Three cyclists are among the 12 athletes nominated for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award 2012.
Bradley Wiggins, winner of the Tour de France and the Olympic men’s time trial, Sir Chris Hoy, who won his fifth and sixth gold medals at the London Games, and Sarah Storey, who won a further four gold medals at the London Paralympics, have been selected by a panel chosen by the BBC.
Brian Cookson OBE, the president of British Cycling, the sport’s governing body in the UK, described the nominations as “phenomenal”.
“To be nominated for Sports Personality – especially after such a spectacular Olympic year for Team GB – is an amazing recognition of what has been achieved across our sport.
“Bradley Wiggins, our first winner of the Tour de France, Sir Chris Hoy, now Britain’s most successful Olympian, and Sarah Storey – whose 11 Paralympic golds match Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson’s record – all thoroughly deserve their place on the shortlist.
“This comes a year after Mark Cavendish won the award and if a cyclist can do it again, it will further highlight just how mainstream our sport now is,” he said.
Of the other nominees, only the golfer, Rory McIllory, did not compete in the Olympic or Paralympic Games. All won gold medals.
Runner, Mo Farah, heptathlete, Jessica Ennis, sailor, Ben Ainslie, boxer, Nicola Adams, rower, Katherine Granger, tennis player, Andy Murray, Paralympic swimmer, Ellie Simmonds, and wheelchair athlete, David Weir, will provide the cyclists’ competition.
The winner will be chosen by public vote on Sunday December 16.
