Every year Velo Magazine hands out the prestigious Velo d'or awards. 

In 2016, Romain Bardet took the prize for best French rider after a year in which he took second place in the Critérium du Dauphiné and the Tour de France and took a memorable stage win at the Tour in Saint-Gervais Mont Blanc. He succeeds Thibaut Pinot.

In the international category, Peter Sagan got the prize. After winning the Tour of Flanders, three stages and a fifth green jersey at the Tour , Gent-Wevelgem, the Grand Prix of Quebec, the European Championships and especially a second world title in a row, Sagan succeeds Chris Froome on the list of the winners of the Velo d'Or.

In the U23 category, the winner of the Tour de l'Avenir, David Gaudu was honoured while Tanguy Turgis won in the junior category for the second consecutive year.