World road race champion Mark Cavendish has been installed as favourite after being shortlisted for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
- Mark Cavendish claimed World Championship gold in Copenhagen in September
Cavendish was nominated for the awarded in 2010 but failed to make the podium in the public vote, with jockey Tony McCoy walking away with the prize ahead of darts player Phil Taylor and heptathlete Jessica Ennis.
But Cavendish’s stock has risen considerably in 2011, with the Manx Missile a prominent figure in the public consciousness after becoming the first Briton to win the Tour de France’s green jersey in July, before being crowned world champion in September.
The 26-year-old Cavendish also won the Olympic road race test event in August and heads into next year as one of the faces of London 2012, with the opportunity to win Great Britain’s first gold medal of the Games on Saturday July 28.
Cavendish is 5/4 favourite to pick up the BBC gong, ahead of British Open champion golfer Darren Clarke (2/1), world 5,000m champion Mo Farah and Rory McIlroy (both 9/1), who won golf’s US Open.
Also on the 10-strong shortlist Alastair Cook (cricket), Luke Donald (golf), Dai Greene (athletics), Amir Khan (boxing), Andy Murray (tennis) and Andrew Strauss (cricket). The ceremony will take place on Thursday December 22 and will be broadcast live on BBC One.
“I’m very excited about it because I know I’ve got a chance to win it, which would be great for me, and even better for the sport,” said Cavendish. “Chris [Hoy] had a great 2008 and deserved to win the BBC award but that was in an Olympic year.
“I’m very aware that if I win, it will be because of my feats out on the roads this year. It would be very special.”
Cavendish, who will ride for Team Sky in 2012, is the first British world champion since Tom Simpson in 1965. Simpson won the BBC award in the same year, when the recipient was decided by an expert panel, rather than a public vote. Sir Chris Hoy also won the award in 2008 after claiming three track cycling gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
The Olympic cycling squad also won the BBC’s Team of the Year prize in 2008 after walking away with seven of the 10 track gold medals on offer. Ironically Cavendish was the only member of the team not to win a medal in the Chinese capital.
Fast forward to 2011 and Great Britain must be in contention for the team gong once again, although this time for their exploits on the road. Chris Froome, Steve Cummings, Jeremy Hunt, David Millar, Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas combined to deliver Cavendish to the line with perfection at the World Championships in Copenhagen.
Great Britain finished top of the worlds medal table after winning six medals, including Lucy Garner’s triumph in the women’s junior road race – and the 17-year-old has been nominated for the BBC’s Young Sports Personality of the Year award.
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BBC Sports Personality of the Year shortlist
Mark Cavendish (cycling)
Darren Clarke (golf)
Alastair Cook (cricket)
Luke Donald (golf)
Mo Farah (athletics)
Dai Greene (athletics)
Amir Khan (boxing)
Rory McIlroy (golf)
Andy Murray (tennis)
Andrew Strauss (cricket)
