Image 1 of 89 Peter Sagan salutes the crowd as he receives a framed rainbow jersey from Brian Cookson (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 2 of 89 Chris Froome on an iPad (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 3 of 89 MC Laura Meseguer interviewing Nairo Quintana (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 4 of 89 Alberto Contador with his prize (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 5 of 89 Entertainmanet was in the form of cycling acrobatics (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 6 of 89 Joaquin Rodriguez was second on the WorldTour individual standings (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 7 of 89 Joaquin Rodriguez waves to the audience (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 8 of 89 Joaquin Rodriguez accepting his WorldTour prize (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 9 of 89 Joaquin Rodriguez with his prize (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 10 of 89 Fair Play ward winner, Tom Dumoulin (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 11 of 89 Nario Quintana with Laura Meseguer (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 12 of 89 Nairo Quintana recognised for third place on the WorldTour standings (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 13 of 89 Alberto Contador with MC Laura Meseguer (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 14 of 89 Chris Froome mid-interview (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 15 of 89 Giro d'Italia winner Alberto Contador on the stage (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 16 of 89 Bradley Wiggins sent in a video acceptance (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 17 of 89 Joshing around post-gala (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 18 of 89 Eusebio Unzué collecting the team prize award (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 19 of 89 Movistar was recognised for its WorldTour team prize (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 20 of 89 Chris Froome was recognised for his Tour win (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 21 of 89 Tom Dumoulin accepting his fair play prize (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 22 of 89 The award winners on stage (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 23 of 89 French historian and television commentator Jean-Paul Ollivier given the Outstanding Journalism Award (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 24 of 89 Fabio Aru with his prize for the Vuelta Espana win (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 25 of 89 Molly Shaffer Van Houweling with her world hour record prize (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 26 of 89 MC Sep Piquet with women's hour record holder Molly Shaffer Van Houweling (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 27 of 89 Images of Chris Froome on the big screen (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 28 of 89 The three grand tour winners of 2015; Fabio Aru (Vuelta a Espana), Chris Froome (Tour de France) and Alberto Contador (Giro d'Italia) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 29 of 89 Fabio Aru was recognised for his Vuelta a Espana overall win (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 30 of 89 Alberto Contador and Chris Froome share a joke (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 31 of 89 Chris Froome accepting his award (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 32 of 89 Bradley Wiggins wasn't on hand to accept the world hour record prize (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 33 of 89 Alberto Contador was recognised for his Giro d'Italia prize (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 34 of 89 Alejandro Valverde is interviewed by MC Laura Meseguer (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 35 of 89 The top three WorldTour riders; Nairo Quintana, Alejandro Valverde and Joaquin Rodriguez (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 36 of 89 The fair play award went to Tom Dumoulin (Team Giant-Alpecin) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 37 of 89 There was some acrobatics on display (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 38 of 89 Alberto Contador recognised for his Giro d'Italia win (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 39 of 89 Giant-Alpecin won the media prize (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 40 of 89 Geert Broekhuizen of Giant-Alpecin accepting his prize (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 41 of 89 MC's Sep Piquet, Laura Meseguer, AIJC's Raymond Kerckhoffs award Geert Broekhuizen of Giant-Alpecin for the media prize (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 42 of 89 The inaugural UCI Gala Awards were held in Abu Dhabi (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 43 of 89 Chris Froome went for a sparkly suit jacket (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 44 of 89 Chris Froome giving an interview before the gala (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 