December 7, 2003 (Victoria, BC) – Veteran cyclist Alison Sydor and rising international star Ryder Hesjedal received top honours at the PacificSport National Cycling Centre 2003 Awards in Victoria  yesterday.

Victoria's Hesjedal, who has just signed with the US Postal  Service team, won the Elite Male award for his silver medal finish at the  World Mountain Bike Championships while the Elite Women's award went to  Sydor, who also claimed silver at the Worlds and gold the Pan American  Continental Championships. Sydor, who divides her time between Victoria and  Vancouver, has recently signed with the Rocky Mountain Crystal Decisions Race  team.

PacificSport National Cycling Centre athletes vote on the awards.  Other award winners were: Overall Junior  – Max Plaxton   (Tofino) Overall Espoir (Under 23) – Cam Evans (Vancouver) Most  Promising Male – Max Plaxton (Tofino) Most Promising Female – Kiara  Bisaro (Courtenay) Fair Play Male – Carter Hovey (Victoria) Fair Play  Female – Chrissy Redden (Victoria) Ambassador to PacificSport –  Alison Sydor (Vancouver/Victoria)

The Canadian Cycling Association, in town for its Annual General Meeting, also presented two awards yesterday, the President's Trophy to Toronto's Mike Barry for his 7th place at the 2003  World Road Championships and the Russ Coupland Trophy to Calgary's Samantha  Cools who won the 2003 World BMX Junior Women's Championships.