Throughout the year we cover a range of riders with incredible stories. From fundraising rides to record breakers, every year people take to their bikes for a variety of reasons. Now we’re going to celebrate their endeavours with a new award. And you get to choose who wins.
All the riders below were covered by us throughout 2026, although some completed their challenges in 2025. Read their stories below, then vote in our poll. The winners will be announced in the 3 December issue of Cycling Weekly magazine
Gerard McCarten
Latest Videos FromCycling Weekly
Reason: Fundraising. Covered the elevation of Olympus Mons up and down his road
On 1 October 2025, five weeks after his wife’s death, 87-year-old Gerard McCarten turned the first pedalstrokes of his Olympus Mons challenge. To match the elevation of the extinct volcano, the highest mountain in the solar system, by riding up and down the street in which he lived in Whitehaven Cumbria. The aim was 23,000m – 13 miles – of elevation gain. The street he lives on is just 70 metres long. He worked out he’d have to ride it 3,915 times. He completed the challenge in 40 days, clocking 658km and raising £1,400 for two local charities.
Sarah Ruggins
Reason: Record-setting – Riding the length of Europe
This summer ultra-cyclist Dr Sarah Ruggins set a new world record for riding from the bottom to the top of Europe. Starting in Tarifa in southern Spain, she rode to Nordkapp in Norway in 13 days, 20 hours and 27 minutes beating the existing record, set by Brit Dr Ian Walker in 2019, by 3 days and 32 minutes. “To me, this record proves that women can compete alongside men at the elite level – and I hope it’s a powerful statement to every woman who wants to try.” On her way to the record for riding across Europe, Ruggins also bagged the record for the furthest distance ridden by a woman in seven days.
(Image credit: James Busby Images)
Walter Fowler
Reason: 92-year-old record-setting track world champion
Walter Fowler knew that, as long as he completed two laps of the track, he would become world champion. He was, after all, the only rider competing in the 500m time trial in his 90-94 age bracket. In fact, he was the only person over 90 competing at all at the UCI Masters Track World Championships in London last week. “I always am the oldest on the list at the Worlds,” said Fowler, who turned 92 earlier this year. And even still, he adds, “there were several riders, all the way down to 75-79 [age bracket], that were slower than me.”
Amy and Kyle Hudson
Reason: Record setting – Broke the world record for couple cycling around the world
Travelling self-supported, the bikepacking pair completed a lap of the globe in 123 days, 27 days quicker than they had planned on doing it, and 83 days faster than the previous record of 205 days, set by David Ferguson and Caroline Soubayroux in 2023.
Arising each day at 4am and cycling until 8pm, Amy and Kyle pedalled around 150 miles each day, passing through 20 countries and visiting both hemispheres during their 18,100-mile ride, satisfying the requirements for a round-the world record.
Peggy Keenor-Crome
Reason: 83-year-old broke the record for oldest woman to cycle the length of Britain
Peggy Keenor-Crome, who is also 83, arrived at the southwestern tip of Cornwall, having ridden there from John O’Groats in 17 days, setting a record for the oldest woman to cycle the route, and the fastest known time for a woman in her 80s.
Peggy is raising money for Devon Air Ambulance, a service that saved the life of her granddaughter Alice when she was a small child.
Bob Munroe
Reason: Fundraising, Myeloma survivor who rode all 21 stages of the 2026 Tour de France
Just five years ago, Bob Munroe was broken and housebound, but by the end of last year he had signed up for Cure Leukaemia’s ‘Tour 21’ challenge – riding the full route of the 2026 Tour one week ahead of the pros. As it turned out, it was even more difficult than he could have anticipated. When we first spoke to Bob in 2016, he was living with multiple myeloma, a rare form of blood cancer that affects the bones – a diagnosis with grim statistics: one in five patients died within three months, and nearly half within five years. His ride this year has so far raised over £72,000
