Bay Area transportation officials this week announced the 2021 Bike Champion of the Year winners, honoring people from each of the region’s nine counties for their commitment to bicycling.
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission and local transportation agencies operate the annual Bay Area Bike to Work Day, which during the pandemic has been changed to Bay Area Bike to Wherever Days.
Organizers of the event launched the annual Bike Champion of the Year awards, with many of this year’s honorees being veteran bike-cruisers who started initiatives to increase the use of bikes as a mode of transportation or have spent years leading by example.
Winners this year include Napa County’s Kate Miller, who started bike riding 30 years ago around Seattle; Sonia Elkes, from San Mateo County, who founded advocacy group San Carlos Bikes; and David Wood and his three daughters, who ride their bikes to school every day in Santa Clara County.
Hilary Noll, the winner from Marin County, hopes for a future where bike riding is normalized and more accessible.
“People from ages 8 to 80 feeling more comfortable biking for everyday needs,” Noll said. “More women riding, especially as commuters. More women- and minority-owned bike shops. A cycling culture in which everyone—from elite riders to everyday folks getting started—are welcomed and empowered.”
Recipients of the award receive a Tailgator brake light and water bottle from Mike’s Bikes, a bicycle-only membership for 24/7 roadside assistance from Better World Club, a laminated set of San Francisco map cards from the Association of Bay Area Governments, and a cycling jersey from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
A full list of this year’s winners can be found here.Â
