Time-trialling postie Matt Bottrill joins Cav and Wiggo in winning FT Bidlake Memorial Prize

Postman Matt Bottrill has been awarded one of British cycling’s top accolades following the likes of Sir Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish in winning the 2014 FT Bidlake Memorial Prize. The award recognises his achievements in time trialling during the year.

In 2014 Bottrill, who comes from Leicestershire, won the National 10, 25 and 50 Mile Championships, the RTTC Circuit Championship and the National Time Trial Series.

During the season, the 38-year-old, a full-time postman, gained the title Champion of Champions and also set three new competition records.

The FT Bidlake Memorial Prize, named for Frederick Thomas Bidlake who is seen as the founding father of time-trialling in Great Britain, and awarded to the rider who has made the most outstanding performance or contribution to the betterment of cycling in all spheres.

Besides Wiggins and Cavendish, past winners include Nicole Cooke, Beryl Burton and Tom Simpson and Reg Harris.

Bottrill said: “I'm blown away by being awarded this, it's a massive honour. It was really unexpected. A lot of people have done a lot of good results this year."

"I'm over the moon because of what it means," he added. "You look down the list of past winners and everyone who is anyone has received this award: Reg Harris, Chris Boardman and, more recently Brailsford, Cavendish and Wiggins."

He dominated the time-trialling scene in Great Britain this year, the fruit of nearly two decades of dedication to the discipline.

"It's been a dream year; if I'd mapped it out, it couldn't have gone any better," he went on. "I had to train really hard for all these races, but it's all gone so fluidly."

"I'd worked a long time for a lot of it. Winning the National 25 was probably one of the best days of my career. It's been 18 years in coming, it was massive to finally take that."

Andy Cook, chairman of the Bidlake Memorial Trust, said: “Matt epitomises the true spirit of the very particular branch of UK time trialling.

“This is richly deserved for a true all-rounder who displays many of the values adopted by FT Bidlake and maintains the strong traditions of domestic time-trialling."

The citation on Bottrill’s award says: “Awarded to Matthew Bottrill who won the Men's National Championships at 10, 25 and 50 miles, the RTTC Circuit Championship, breaking three competition records and being crowned Champion of Champions."

More information about te FT Bidlake Memorial Prize can be found here.