Entries are now closed for the 10th edition of the Mark Gunter Photo Awards. We’ve spent the past month or so poring over the many amazing photos that have come in from professional and amateur photographers alike, and as always, we’ve been astounded by the talent and creativity on display.
As a quick reminder, the Mark Gunter Photo Awards are a celebration of the life of respected Australian cycling photographer Mark Gunter who tragically lost his life to oesophageal cancer in 2015. The Awards are also a celebration of the best cycling photography of the year that’s been, while raising funds for Australian cancer charity Tour de Cure in the process.
With this year’s competition now closed, it’s time for the judges to select their favourite images from the great many that have been submitted. In the coming weeks we’ll have galleries showcasing the photos shortlisted by each judge for the Professional category and the Amateur & Smartphone category. We’ll bring you the final winners later this month.
In the meantime, let’s take a look at one final selection of images submitted to the 2025 Mark Gunter Photo Awards. As usual, there are plenty of bangers to enjoy below.
Professional category
Spectators cheering for Richard Carapaz and Isaac del Toro on the beautiful dirt road of the Colle delle Finestre, during the 20th stage of the Giro d’Italia. | Photo by Eloise Mavian (@eloisemavian)
Legendary mountain bike rider Nino Schurter hugs his daughter right after he finished his truly exceptional career in front of home crowds in Lenzerheide, Switzerland. | Photo by Michal Cerveny (@michalcervenyphoto)
Lorena Wiebes and Lisa van Belle of the Netherlands crash during a handsling changeover in the women’s Madison race at the UCI Track World Championships in Santiago, Chile. | Photo by Alex Whitehead (@alex_swpix)
Two bold riders master the descent from one of the most spectacular mountain passes in Kyrgyzstan. | Photo by Nils Laengner (@nils_laengner)
The moment Remco Evenepoel left the Tour de France, seen from inside the team bus. The disappointment was big, and moments like this are always a thin line as a photographer. But for me personally, I want to show the good and the bad as well. That’s the whole story. | Photo by Wout Beel (@wout.beeld)
I love photography as a way of telling stories and awakening sensations. This image reflects what the Tour de France truly is beyond the race itself. The blur of the peloton expresses speed and movement, while the spectators remain still: grandparents bringing their grandchildren, sharing a tradition passed down through generations. A roadside picnic, flags waving, moments spent together waiting all day for the riders to pass. This is the spirit of cycling: a popular celebration that brings people together and turns a sporting event into a shared human experience. | Photo by Pauline Ballet (@paulineballet)
Self-supported ultra races are always hard, but Wayne’s lower leg amputation certainly adds to the complexities of racing. Every 60 miles ‘El Stumpy’ (Wayne’s pet name for his remaining lower leg) gets a wash, a clean and a massage; a lot of his training has been focussed on getting a system in place that works to keep El Stumpy as happy as possible for as long as possible so that he can cycle as far as possible. | Photo by James Robertson (@jprobertson)
I took quite a few photos that I really liked during the Tour de France, but I have to admit that Kim Le Court’s gaze at that exact moment truly struck me. That look speaks for itself for her, and for that moment in cycling history. | Photo by Thomas Maheux (@thomas_maheux)
My friend Justin is constantly blurring the lines and pushing the limits of what’s possible on a modern-day gravel bike, and it’s purely out of joy. | Photo by Josh Becker (@mybucketsgottaholeinit)
This image is of Björn Riley, rinsing his face, after a seriously muddy race in Leogang, Austria, during the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup. Bjorn is one of my best friends, and a rider I’ve been shooting for a few years now. Having such a close relationship with riders allows for intimate moments, and the ability to get close and find unique angles. The fisheye lens seriously lends itself to moments like these, and I feel this angle puts the viewer inside of the image. There, in the mud, getting sprayed with water, feeling the cold and exhaustion of the finish corral. It’s a specialist lens, that doesn’t often get out of the bag, but when its time comes, I’m always glad to have it on hand. | Photo by Piper Albrecht (@piperalbrecht)Amateur & Smartphone categories
Rowena Roubaix is the name of a road race that was held last year in The Dalles, Oregon. I love this photo of the curvy roads that the race was held on. It was so special taking photos of the racers pushing hard to get up this long climb and seeing them descend fast to head to the finish line. | Photo by Jesse Ortiz (@jayortiz)
Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, just after Chatel, 2 km from the finish line of the final stage of the Tour de France, which she won for the first time. | Photo by Stéphanie Didier (@zepitchou)
Dom Whiting has the ability to call and convene an enormous amount of people, riding bikes or not, and make them dance and enjoy while they are riding with him and his interesting setup. Dom started in 2020 to make music on his bike, mixing drum ‘n’ bass while riding. It’s a rave on wheels in constant movement, with thousand of riders and dancers enjoying his performance. | Photo by Xavi Calvo (@calvox)
On the last climb of Rapha FAR02, as this rider ascended Mam Tor, he was surrounded by Ferraris in convoy. It reminds me of a chase scene from an action movie, albeit a slow one … | Photo by Heather Oliver (@heatherwood_photography)
(Smartphone image) I was helping build a CX course in Boulder, Colorado at Valmont Bike Park. This particular rider was crushing the jumps and caught my eye and that of my cell phone. | Photo by Tim Stone (@tim.timony)
Since becoming a father, time on two wheels is rather rare. Therefore I cherish such moments of spending time together around bikes with my daughter, even if it’s just washing. | Photo by Igor Essling
(Smartphone image) 7:30 in the morning. This is my friend Guido riding along the rice fields in the outskirts of Milano. It’s the start of autumn in October and the fog is quite thick. | Photo by Angelo Giangregorio
Crowds lined the Carrefour de l’Arbre hours before the elite race was due to arrive, with spectators settled in with camp chairs and bottles of wine to make a day of the racing. The Paris–Roubaix Espoirs, the under-23 men’s race, rolled past those crowds to loud support, with particularly enthusiastic cheers going towards those separated from groups and showing the pain of the effort on their faces. | Photo by Andrew Moss (@andymoss461)
The Giro Donne time trial. A year to spotlight women’s cycling. Time trials, solitary by nature, yet heavy with power, purpose, and quiet defiance against the clock. | Photo by Saskia Martin (@saskiacmartin)
A military veteran and orthopedic spine surgeon who thought his athletic chapter ended at 22 – until he chose to begin again in his 50s – fell into the arms of his wife after the Gravel World Championships. | Photo by Llewellyn De Belder (@llewellyn_debelder)
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