Egan Bernal was crowned at the Laureus World Sports Award alongside some of the biggest stars in the world, including Simone Biles, Lewis Hamilton and Lionel Messi.
The 23-year-old Colombian was given the World Breakthrough of the Year award after winning the 2019 Tour de France, in only his second year of WorldTour racing.
Bernal wasn’t present at the award ceremony in Berlin on Monday night (February 17) as he had just finished racing Tour Colombia the previous day, but was named as the winner by retired Classics superstar Fabian Cancellara.
Team Ineos rider Bernal said: “It was a pleasure to be nominated as the winner of the Laureus awards.
“It’s a really big result for me and for my career. I’m really happy, it’s something I will not forget.
“I hope to win again in the future.”
The Laureus Award’s citation for Bernal said: “At 22, was the youngest winner of the Tour de France for 110 years, and the first Colombian to win cycling’s greatest prize.
“He was the youngest member of the 155-strong peloton and it was only his second three-week classic event.”
Bernal is the first cyclist to win at the Laureus Awards since Lance Armstrong was given the Sportsman of the Year prize in 2003, having already won the Comeback of the Year at the inaugural edition in 2003.
Other winners of the 2020 ceremony include Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton and footballer Lionel Messi, who became the first ever joint winners of the Sportsman of the Year Awards.
>>> Why Chris Froome shouldn’t be dismissed from the Tour de France reckoning
Gymnast Simone Biles took Sportswoman of the Year for a second time, after winning five gold medals in the World Championships and becoming the most decorated gymnast in Worlds history.
Bernal kicked off 2020 in his home race, the Tour Colombia, where he finished fourth overall, as he looks to defend his Tour de France title in the summer.
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