The official Michigan Cyclist of the Year is in. Don’t miss it.

It is with great honor that kolo t.c. will present the first ever Michigan Cyclist of the Year Award. The award will be handed down with only warm gratitude and thanks for an amazing season. No cash prize. No trophy. Just the knowledge that the they’ve provided the state with an amazing show in 2012.

Mackenzie Woodring, Einstein Racing. If the season started a bit late for her, it was only because she was a touch busy working towards a Paralympic run. After a short rest, she came back with ambition. With numerous recons and careful training, her Cherry-Roubaix criterium win was jaw-droppingly simple: ride off the front, keep riding, and make the most of two great moves from teammates Johanna Schmidt and Zoe Reeves.

But the real show came in Sunday’s road race. With the State Championship on the line, Woodring rode strong against the best line up in the race’s history, and powering away from the field, became the 2012 road race champion. Her win at Peak2Peak just over a month later ahead of an in-form Sue Stephens was the shot heard round the Mitten, and signaled dangerous intent for the Iceman Cometh.

It was at the Iceman Cometh that she cemented her season. She made all the early selections in the race to find herself riding with Emily Batty, Heather Irmiger and Georgia Gould. Even after a crash and a thoroughly bent front wheel rendered her bike only mostly functioning. In spite of it all, she managed an amazing fourth place, even threatening for second after an Irmiger crash nearly split the leaders up.

Mike Anderson, BISSELL. What gave him the edge? It wasn’t the Top Banana Competition win, the Barry-Roubaix show of strength, or the milestone fourth place at the Iceman Cometh. It was his Cross the Bay #1 win in mid-November. A racer with a full schedule from March till November, with a lot of travel and a lot of huge races along the way, there was something almost emphatic about his win. With a small field of elite riders against him, including the imported Aaron Beebe, John Cowan, Chad Wells and Ty Schmidt, he simply walked away. If there was even a doubt of winning, it was gone within a lap. He lapped nearly the whole field. Easily. The numbers, the results, the margins, it’s all great to hear. But there’s something in the dominance in winning a race hardly anyone in the state even knew was happening that marked Anderson as the top rider in Michigan for 2012.

In 2013, Anderson will be the top targeted rider from March to November. And he’s going to be a very tough to beat all the way.

And with that, kolo t.c. will take a one week hiatus. Thanks for reading everyone, and a very serious congratulations to Mackenzie Woodring and Mike Anderson.