It's time for the awards again! All the OCM greats of past, present and future are at the awards gala. Even the disappeared Drejbo was seen in the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. (yes, we need such a big stadium for the awards gala, because some of the OCM greats became so great the couldn't fit in another building) It wasn't an easy job for the committee to select the nominees for many categories, but I think they did an excellent job this season. Also a big thanks to all the voters, 'there wouldn't be any awards without you', would be a fair thing to say.
  
   The first award of the evening is the award for Best Hiller. The trophy is awarded by two times winner of this trophy Salim Wajeeh. He awards the trophy to.. Evan Tomkins (Gradient Levellers), who had an excellent season, finishing on the podium of Germany Tour and essex Tour and Top-9 in the Vuelta de los Castillos. Second place went to Roel Beetens (Team Trier), third place to Thodores Drimilas (Kremer)
  
   We then move on to the next award, and arguably the one with the most contestants. Only one of the contestants hasn't been nr. 1 of the rankings! But this award can only have one winner. Former winner Torben Sturmann had to say the sentence every nominee wanted to be at the end of: 'And the Award for best Sprinter of the Season goes to.... Tadaki Ko (Lusitano/ Hommerts Cycling Team). The winner of the Nederlandse Tour fully deserved the trophy. In his winners speech he said: 'I have been member of a cheat team in the past, but I hope I showed everyone that I don't need a cheat team to perform. I think the past should be left the past and my eyes are fully focused on next season. I want another one of this shiny trophies!'
  
   The next award was less difficult to predict. For the Sterling Dorsher Trophy for best climber, there were two clear favourites: 'Failure no more' Sigfinnursson (Die Tour Phantome) and the first climber to reach first place in the rankings, Rolf Enoch (scuppernong). But the difference in votes was clear, and the winner is: Rolf Enoch! We congratulate this amazing climber with his first Sterling Dorsher Trophy, being the first Englishman to claim it since sir Sterling himself.
  
   The next category is the Best Cobbler Award. One question kept coming in to my head: 'Why isn't this trophy called the Sieuwerd trophy, with two Sieuwerds winning it in the past. The first Sieuwerd was given the honour to present the trophy to: Mauricio Viola (Glamourade)! Had had an amazing season winning two Top Div classics and getting a Top-9 in the cobble tour and classic hat remained.

  
   Then we move on to a much discussed discipline: the TT'ers. Although the outcomes of many Time Trials are very weird, there was an undisputed champion: the Holder of the Hour-Record, winner of Essex tour, former winner of this very trophy: You all know who it is: Sandro Montelbano! (Matrix team) He becomes the first Time Trialer to reclaim his Trophy since the mighty reign of Gregory Levis, and he has many more years to come. Could Sandro as supreme as Levis did. He will certainly want it, but only time will tell..
  
   The Elias Márquez Trophy for Best Tour Rider is the next to be awarded. After a three year consecutive win by JJ Dussel, this year we will finally have a new winner, as Dussel was not nominated. Third place was for Chris Bauwens (Team Crazy Downhillers), second was for Jakob Rachlin (Kremer), but it was Evan Tomkins who got his second trophy of the evening! The trophy for Best Tour Rider goes to someone who hasn't won a tour? This must be a first, but I can understand why, with two second places and another Top-9 finish.
  
   The trophy for Best Young Rider, with a lot of big names in it. And also a big surprise! It's not Sprinter of the year award winner Tadaki Ko who gets the prize, but Sandro Montelbano who gets his second trophy of the evening. What a successful evening for this amazing rider. He was 'over the moon' as he said in his speech, and 'in the mood to party all week long'. Lets hope he doesn't go too far with that...
  
   A new trophy was introduced this year! Thanks to a suggestion from Il Grillo, we could also vote for the Best Old Rider this year. A chance for the oldies to snatch a trophy in the last seasons of their careers. Jan-Joost Dussel (peddelen) got a surprise victory, ahead of 'The Beast' Ahnfeldt-Mollerup.
  
   Next award please! The award for Best Breakthrough Rider of the season. There were lots of surprising new riders this season, but one of them was clearly the best. It is Tyr Hermann (IGF). Despite being mistaken for a German by his own manager (!), the Dane still had a great season, being one of the few FR specialized riders to make it to the Top-10 of the rankings.
  
   As the time and trophies fly by, it's getting late. That doesn’t mean the awards stop coming! Best Rider outside the top division is next. Under the nominees we have three current Tour winners and one former! What a choice to make for all the voters. Third place was for Tamati Lima (Velo Kiwi), second place went to Benni Manstein (Team GER). But let's

wait a bit until I announce the winner. Since I like quizzing, let's do a quiz. The first to comment the correct rider gets many congratulations and lots of honer: His first name is (complete the sentence) a Christmas ...... His surname is the same as a place in Idaho, USA. His team is a Sprinting Team from a country in the UK? Who has won the trophy?
  
   The trophy that every small team dreams off getting next yar, the trophy for Best Breakthrough team. And the trophy goes to....... Wheels of Steel! The team for São Tomé and Príncipe got a deserved vitory after their great season going from Div 6 to Div 2. let's hope the curse of this trophy that seemed to fall upon last years winner, California Mist, will not haunt this team next season. We wish them all the best!
  
   The tension rises as we come to the big awards. The Nick Lissner Manager of the Season trophy (I know it isn't called like that, but I would like it to be) had great nominees, but the winner (who gets the trophy from all-time great manager James M from FFL, who didn't want to do it at first, but when he heard the awards gala was in his own Country, he was persuaded) is.... pete! (peddelen) Despite some bad luck with Dussels injury in Nederlandse, he still had a great season with Shingletons victory in TvA and Dussels victory in the SC of Germany Tour.
  
   The final award of the evening. The moment so many have looked forward to. Who will get the Ame Anderberg trophy this year? Three of the nominees already got a trophy (or two) , but theyy won't win another one, as it's the surprise of the year. After losing from Ko in the Sprinter of the Year award, nobody expected him to win no, but he really did it. Nico Woltelboer (Team Tirillia) is the winner. After getting the trophy from Torben Sturman (yes, he has awarded another trophy this evening, we just can't pay for someone else) he gave a very emotional speech. Small problem is that I can't remember it any more, but it was very touching indeed. In fact, I think it was the best speech ever. It was a once in a lifetime experience, truly inspiring for everyone. You really should have been there, it was totally life-changing. How could I forget this?
  
   O yes, because of the amazing after-party. They had a fat bloke from South-Korea who did a dance. I think I got a bit carried away doing it, it's still in my head, Hop, hop, hop, hop, hop,until next time!
  
  
  
   Written by pundit Don Hamstre from don hamstre team to OCM Magazine