The 2022 edition of the Mark Gunter Photo Awards are in full flight and the standard this year continues to impress.
This week we showcase images from our professional and amateur photographers in a mix of disciplines. The Mark Gunter Photo Awards celebrate the very best in cycling photography, and between road, time trial, cyclocross, gravel and everything in between, this photographic showcase features many of the different strands of cycling that make up our great sport.
Check out showcase number one here and keep an eye out for the next showcase coming soon.
This year's competition will be judged by an extended group of talented art professionals and cycling photographers. Antonio Colombo, Susanna Brown, Veronique Rolland, James Startt, and Sean Hardy will deliberate on who’ll take the honours, who'll win some great prizes, and who will land their work in Rouleur magazine and in our exhibition at Rouleur Live 2023.
The cover image above is an emotive shot by Bram Berkien (@bramberkien) in the professional category: “Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard shares a quiet and intimate moment with his partner Trine Marie Hansen on the Champs Élysées in Paris just after the final stage of the 2022 Tour de France. After three weeks of racing, the Team Jumbo-Visma rider secured the overall victory of the most prestigious cycling race in the world. This photo was shot just before the podium ceremony, in a backstage area.”
Make sure you're keeping up to speed with the awards by following Rouleur and Mark Gunter on Instagram, and by using the hashtag: #MarkGunterPhotoawards2022
Professional category
Entry into the fiercely-contested professional category is reserved for those who earn a significant income from the their cycling photography.
Francesco Rachello @strict
“This was taken during the 2022 Tour of the Alps, a stage race that is always a Tornanti (switchbacks) feast. When I studied the course of that second stage I realised the climb to Passo Rolle offered some unique views that I could not miss. I managed to get to the right spot just in time for the peloton to pass on one of the most scenic switchbacks ever.”
Piper Albrecht @piperalbrecht
“This image was taken during the Giro Della Donna. A race through thundering eucalypts, with fog hugging their trunks and curling through the ancient ferns. The surrounding fog envelopes the background in its soft tendrils, removing unnecessary details and bringing the focus closer to the subject. I think this image encapsulates the magic of gravel cycling, and invokes the grandiosity of being alone in the outdoors. It is just you and the bike, surrounded by nature, pedalling with no destination.”
Brian Case @rideaperture
“Andrea Buttine of ButcherBox Cycling on the attack in front of Leo Rucker’s Depot Street Renaissance Mural at the women’s pro criterium in downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina – Sept 2022. Leo’s work depicts the buildings, businesses, gathering centers, and community leaders who shaped the historically black neighborhood on the outskirts of the old RJ Reynolds Tobacco Plant that the race encircles. It’s a tale of the streets’ foundation and soul, enshrined in an artful & encyclopedic manner.”
Mats Palinckx @matspalinckx
“With enormous curiosity, this little boy was waiting for the riders. His heroes passed one by one during the neutralisation of Paris-Roubaix..”
Allan Stone @stoneallanstone
“Mein and Mason fighting for position, it was a race that was absent of Tom Pidcock so the field was perhaps a little more open, a tough course after a day of rain. I wanted to use the tight bend that cut through the crowd for a possible wide spread.”
Stan Koolen @stankoolen
“I was looking for a photo where the rider would interact with nature. I noticed a great tree growing above this particular corner. I went up and it even looked better from above. Although it was a staged photo, I still love the fact that cycling contributes to a cleaner environment and can connect people with nature.”
Matteo Secci @mao.secci.photography
“I’m not wrong when I say that Basque fans would fill every single space on a road, if they could attend every race of the calendar. You will always find an euskaldun with an orange cap and an Ikurrina following any cycling race, they are the most amazing fans I’ve ever seen, that’s what I call passion!.”
Steve Fleming @stevefleming1
“My wife Marian, looking out towards Alpe d’Huez across the Romanche Valley. This route is the balcony road to Villard Notre Dame with its tunnels and overhanging rock formations. An amazing location with steep drop offs to the side of the road. September 2022.”
Wout Beel @woutbeel
“Fabio Jakobsen finishes the stage with only 17 seconds left on the timer. Waited on and cheered by some of his teammates and staff he was able to finish the TDF. That day he was dead. That’s what determination and fighting spirit looks like!.”
Amateur category
For non-professional photographers using high-end cameras, and anyone with a smartphone or drone or action camera — we have the amateur category.
Fellusch Homann @fellusch
“Everyone is watching Wout! World Cup Antwerp, Fans crowded in front of the big screen and got illuminated.”
Chris Wallis @wallisphotos
“Weight of expectation – coming into Paris Roubaix as a strong favourite post race MVDP is sat contemplating what could have been in the famous showers.”
An Ha @anquocha
“But first let me take a selfie!”
Jørgen Mo @moern
“Latvian champion Anastasia Carbonari comforts her teammate after a grueling day on stage three of Tour of Scandinavia. Many of these hugs were happening, and I was running around at the finish line to capture some of the emotion, and almost stumbled over them while I clicked the shutter.”
James O’Shea @nevermindthestreetpictures
“The final in my shots from the Commonwealth Games. Geraint Thomas in Cymru kit, flying and trying to catch the break in an unlikely alliance of teams trying to keep the race from falling to pieces. All I can think of when I look at this image is ‘Choo, Choo all aboard the G Train’”
Kyle Thornhill @kylethornhill
“Kansas mud. Image from Unbound 2022.”
Andy Thornley @andythornley
“The Commonwealth Games are one of those rare moments where amateur riders representing smaller nations get to represent their country on the same stage as some of the biggest names in cycling. Here, Yohan Monthy from the Seychelles is riding through the final stages of the individual time trial to a huge, roaring crowd. He would finish 49 places and over 17 minutes down from eventual winner and former world champion, Rohan Dennis.”
Stuart Baker @stuhbaker
“Michael Matthews talking race tactics in the Australian team bus before the start of the elite men’s road race in Wollongong 2022.”
Edoardo Frezet @cicloreporter_photos
“Vittoria Bussi, former world record holder in track cycling, trains indoors. She aims at reconquering the record in 2023 with her self-funded project Road2Record, with a new bike and a whole new team and sponsors.”
Ryan Le Garrec @ryan_le_garrec
“It seems to me that most ultra challenges have an anti climax finish line, the European Divide Trail is definitely high on the list. After setting a blistering fastest known time of 32 days to ride the 7200 km trail traverse of the continent, Angus Young’s first words were 'I don’t really know what to do now.' A few minutes later he asked me for his victorious shot near statue of Sao Vicente where tourists were taking selfies. The irony of the situation commended the framing.”
