He'd just suffered a broken hand while riding at the National Track Championships in December while the COVID-19 pandemic continued to wreak havoc on the racing calendar.

Another broken hand was suffered during the year but none of that could keep Eather down.

The battle for motivation wasn't always easy but the teenager got back on the bike, literally, and went on to have another memorable year of results.

Those performances led him to be named the Junior Sportsperson of the Year during the Australia Day ceremony at Victoria Park on Wednesday.

"I had two broken hands so it was a very tough year," Eather said.

"It was pretty tough just training all the time. It does play with your head a little but you know there is racing coming up so you just keep training for that.

"Having everyone around to keep you motivated is good."

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That club support has been a hallmark of Dubbo Cycle Club's success for much of the past decade.

One of the very best clubs in the country that has a swag of national medals to its name, the Dubbo club is a close-knit one with many riders working together and spurring each other on.

The success of so many riders has been particularly clear to see on Australia Day in recent times.

"The cycle club has won this award for four of the past five years so it's good to keep the tradition going," Eather said.

"It's an honour to win and it came as a surprise but is good.

"And we're really close. My group of riders, we've come through together for about eight years or so. It's a close group and now there's more juniors coming through."

The undoubted highlight for Eather in 2021 was the performances at the National Track Championships at Brisbane in March.

Just getting fit for the championships was one achievement, but Eather went out and won gold in the scratch race and silver in the time trial.

"Winning the scratch race after my first broken hand, that was a real relief to win that," he said.

Eather also won gold in the omnium, pursuit, and team sprint at the state championships and collected silver in the time trial.

A hugely motivated rider who was also praised on Australia Day for his teamwork and desire to dig deep when those around him need it, Eather also thanked his family after receiving his award.

The Eathers are on of the most well-known families in cycling circles, as older brother Kurt is also hugely successful in the sport and is regularly competing in Sydney at the moment while father Vaughn has coached from a local through to state level and mother Janette is also heavily involved.

"I'm so thankful for what they've done over the 16 years I've been cycling," he said.

"There's a fair bit of traveling all over Australia so I'm very thankful for them."

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