ABERGAVENNY confirmed its status as the capital of Welsh cycling with three prizes at the 2014 USN Welsh Cycling Awards.

Event Organiser of the Year was awarded to Bill Owen for the British National Road and Time Trial Championships, which saw world and Olympic champions compete on the Monmouthshire roads.

Brenda Owen, Bill’s wife, collected the award on his behalf.

She said: “It’s very hard organising the festivals, and this year with the Championships we had four races over four days that was exceptional.

“But we got through it, and it was a great weekend, and I’m very pleased to collect this award again this year!”

Abergavenny Road Club won Club of the Year, for the second year in a row.

The club has grown more since 2013 and claim 2014 has been their best year ever.

Club chairman Owen Davies said: “This year was better than last year.

“Our club is going from strength to strength, and our membership has rocketed to over 260 people and we have members of our club who are world champions and represented Wales at the Commonwealth Games.

“This inspires our younger members, where there’s between 50 and 90 turning up on Saturday mornings at Abergavenny Leisure Centre.

“With a small town of just 10,000 people, it’s amazing to see how many people enjoy cycling. We are really pleased and chuffed to win again!”

And Club Cyclist of the Year, sponsored by Cwmtillery Glass, was awarded to Graham Edwards of Abergavenny Road Club.

Edwards beat Richard Harris of Cwmcarn Paragon into second place after helping Abergavenny RC develop its cyclo cross programme of activities, a great way for youngsters to get into cycle sport.

“It’s such a privilege and an honour to get this award, for doing something that I love,” he said.

“Bringing the National Trophy and British Cyclo Cross Championships to Abergavenny was to inspire another generation to get into cycling, and we achieved that as Becky James’ first race was a cyclo cross event at Abergavenny, and you can see where she has got to now.

“It’s just a pleasure to get an award for doing something I love so much.”

Manon Carpenter, of Caerphilly, was awarded Elite Cyclist of the Year after winning the UCI World Cup Mountain Bike Downhill Series, as well as the British National Downhill Series before being crowned world champion in September.

And Cardiff’s Geraint Thomas was honoured with Outstanding Performance of the Year for providing Wales with its final gold medal performance at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games in the road race, adding to his bronze medal in the time trial.

The Lifetime Contribution to Cycling in Wales was awarded to Tudor Thomas of Bynea Cycling Club, Carmarthenshire.

Julia Allen from VC Melyd was named Coach of the Year and Liz Slater was honoured for her commitment to officiating and volunteering with a Services to Commissairing award.

Manon Lloyd, Epic Cycles Scott Women’s Racing Team, won the the Colin Thornton Memorial for Welsh Junior Performance.

Commonwealth bronze medallist Matt Ellis won Paracylist of the Year, with Lauren Booth of Newport Velo Youth Cycling and Rhiannon Henry of Abergavenny Road Club runners up.