World road race champion and Tour de France green jersey winner Mark Cavendish has been voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year.



The 26-year-old is only the third cyclist to win after Tommy Simpson in 1965 and Sir Chris Hoy in 2008.



Cavendish said: "This is a landmark for cycling. For cycling to be recognised in a non-Olympic year is unheard of."



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



In the night's other awards England's cricket team were named 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, while teenage golfer Lauren Taylor scooped the Young Sports Personality award.



Athletics coaches Janice Eaglesham and Ian Mirfin won the BBC Sports Unsung Hero award.



Former rower Sir Steve Redgrave won the Lifetime Achievement award, while Bob Champion was handed the Helen Rollason Award.



Cavendish won five stages of this year's Tour de France - including the final time trial in Paris - to clinch the green jersey awarded to the race's best sprinter for the first time.

CAVENDISH'S 2011

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Giro d'Italia - Two stage wins

Tour de France - Five stage wins

Tour of Britain - Two stage wins

World Championship road race winner



The Manxman followed that success by confirming Britain's emergence as a major nation in road as well as track cycling by taking gold at the World Championships in Copenhagen in September.



He said: "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."



Cavendish was awarded an MBE in November for his services to cycling and won the Sports Journalists' Association sportsman of the year award in December.



He had 15 stage wins to his name prior to this year's Tour,



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news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/sports_ ... 303729.stm

World road race champion and Tour de France green jersey winner Mark Cavendish has been voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year.



The 26-year-old is only the third cyclist to win after Tommy Simpson in 1965 and Sir Chris Hoy in 2008.



Cavendish said: "This is a landmark for cycling. For cycling to be recognised in a non-Olympic year is unheard of."



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



In the night's other awards England's cricket team were named 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, while teenage golfer Lauren Taylor scooped the Young Sports Personality award.



Athletics coaches Janice Eaglesham and Ian Mirfin won the BBC Sports Unsung Hero award.



Former rower Sir Steve Redgrave won the Lifetime Achievement award, while Bob Champion was handed the Helen Rollason Award.



Cavendish won five stages of this year's Tour de France - including the final time trial in Paris - to clinch the green jersey awarded to the race's best sprinter for the first time.

CAVENDISH'S 2011

Continue reading the main story



Giro d'Italia - Two stage wins

Tour de France - Five stage wins

Tour of Britain - Two stage wins

World Championship road race winner



The Manxman followed that success by confirming Britain's emergence as a major nation in road as well as track cycling by taking gold at the World Championships in Copenhagen in September.



He said: "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."



Cavendish was awarded an MBE in November for his services to cycling and won the Sports Journalists' Association sportsman of the year award in December.



He had 15 stage wins to his name prior to this year's Tour,



=#FF0000Link to source document required please - McFld

news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/sports_ ... 303729.stm