowledge of how domestic racing really works.
Joe Hudson
A long-time reporter with The British Continental, Joe has chronicled the domestic scene in extraordinary depth, covering everything from the National Road Series to the developments shaping the sport’s future. His encyclopaedic knowledge ensures no worthy performance goes unnoticed.
Jack Beavis
A journalist and key member of The British Continental’s content team, Jack is known for his sharp interviews, detailed features and on-the-ground race reporting. His eye for narrative and context brings welcome balance to the judging process.
Denny Gray
Founder and editor of The British Continental and a co-presenter on The Cycling Podcast Féminin, Denny has long championed the domestic scene and its stories.
The Process
The Awards follow the same structure as last year.
Each category will feature a shortlist drawn from performances, contributions, and reader nominations throughout 2025.
Where conflicts of interest appear – for example, if a judge or their team is nominated – that judge steps back from scoring in the relevant category.
The women’s categories were open to all riders who identify as women, and the men’s categories were open to all riders who identify as men – keeping the familiar structure of the Awards while making our intent clear and inclusive.
What’s Next?
We’ll be announcing the shortlisted nominees for all nine categories this week, beginning with the first awards on the calendar.
The winners will be revealed next week.
Who will take home the honours in 2025?
The countdown begins again.
Stay tuned.
Featured image: Joe Cotterill/The British Continental
Last November, we launched something new for the domestic scene: an awards series designed not to compete with the big end-of-season galas, but to celebrate the riders, teams, organisers and unsung contributors who keep British road racing alive.
It struck a chord. The response – from fans, riders, organisers and volunteers – was overwhelming. So today, we’re pleased to confirm that the British Conti Awards return for their second year, continuing our commitment to recognising the very best of the UK’s grassroots and elite-development road racing ecosystem.
The Awards return with the same purpose as before: to recognise the standout achievements, performances, and contributions from an unforgettable year of racing. The nominees for each category will be revealed this week. But before that, we’re reintroducing the Awards, outlining the categories, and presenting the expert panel who will decide the 2025 winners.
The Awards
Just as in 2024, the British Conti Awards honour excellence across nine categories, each representing a vital strand of the domestic road racing ecosystem:
Recognising the standout male rider in domestic racing, based on results, level of competition, and their impact on the domestic scene.
Celebrating the most outstanding female rider, judged on their performances, consistency, and contribution to British racing.
Acknowledging the rising stars of men’s cycling, this award highlights riders who’ve made significant strides and demonstrated their potential.
Honouring emerging talent in women’s cycling, this award celebrates riders who’ve shown remarkable progress and promise.
Highlighting the best domestic team, this award considers race success, rider development, consistency, and the team’s overall impact on British cycling.
Recognising British riders excelling abroad, judged on their performances in UCI races and their representation of British cycling on the international stage; for riders in UCI Continental teams or below.
Honouring the UK race that best captured the spirit of the sport in 2024, considering its organisation, atmosphere, and contribution to domestic racing.
Celebrating the most memorable individual or team performance of the year, this award highlights moments of brilliance, resilience, or skill.
Acknowledging individuals or organisations whose efforts have made a lasting impact on British domestic cycling, this award recognises their dedication and innovation.
Meet the Panellists
The British Conti Awards are again decided by our independent panel of experts, each drawn from a different corner of British cycling. Returning for a second year, the panel mirrors the inaugural lineup, ensuring continuity and a shared understanding of the domestic landscape.
Sian Botteley
A seasoned and respected rider on the British domestic scene, Sian spent the 2025 season racing for Smurfit Westrock CT. With deep experience of the National Road Series and elite development pathways, she brings an invaluable rider’s perspective on what truly constitutes excellence across a season.
Sarah King
Now serving as the Chair of British Cycling’s Road Commission, Sarah also manages the trailblazing London Academy programme. A long-standing advocate for grassroots development – particularly for women and girls – she brings both strategic oversight and on-the-ground knowledge of how domestic racing really works.
Joe Hudson
A long-time reporter with The British Continental, Joe has chronicled the domestic scene in extraordinary depth, covering everything from the National Road Series to the developments shaping the sport’s future. His encyclopaedic knowledge ensures no worthy performance goes unnoticed.
Jack Beavis
A journalist and key member of The British Continental’s content team, Jack is known for his sharp interviews, detailed features and on-the-ground race reporting. His eye for narrative and context brings welcome balance to the judging process.
Denny Gray
Founder and editor of The British Continental and a co-presenter on The Cycling Podcast Féminin, Denny has long championed the domestic scene and its stories.
The Process
The Awards follow the same structure as last year.
Each category will feature a shortlist drawn from performances, contributions, and reader nominations throughout 2025.
Where conflicts of interest appear – for example, if a judge or their team is nominated – that judge steps back from scoring in the relevant category.
The women’s categories were open to all riders who identify as women, and the men’s categories were open to all riders who identify as men – keeping the familiar structure of the Awards while making our intent clear and inclusive.
What’s Next?
We’ll be announcing the shortlisted nominees for all nine categories this week, beginning with the first awards on the calendar.
The winners will be revealed next week.
Who will take home the honours in 2025?
The countdown begins again.
Stay tuned.
Featured image: Joe Cotterill/The British Continental
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