Though they are battling head to head to be named Sportsnet's Canadian Athlete of the Year, there is only mutual respect between Stanley Cup champ Sidney Crosby and UFC champ George St. Pierre.

Crosby and St. Pierre were the finalists in our voting, as traditional squares off with trendy to be awarded the honour. Come to sportsnet.ca Monday as we reveal our Canadian Athlete of the Year as chosen by you the readers.

"It's a compliment to be nominated for Sportsnet's Canadian Athlete of the Year," Crosby said. "Georges St-Pierre is a great athlete, he's proven a lot over the years and is a champion. To be acknowledged along with him is a compliment."

St. Pierre returned the kind words. "I am big fan of Sidney Crosby myself - and it's a great honour for me to be nominated with probably the greatest hockey player of nowadays," St. Pierre said. "In a country where hockey is king, I feel privileged and blessed to be nominated for such a great award."

Crosby, the captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins, represents the traditional view that Canada's top athlete is a hockey player, while St. Pierre flies the flag for the fastest growing sport in the country.

St. Pierre is the reigning Sportsnet champ, having become the first mixed martial artist to be named Canada's top athlete when our Sportsnet readers selected him in 2008.

Crosby, of course, has his own championship, having hoisted the Stanley Cup this past spring and he continues to impress as the hottest player in the NHL the past month. The Nova Scotia native was Sportsnet's Athlete of the Year in 2007.

Eliminated in last week's voting were MLBers Jason Bay and Joey Votto, doubles star Daniel Nestor, NHLer Mike Green and Winter Olympians Christine Nesbitt and Alexandre Bilodeau.

So choose who you think is tops and we'll reveal the winner on Monday, Dec. 14.