Wednesday, 17 February 2021:

RICHIE PORTE.

Richie Porte has been acclaimed Australia's cyclist of the year after becoming the second Australian to grace the Tour de France podium.

Porte has been awarded the Sir Hubert 'Oppy' Opperman medal after a 2020 which also featured a Tour Down Under victory.

"This is a massive privilege and an honour," Porte said in a statement on Wednesday.

"It has been something I have always wanted to do so to take it out finally, it is of great satisfaction."

Porte opened the COVID-19 affected 2020 season with his Tour Down Under triumph before returning to Europe to continue the World Tour season before it was postponed in March.

In his 10th Tour de France, Porte finished third - joining 2011 champion Cadel Evans as the only Australians to finish on the podium of road cycling's showcase event.

Grace Brown took the female road cyclist of the year award while Steph Morton was named the female track cyclist of the year.

The men's track cyclist of the year was shared by Nathan Hart, Matthew Richardson and Thomas Cornish, who won bronze in the team sprint at the world championships.

AAP