It wouldn't surprise me if it went to a cyclist, given how much negative press the sport has had recently.

Did Mark Cavendish win it last year?

Yup. For me the award is about recognising people that the public get behind, and who are however a really exceptional year. What Chris Hoy or Ben Ainslee have done is clearly phenomenal, but they've been consistently there or there abouts for a number of years.

Damn. I should have placed a wager.

Wiggins was clear favourite, you'd have got very poor odds.

Can't say I'm surprised at him winning it. He's very popular and he's achieved great things, so fair does to him. He wasn't my favourite athlete of the year though. Anyway. The show is a bit of a sham these days tbh, a huge barn full of people most of whom are BBC people rather than sports people and actually very little sport to show. They're OK this year with the Olympics and the Ryder Cup but next year's might only have to be about half an hour long.

Plus you have to pity all the people who recorded it, given the fecking thing over-ran by about half an hour.

Jon

Well he is a deserving winner. Not everyday that a Brit wins the Tour de France. Same for Mark Cavendish winning the world cycling championships last year.