AWARDS: Ben Healy crowned by your votes the CyclingUpToDate Breakthrough Rider of the Year!

Thanks to your votes, EF Education-EasyPost's Irish superstar, Ben Healy has been crowned the CyclingUpToDate Breakthrough Rider of the Year!

You voted in your numbers for the first category of the inaugural CyclingUpToDate End of Season Awards and in the end, it was the 23-year-old Ben Healy who took a victory after a hard-fought battle with INEOS Grenadiers teenage prodigy, Joshua Tarling for the title of Breakthrough Rider of the Year.

Healy garnered 40.36% of the votes from you, with Tarling having to settle for second with a still very credible total of 30.21%. Completing the podium is Derek Gee following his standout Giro d'Italia, although there is a marked drop off in votes to the Canadian, who was voted for by 8.59% of the fans.

A deserved winner, Healy's tremendous campaign saw him take a total of five wins, including stage 8 of the Giro d'Italia and the road race at the Irish National Championships. Although he wasn't able to win one, it was arguably his performances in the Spring Classics that most impressed however. Finishing 2nd at Brabantse Pijl, 2nd at Amstel Gold Race and 4th at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Healy proved himself as one of the most talented one day racers in the peloton today.