45 of 89 A representatie accepts Wiggins' prize (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 46 of 89 Alberto Contador accepting his prize (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 47 of 89 Aref Hamad Al Awani addresses the gala (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 48 of 89 UCI President Brian Cookson addressing the gala (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 49 of 89 2015's Grand Tour winners relive their biggest moments (Image credit: Bettini) Image 50 of 89 BMC's Manuel Quinziato and Daniel Oss collect the team time trial world championship prize. (Image credit: Bettini) Image 51 of 89 Eusebio Unzué collects Movistar's trophy as top WorldTour team (Image credit: Bettini) Image 52 of 89 The 2015 Grand Tour winners share the stage (Image credit: Bettini) Image 53 of 89 Peter Sagan tries out the rainbow stripes as dinner wear (Image credit: Bettini) Image 54 of 89 The 2015 Grand Tour winners (Image credit: Bettini) Image 55 of 89 Vuelta winner Fabio Aru, Tour winner Chris Froome and Giro winner Alberto Contador collect their hardware. (Image credit: Bettini) Image 56 of 89 Fabio Aru receives his award as the Vuelta a Espana overall winner (Image credit: Bettini) Image 57 of 89 Manuel Quinziato, Daniel Oss and Peter Sagan take time for a quick selfie (Image credit: Bettini) Image 58 of 89 Top WorldTour team Movistar (Image credit: Bettini) Image 59 of 89 Alejandro Valverde won the WorldTour individual prize for a second year running (Image credit: Bettini) Image 60 of 89 Alejandro Valverde collects the prize for leading the WorldTour rankings (Image credit: Bettini) Image 61 of 89 Bradley Wiggins talks about the UCI Hour Record (Image credit: Bettini) Image 62 of 89 UCI Hour Record holder Molly Shaffer Van Houweling. (Image credit: Bettini) Image 63 of 89 Peter Sagan went for the casual look at the gala (Image credit: Bettini) Image 64 of 89 Giant-Alpecin's Aike Visbeek (Image credit: Bettini) Image 65 of 89 French journalist Jean-Paul Oliver (Image credit: Bettini) Image 66 of 89 UCI Hour Record holder Molly Shaffer Van Houweling (Image credit: Bettini) Image 67 of 89 Alberto Contador (Image credit: Bettini) Image 68 of 89 Giant-Alpecin's Aike Visbeek (Image credit: Bettini) Image 69 of 89 Vuelta winner Fabio Aru, Tour winner Chris Froome and Giro winner Alberto Contador collect their hardware. (Image credit: Bettini) Image 70 of 89 Marcel Kittel meets the press at the UCI Cycling Gala in Abu Dhabi. (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 71 of 89 2015 UCI Road Race World Champion Peter Sagan salutes the crowd (Image credit: UCI) Image 72 of 89 Nairo Quintana, Alejandro Valverde and Joaquin Roriguez (Image credit: UCI) Image 73 of 89 Peter Sagan gets a framed jersey from UCI President Brian Cookson (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 74 of 89 Peter Sagan's win in Richmond is flashed across the giant video screen. (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 75 of 89 Peter Sagan addresses the crowd after receiving a framed rainbow jersey from Brian Cookson (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 76 of 89 Aref Hamad Al Awani discusses the inaugural Abu Dhabi Tour (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 77 of 89 Brian Cookson presents a rainbow jersey to Vasil Kiryienka (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 78 of 89 Brian Cookson presents a rainbow jersey to Vasil Kiryienka (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 79 of 89 BMC Director Fabio Baldato, Daniel Oss and Manuel Quinziato get the team time trial World Championship prize from Brian Cookson. (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 80 of 89 BMC Director Fabio Baldato, Daniel Oss and Manuel Quinziato get the team time trial World Championship prize from Brian Cookson. (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 81 of 89 Esteban Chaves collects his prize for his overall win at the Abu Dhabi Tour (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 82 of 89 Esteban Chaves collects his prize for his overall win at the Abu Dhabi Tour (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 83 of 89 Esteban Chaves collects his prize for his overall win at the Abu Dhabi Tour (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 84 of 89 UCI President Brian Cookson addresses the crowd at the UCI Cycling Gala. (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 85 of 89 A dapper Marcel Kittel at the UCI Cycling Gala in Abu Dhabi. (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 86 of 89 Marcel Kittel meets the press at the UCI Cycling Gala in Abu Dhabi. (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 87 of 89 UCI President Brian Cookson addresses the crowd at the UCI Cycling Gala. (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 88 of 89 UCI President Brian Cookson addresses the crowd at the UCI Cycling Gala. (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 89 of 89 Chris Froome was in attendance for the UCI Cycling Gala (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

