Mark Cavendish wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2011

December 22, 2011   ·   0 Comments

World road race champion and Tour de France green jersey winner Mark Cavendish has won the coveted BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award 2011.

The 26-year-old becomes only the third cyclist to win after Tommy Simpson in 1965 and Sir Chris Hoy in 2008.  Speaking at the ceremony, Cavendish said: “This is a landmark for cycling. For cycling to be recognised in a non-Olympic year is unheard of.”

He added: “I am absolutely speechless, some of my team-mates here will say that is a rare thing.

“I had a group of guys who rode in Copenhagen who brought the rainbow jersey back to Britain after nearly half a century and that is a massive thing. Even to be nominated in the top 10 is an incredible thing.

“That we can produce champions from such a small place is superb. Now I see so many people out riding bikes, commuting to work or doing it as a hobby, they can see what it’s like to ride.”

Golfer Darren Clarke, who triumphed at the Open, came second with world 5,000m champion athlete Mo Farah in third place.

Vote Breakdown

Mark Cavendish 169,152 (49.47%)

Darren Clarke 42,188 (12.34%)

Mo Farah 29,780 (8.71%)

Luke Donald 23,854 (6.98%)

Andy Murray 18,754 (5.48%)

Andrew Strauss 17,994 (5.26%)

Alastair Cook 13,038 (3.81%)

Rory McIlroy 11,915 (3.48%)

Dai Greene 9,022 (2.64%)

Amir Khan 6,262 (1.83%)

Other award winners included the England cricket team who won Team of the Year, with their coach Andy Flower winning the Coach of the Year award.

World number one tennis player Novak Djokovic, winner of three of the year’s four Grand Slams, won the Overseas Sports Personality of the Year.

Teenage golfing star Lauren Taylor scooped the Young Sports Personality award and Athletics coaches Janice Eaglesham and Ian Mirfin who formed the Red Star Athletics Club in Glasgow won the BBC Sports Unsung Hero award.

Former Olympic rower Sir Steve Redgrave won the Lifetime Achievement award, whilst former Grand National-winning jockey Bob Champion was handed the Helen Rollason Award.

All 8 winners in pictures

BBC SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR 2011 : MARK CAVENDISH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD : SIR STEVE REDGRAVE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TEAM OF THE YEAR AWARD : THE ENGLAND CRICKET TEAM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UNSUNG HERO AWARD : JANICE EAGLESHAM & IAN MIRFIN (RED STAR ATHLETICS, GLASGOW)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OVERSEAS SPORTS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR : NOVAK DJOKOVIC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD : ANDY FLOWER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YOUNG SPORTS PERSONALITY: LAUREN TAYLOR

 

HELEN ROLLASON AWARD: BOB CHAMPION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What did you think of this years winners and this years ceremony ? – tell us in the comments box below. 

Tags: BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2011, Gary Lineker, Jake Humphrey, Mark Cavendish, Media City, Novak Djokovic, Salford, Sir Steve Redgrave, Sue Barker