Mark Cavendish crowned Sports Personality of the Year
Mark Cavendish (c) has been crowned SPOTY
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Friday, 23, Dec 2011 10:00
By Neal Wallace
Mark Cavendish has been crowned the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year for 2011.
The World road race champion, 26, beat golfer Darren Clarke and world 5,000m runner Mo Farah, who finished second and third respectively.
He becomes only the third cyclist to take the award after Tommy Simpson in 1965 and Sir Chris Hoy three years ago.
On winning the prize, he said: "I am absolutely speechless. Just to be nominated was an incredible feeling."
Other winners on the night were England's cricket team, who took the prize for Team of the Year, with their coach, Andy Flower, winning Coach of the Year.
Golfer Lauren Taylor, 16, was awarded the Young Sports Personality award, while world number one tennis star Novak Djokovic was given the Overseas Sports Personality of the Year gong.
Cavendish was recently given an MBE in the Queen's honours for his services to British cycling.