Marianne Vos (Rabobank) and Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
World champion Marianne Vos (Rabobank Women Team) kicked off her 'cross season at Superprestige Gieten.(Image credit: Photopress.be)
Niki Terpstra in full flight on the water in Curacao.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Marianne Vos in possession.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Marianne Vos (Rabobank)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) on the attack(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Pure ecstasy for Marianne Vos (Netherlands) and the Dutch fans as she adds a world championship to her remarkable 2012 season.(Image credit: Photopress.be)
Tom Boonen and Niki Terpstra celebrate the Omega Pharma - QuickStep victory(Image credit: Sirotti)
Marianne Vos and Niki Terpstra were named best riders of the year at the Dutch Cycling Gala on Monday. There was little doubt Vos would take out the "Keetie van Oosten-Hage Trofee" for best female cyclist after a stellar season that included the Olympic road title and fine solo victory at the UCI Road World Championships. Current Dutch road champion Terpstra bested Robert Gesink and Bauke Mollema to win the "Gerrit Schulte Trofee" for top male cyclist.
Rabobank was also honoured with a lifetime achievement award for the 17 years of support given to Dutch cycling through the various Rabobank-sponsored teams.
"It has been a very difficult decision and we leave with a heavy heart," said Rabobank board member Piet Van Schijndel. "I've often been in the race, it was always exciting. I want to thank everyone who was involved with the team," he said to De Telegraaf.
The 21-year-old Moreno Hofland was named "promise of the year". Hofland was the U23 Dutch national champion and took four additional victories throughout the season including a stage at the Tour de L’Avenir. He won the opening team time trial at Thüringen-Rundfahrt and finished second in stage 1.
Arguably one of cycling’s most rounded athletes, Vos had a simple message after receiving her seventh trophy: "With passion and dedication, you can achieve a lot," she told De Telegraaf.
Vos has won multiple Olympic and world titles for cyclo-cross, road and track. Five titles at the UCI cyclo-cross world championships, two Olympic gold medals and four world championships across the boards and road is a testament to the ability of the 25-year-old.
Terpstra was surprised to take home the trophy for best male - which he was awarded at the airport en route to a team training camp. While he couldn’t attend, he was pleased to receive recognition for "the culmination of a great season".
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Terpstra was an important part of his Omega Pharma-QuickStep’s spring classics squad and took his own personal result with victory at Dwars door Vlaanderen. He was also included in the winning team in the TTT at the UCI Road World Championships and finished third at the late season Paris-Tours.
