by Wade Wallace Jan 27, 2024 More from Wade Wallace+

The MGPA awards for 2023 are done and dusted the entries this year arguably made for the strongest competition in the eight editions it's been running.

The judges convened for nearly three hours deliberating on the winning photos from the hundreds that were entered.

Scoring is based on a points system with each of the judges organising their top 10 finalists with points assigned to each (10 down to 1) and then underwent a deliberation process after they had been narrowed down.

In the Professional Category, for the first time ever the judges couldn't pick a clear winner and agreed to settle on two images for equal first prize. Those two stunning photos were taken by Pauline Ballet (a former judge of this competition) and Harry Talbot.

The Amateur Category has progressed remarkably over the years and it's getting tough to differentiate the smartphones from the DSLR's. The quality and depth of photography now being submitted by amateurs is outstanding. Perhaps the best thing about the Amateur Category is the different types of photos we see submitted with such variety.

We raised nearly $10,000 from the entries which will be split toward the Tour de Cure for cancer research and also $1000 cash grants to our Young Cyclist Assistance fund that will help aspiring youngsters however they need. If you know of someone in need, ***please submit your application here***. Nominations extended to January 31st, 2024.

Thank you to everyone who entered this year and made this annual competition so special. It's truely one of my favourite actives we'll be doing going forward and I look forward to many more.

Professional Category Winners

Here is what some of the judges had to say about the winning photos in the Professional Category:

Rupert Hartley: "Trying to pick the winner was an incredibly difficult purpose. Which is why we ended up with a joint winner. Two beautiful images, two different images. A total split in the judges votes show the joy and subjectivity of the artform."

Jeff Curtes: "The winning professional photo had gorgeous light and a beautiful pulled back alternative perspective. This felt like an editorial shot rather than a typical finish line win. Bravo for thinking different on this one.

Alex Broadway: "In the pro category there were two really standout images, the two winners, which had been both stood out from the start and both selected highly by most (all?) the judges. Impossible to split them as two very different pictures, with different merits. Pog and Jonas such unique moment, the normally smiling Pogacar looking very subdued, love the expression and light on his face. Strade picture, although not as unique a moment as the other frame, it’s a great angle on an iconic finish line. it’s executed perfectly - the composition and with nice light and the iconic Piazzo del campo is instantly recognisable. 3rd place loved it as it was a bit different - really eye catching, making you look twice and technically very well executed. "

Equal First Place: Pauline Ballet

1.-Pauline-Ballet-236-R27 — Tour de France, July 18, stage 16, Jonas Vingegaard smashed the Tour de France with a stratospheric time during the ITT. Just after the stage, behind the signature podium Tadej Pogačar stayed in his thoughts and his disappointment while the winner of the stage signs the yellow jerseys. Photo by Pauline Ballet | Instagram Handle: @paulineballet

Equal First Place: Harry Talbot

3.-Harry-Talbot-81-R9 — Tom Pidcock entering Siena solo to win Strade Bianche. I could talk for hours about the beauty of Siena and the way the evening light falls into the streets with an orange hue and long shadows. I knew I wanted a dramatic shot of my favourite race, showing the light, the fans, the winner in all its glory. Photo by Harry Talbot | Instagram Handle: @visualsofharry

Third Place: Gaëtan Flamme

The perpetual trophy and medallions for the Professional Category winners.

Honorable mentions: 4th - 10th

The photos that didn't make it into the top 3 are just as worthy of a mention . Throughout the past eight editions of this competition that I've been part of, many of my personal favourites are usually found in this selection:

3.-Sean-Hardy-298-R34 — This was taken at the Tour de France Femmes, Lizzie Deignan first time since having kids. This was taken about 2km from the finish, where fans gathered to cheer everyone. The atmosphere was just so special. Photo by Sean Hardy @hardyccphotos

8.-Anouk-Flesch-159-R18 — Paris-Roubaix Femmes 2023. 3rd women’s edition of a race created in 1896. The captivating detail of a leg covered in mud that testifies to the silent difficulty of the event. At the intersection of the brutality of the sport and human vulnerability, this photo celebrates the triumph of women in cycling. Photo by Anouk Flesch @anoukflesch

1.-Michal-Cerveny-315-R36 — Arrivederci. Brazilian mountain biker crashes during the UCI Mountain Bike Cross-Country World Cup in Val di Sole, Italy. Photo by Michal Cerveny @michalcervenyphoto

3.-Paolo-Penni-Martelli-0-R1 — As part of my job as a photographer, exploring is one of the main reasons for a early wake up every morning. To explore not only means to travel to new places, but also to try to see places from other points of view. In this case we were crossing (and exploring) our own country (Italy), Puglia, the heel of it. As soon as I saw this salt pans, I imagined cyclists crossing the thin border, reflecting on colors. Photo by Paolo Penni Martelli @paolopennimartelli

6.-Pauline-Ballet-240-R27 — Tour de France, stage two and the warm welcome of the Basque country at the start of the stage to Vitoria-Gasteiz. Photo by Pauline Ballet @paulineballet

3.-Thomas-Maheux-88-R10 — I’ve been following women’s cycling for 8 years now and for me this picture shows just how far the sport has come compared to what I’ve experienced. For me, this photo of Demi Vollering, who has just won her 1st Tour de France, surrounded by photographers/media, shows the scale of this event and the extent to which women’s sport has grown. Photo by Thomas Maheux @thomas_maheux

3.-Matt-Grayson-325-R37-2 — Rwandan cyclist Eric Nduwayo tackles heavy rains at the Race Around Rwanda, Rwanda’s only ultra-endurance race. Storms had been rolling in overnight when I reached this gravel section at dawn. Minutes later, Eric came up the hill navigating the rutted marks left by the trucks, whilst avoiding the herd of cattle crossing. Eric and five other Rwandans raced as part of the Rwanda Beyond project, which helps the riders to build on their careers beyond cycling, and inspiring them to stay in school. Photo by Matt Grayson @mattgrayson_photo

Amateur Category Winners

Here is what some of the judges had to say about the winning photos in the Amateur Category:

Rupert Hartley: The amateur category was very strong and impressive. The gorgeous colours of the first image; the almost timeless landscape of the second which could have been shot on film in another era. I was personally very drawn to the third image. He almost looks like a coal miner emerging from a long shift. Perhaps a good analogy for the TransContinental Race."

Jeff Curtes: "The winning amateur shot feels so dynamic…the slight tilt of the rider, the dust and energy in the air, and the colors just made me want to be there chasing. Gorgeous.

The second place amateur shot was quiet, considered, and big. It was the perfect B&W moment."

Alex Broadway: "The amateur category was a really high standard this year and a lot of variety of cycling disciplines making it hard narrowing down to the top 10 images. The winner really stood out - the beautiful light, nice framing, and the perfect line of silhouetted riders leading your eye into the frame. 2nd - Love the scale of the image, with the tiny rider and the towering mountain in the background. Great choice to convert to black and white with the shades of light and dark across the frame."