The Vélo d'Or français (French for "French Golden Bicycle") is a cycle racing award, created in 1992 by the French cycling magazine Vélo Magazine. Until 2023, the award was given to the French rider, male or female, considered to have performed the best over the year. Since 2025, this has been subdivided into two awards: the "Trophée Bernard Hinault" for male cyclists and the "Trophée Jeannie Longo" for female cyclists. An additional award for Paralympic cycling was introduced in 2024. These awards are presented at the same ceremony as the "Vélo d'Or", which is given to the best international rider.
Mountain biker Julien Absalon has the most awards, with four.
Recipients Vélo d'Or français (1992 - 2022) Year Winner Second Third 1992 Laurent Jalabert Luc Leblanc Thierry Marie 1993 Florian Rousseau Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle Philippe Ermenault 1994 Luc Leblanc Richard Virenque Florian Rousseau 1995 Laurent Jalabert (2) Richard Virenque Jeannie Longo 1996 Florian Rousseau (2) Jeannie Longo Félicia Ballanger 1997 Laurent Brochard Florian Rousseau Laurent Jalabert 1998 Florian Rousseau (3) Félicia Ballanger Arnaud Tournant 1999 Laurent Gané Félicia Ballanger Laurent Jalabert 2000 Félicia Ballanger Florian Rousseau Miguel Martinez 2001 Arnaud Tournant Laurent Jalabert Jeannie Longo 2002 Laurent Jalabert (3) Patrice Halgand David Moncoutié 2003 Laurent Gané (2) Richard Virenque Jean-Patrick Nazon 2004 Julien Absalon Thomas Voeckler Richard Virenque 2005 Julien Absalon (2) David Moncoutié Anthony Geslin 2006 Julien Absalon (3) Frédéric Guesdon Cyril Dessel 2007 Julien Absalon (4) Christophe Moreau Sandy Casar 2008 Sylvain Chavanel Julien Absalon Cyril Dessel 2009 Grégory Baugé Pierrick Fédrigo Thomas Voeckler 2010 Thomas Voeckler Sylvain Chavanel Grégory Baugé 2011 Thomas Voeckler (2) Pierre Rolland Grégory Baugé 2012 Thomas Voeckler (3) Julie Bresset Thibaut Pinot/Arnaud Démare 2013 Christophe Riblon Julie Bresset Warren Barguil 2014 Jean-Christophe Péraud Pauline Ferrand-Prévot François Pervis 2015 Thibaut Pinot Pauline Ferrand-Prévot Romain Bardet 2016 Romain Bardet Arnaud Démare Julian Alaphilippe 2017 Romain Bardet (2) Warren Barguil Thibaut Pinot 2018 Thibaut Pinot (2) Julian Alaphilippe Romain Bardet 2019 Julian Alaphilippe Thibaut Pinot Pauline Ferrand-Prévot 2020 Julian Alaphilippe (2) Arnaud Démare Pauline Ferrand-Prévot 2021 Julian Alaphilippe (3) Loana Lecomte Benoît Cosnefroy 2022 Pauline Ferrand-Prévot Christophe Laporte Mathilde Gros
Trophée Bernard Hinault (from 2023) Awarded to the best French male cyclist of the season Year Winner Second Third 2023 Christophe Laporte Valentin Madouas Juliette Labous 2024 Romain Bardet Valentin Madouas Cedrine Kerbaol2025Kévin Vauquelin
Trophée Jeannie Longo (from 2025) Awarded to the best French female cyclist of the season Year Winner Second Third 2025 Pauline Ferrand-Prévot
Trophée mixte du para-cycliste français (from 2024) Awarded to the best French para-cyclist of the season Year Winner Second Third 2024 Alexandre Léauté 2025Alexandre Léauté (2)
Previous awards
Trophée Daniel Morelon (2023) Awarded to the best French athlete in the Olympic disciplines such as track, mountain biking or BMX Year Winner Second Third 2023 Pauline Ferrand-Prévot Romain Mahieu Victor Koretzky 2024 Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (2) Joris Daudet Benjamin Thomas
References