The UCI celebrated the winners and protagonists of the 2015 road season at the inaugural Cycling Gala and dinner in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, a few hours after the conclusion of the Abu Dhabi Tour race, as the curtain fell on the long professional road season in northern Europe.

Riders, team representatives, members of the UCI Management Committee, local officials, sponsors and guests gathered in the du Forum near Yas Marina. The event was organised by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council.

All three Grand Tour winners were present at the event, with Alberto Contador and Chris Froome flying in to collect their awards, as did Nairo Quintana, who travelled from his home in Colombia to celebrate his third place in the final WorldTour ranking and Movistar's prize for topping the WorldTour team ranking for another year. Esteban Chaves (Orica-GreenEdge) was also congratulated for winning the Abu Dhabi Tour.

Peter Sagan stole the show by ignoring requests to wear a suit. He turned up in a red T-shirt, leather jacket and boots and punched the air as he collected a framed rainbow jersey from UCI President Brian Cookson. He later broke the glass to pull on the rainbow jersey for some final photographs but also wished Tom Boonen a rapid recovery after his nasty crash during stage 2 of the Abu Dhabi Tour.

"I'm very proud of the rainbow jersey and I hope I can be a good world champion. This jersey is maybe a bit heavy but I will try to do my best," Sagan said sincerely.

Seventeen athletes were given awards for success on the road and in time trials during the evening, while Bradley Wiggins and Molly Shaffer Van Houweling were awarded special prizes for setting new men's and women's Hour Record. Surprisingly, Van Houweling was the only woman to collect an award. World champion Lizzie Armitstead was unable to attend and the Velocio-SRAM team was not given an award for its Team Time Trial victory in Richmond, even though the BMC men's team was.

Two awards were also made to the media, with French historian and television commentator Jean-Paul Ollivier given the Outstanding Journalism Award after retiring following this year's Tour de France. The International Association of Cycling Journalists (AIJC) gave the Giant-Alpecin team the most media friendly award. Notable by their absence were representatives of Tour de France organiser ASO and French UCI Vice President David Lappartient, who was reported to be ill.

ASO has only recently agreed to include it's the Tour de France and its other races in the 2016 WorldTour calendar after a bitter dispute with the UCI regarding future reforms of the sport.

Bradley Wiggins was unable to attend the event as he is about to compete in the European track championships in Switzerland. However, he sent a video message, jokingly saying he was proud to accept the award for being "God's gift to cycling."

Contador, Froome and Fabio Aru were given awards for their Grand Tour victories together on stage.

"I think it's great that at the end of the season we come together and celebrate and be proud of the achievements we've had this year," Froome said after arriving in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

"The Tour has got to be the highlight for me. The build-up, the hype, the pressure, everything that goes into being ready for the Tour, it's the enormity and intensity of it all. It's one thing planning for it all, it's another actually pulling it and wearing the yellow jersey all the way to Paris."

The end of the Cycling Gala marked the end of the professional road season in the northern hemisphere. A few races remain but now most riders are thinking about their holidays, time at home off the bike and some well-deserved rest. It is just 97 days until the start of the 2016 Tour Down Under in Australia.

2015 UCI Cycling Gala award recipients:

1st, UCI WorldTour Individual Classification:

Alejandro Valverde (Movistar Team)

2nd, UCI WorldTour Individual Classification:

Joaquim Rodriguez (Team Katusha)

3rd, UCI WorldTour Individual Classification:

Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team)

1st, UCI WorldTour Team Classification:

Movistar Team

1st, UCI WorldTour Nation Classification: Spain

Men's Elite UCI Road Race World Champion:

Peter Sagan (Slovakia)

Men's Elite UCI Individual Time Trial World Champion:

Vasil Kiryienka (Belarus)

Men's Elite UCI Team Time Trial Champions:

BMC Racing Team

Men's UCI Hour Record Holder:

Bradley Wiggins (Great Britain)

Women's UCI Hour Record Holder:

Molly Shaffer Van Houweling (USA)

Fair Play (awarded by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council):

Tom Dumoulin (Team Giant-Alpecin)

Outstanding cycling journalism:

Jean-Paul Ollivier (France)

Most friendly media team (awarded by the International Association of Cycling Journalists):

Team Giant-Alpecin

Giro d'Italia winner:

Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo)

Tour de France winner:

Christopher Froome (Team Sky)

Vuelta a España winner:

Fabio Aru (Astana Pro Team)

Abu Dhabi Tour Winner:

Johan Esteban Chaves (Orica GreenEdge)