Cavendish excited by award chance

And he describes his place among other contenders like Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke and Mo Farah as a sign of cycling’s place in the mainstream.

The Manxman, winner of the Tour de France’s green jersey and the road world championships this year, made a hero’s return to the National Velodrome in Manchester on Saturday night, his first appearance on a cycling track since 2009.

A sell-out 4,000 crowd at the second event of this season’s Revolution series acclaimed the 26-year-old’s every move, but it is his popularity beyond cycling’s heartland since winning the world title live on television that has taken him by surprise.

Cavendish said: “Who’d have thought cycling would be mainstream a few years ago? A cyclist who hadn’t won the Olympics would be in the running for Sports Personality?

“Even just talking about it just shows how big cycling is now.” The only other British cyclist to win the road world title, Tommy Simpson, won Sports Personality the same year but that was in 1965, long before the advent of phone voting when the award was decided by a panel of experts.

Sir Chris Hoy was also a winner in 2008, but only after his three Beijing golds made him the figurehead of a British team celebrating its most successful Olympics in 100 years.

Cavendish is among the favourites for the award after his 20 career Tour de France stage wins put him on pace to overhaul the great Eddy Merckx.

“I’ve had brilliant years but this year especially so,” Cavendish said. “I’m quite excited about it [Sports Personality] – hopefully I can make the podium.”