Orange Cycle Club juniors Gydion Dally and Xavier Bland were incomparable in 2016, now they have the awards to prove it.
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After riding the house down at last weekend’s 35th annual Clarence Street Cyclery Cup at Dunc Gray Velodrom – the Sydney Olympics Cycling Venue – Dally and Bland were presented with the Cycling NSW Junior Boys’ Cyclist of the Year gongs for their respective age groups, under 9s and under 11s.
Dally and Bland were joined by family and friends to celebrate the amazing awards, which Ray Dally labelled “a stunning suprise to everyone”.
“The awards were a part of the Cycling NSW Cyclist of the Year Awards, presented to juniors right through to the elite riders at a special function during the Clarence Street Cyclery Cup.
Some of the nation’s and world’s best riders – across road and track racing – were in attendance too, including former Olympian Kaarle McCulloch and Olympic hopeful Cameron Scott.
Head cycling coach at the NSW Institute of Sport Brad McGee, himself a past national and world champion, Olympic medallist and stage winner at several grand tours, presented Dally and Bland’s awards, earned through accruing points for their achievements across road and track racing in 2016.
Those achievements are numerous, and incredibly impressive, particularly at junior championship events.
In 2016, Dally claimed 14 medals, winning six on the track and eight on the road.
On the track he won gold medals in the NSW sprint, individual time trial (ITT) and derby races, along with the NSW Country scratch race and the Western Division Championship.
He also claimed a silver medal in the NSW Country ITT.
On the road he won another three gold medals, in the road race, ITT and criterium in his under-9 division at the ACT Road Championships.
He also scored another five podium finishes on the road.
He claimed silver medals in the NSW road race and the Western Division ITT, while also winning bronze in the NSW criterium and the NSW Country Championship.
On the track Bland claimed gold medals in the under-11 ITT, scratch and derby races at the NSW titles, along with bronze medals in all three at the NSW Country titles, in the under-13 division.
He also claimed three silver medals at the NSW road titles and three bronze medals at the NSW Country road titles.
Both Dally and Bland have a long list of podium finishes in local carnivals – on both the road and track – around the state too.
Bathurst’s Tyler Puzicha and Dubbo’s Emily Hines claimed the girls’ under-13 and under-9 gongs as well.
