Kiewa’s sprint track world champion Jess Laws won the Australian masters cyclist of the year in her discipline at the gala awards at Crown Casino on Friday night, while Wooragee downhiller Dean Lucas was named national young mountain biker of the year.

Lucas, who finished fourth in the world this year, had a double celebration following up the award with a win in a round of the national series at the weekend.

Laws said she was in awe of the sports stars.

“It is our big night with the likes of Anna Meares, Tour de France stars Richie Porte and Simon Gerrans,” she said.

“Just being there was special but to actually win the award was unbelievable.”

Lucas, who’s racing commitments stopped him being at the awards, said it was some consolation for a disappointing end to the season.

With two races to go in the junior world titles he was second, but a fall in practice in Norway and the injuries carried into the final round in Austria saw him slip off the podium.

“It is great to be recognised with this award and one of my friends who was there was straight on the phone when it was announced,” he said.

“But now my focus is on getting back on the bike and getting ready for the World Cup rounds next year.

“I’ll race the national series and then in the first week of April head to South Africa for the first round of the world cup and after that there is another round in Cairns.”

Laws, still nursing back issues from her wins at the World Masters in Manchester, is also now looking overseas.

“There are four of us hoping to go to Mexico later next year to have a go at a few world records,” she said.

“We’d like to think we are among the best Masters cyclists in the world but the Americans keep on holding their titles at altitude and riding these amazing times.

“But when they come down to sea level they are not in the race.”