to think that Mark Cavendish should win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year?

[CinnabarRed]

He's the only person ever to win back-to-back finishes to the Tour de France on the Champs Elysees. And he's done it three times in a row.

He's won 20 races stages of the Tour de France, the 6th most in history, 2 behind Lance Armstrong and only 14 more needed to take the top place (he's only 26).

He's generous in his praise for his team of lead out men. And there's every hope that he's riding clean.

And he's also very nice to look at in cycling shorts....

[MorelliOrRanger]

I agree, and he's got less arrogant as he's got older too.

I thought he was fantastic this year, very humble and deserved his green jersey.

[CinnabarRed]

Here's photos for those who don't know him.

www.markcavendish.co.uk/

[nevergoogle]

DS1 is 6 and would agree. He's been writing him a letter this morning informing Mark Cavendish that as he was told (by us) that Mark Cavendish eats eggs, he now, after 6 and half years, tried an egg yesterday and liked it!
So yes, for that, give him an award.

[Kayzr]

I agree and will certainly vote for him if he gets through. I think he is a brilliant cyclist and a great ambassador(sp) for the sport. Throughly enjoyed watching him this year.

[NoobyNoob]

YANBU - I loved watching him this year. He did so, so well :)

[Pakdooik]

Spot on!

[mendipgirl]

Completely agree, he's not getting half the coverage on the news that he should be for such an achievement!!

[GooseyLoosey]

He is without doubt the outstanding sprinter of his generation and possibly the greatest sprinter ever. However, I doubt the BBC will award him anything, when I heard them report his victory on the Champs Elysees they couldn't even get that right - they said he was the first British cyclist in history to win 3 stages on the Champs Elysees. No - he's the only cyclist ever to do it. They just don't care about cycling (especially road racing).

[CappuccinoCarrie]

Couldn't agree more, great sportsman and comes across as a really nice guy and a great team player.

[BetsyBoop]

yes, yes, yes, YAsoNBU :)

Cav did us proud this year, fabulous finish yesterday, DH & I even had the kids screaming at the telly for him to win (which OF COURSE he did!)

He's a huge star on the continent, shame most folks in the UK say Mark who?,,,,,

He's one of the best sprinters ever, and seems such a nice, genuine guy to boot. [:wub:]

[Clayhead]

Nowhere near enough coverage of his achievements in the newspapers.

And I would appreciate more photos too

Enjoyed the ITV (4?) coverage though.

[CinnabarRed]

Didn't help his cause that he came away from the Bejing Olympics empty handed. Hopefully that will be rectified in 2012!

[Gastonladybird]

Yanbu- cycling woefully badly covered here.

[CinnabarRed]

Do you think that the British cyclists are, by and large, clean? Clearly we can't talk about individuals for fear of libel, but I found the leaked UCI list very interesting.

road.cc/content/news/35792-lequipe-publishes-ucis-secret-index-doping-all-198-riders-2010-tour-de-france

I'm pretty certain that David Millar must be clean now.

[Starshaped]

YANBU.

I voted for him last year too. He's the Usain Bolt of cycling but gets so little recognition from the British press. I'd love it if he won. Sadly, I suspect he won't.

[IndridCold]

I would be suprised if he wasn't a candidate, but I'm sure he won't win - it will be some golfer or footballer.

If this was France he would probably win by a landslide...

[mayorquimby]

Darren Clarke and his boozy ways say no.

[Gastonladybird]

Agree sadly re darren Clarke (or one of f1drivers if they turn it round).

The uci list does make interesting reading but David Millars book very enlightening. Seems that British (and french) have gone a long way to try and clean up their teams/cycling. Its hard to be sure about all of them but would be gobsmacked if millar still doping or many of rest brits. Not convinced re some of others although the way race went this year and number of positive tests would indicate a clean tour than for many Years. But contador hearing next month will bring this back up

[camdancer]

YAdefinitelyNBU. I voted for him last year also. He's still a drama queen but getting so much less annoying with age. Such a good Tour this year. I was glued to the coverage. My poor DC's couldn't watch anything they wanted. Now they know how I feel about endless cbeebies!

[ShellingPeas]

YANBU. But he won't because most people don't have a clue about what it's like to ride 70, 80, 90 plus miles for a day up and down hills, in wind, rain, or heat (or sometimes all three on one day). And then get up the next morning and do it all again. And again. For three weeks.

So it'll be some footballer, or a golfer, or F1 racer again.

Go Mark Cavendish.

Just a shame that Brad Wiggins had his crash or we could have had a British winner.

[CinnabarRed]

DS1 (3.8 years) was allowed to stay up to watch the ITV4 highlights. Worryingly, we liked the downhill sections where people fell off the most...

[AnneWiddecomesArse]

Absolutely

[AnneWiddecomesArse]

But the record is 22 stage wins isn't it ?

[CinnabarRed]

Nope - 34 for Bernard Hinault.

[CinnabarRed]

Lance Armstrong had 22 stage wins.