Bradley Wiggins crowned Sports Personality of the Year for 2012
Bradley Wiggins was crowned the Sports Personality of the Year for 2012 at a star-studded awards ceremony on Sunday.
Last Updated: 17/12/12 3:20pm
Team Sky rider Wiggins - who succeeds Mark Cavendish as the holder of one of Britain's most prestigious titles - fought off some strong competition in the public vote, pushing heptathlete and Sky Sports Living for Sport ambassador Jessica Ennis into second place, and tennis star Andy Murray into third.
The achievement caps a remarkable year for the 32 year old, who won Paris-Nice and the Tour de Romandie before defending his Criterium du Dauphine title in June, and then became the first British rider to win the Tour de France before capturing his sixth Olympic gold medal in the men's time trial.
After collecting his prize, Wiggins said on stage: "I'd like to say thank you very much to everyone who picked the phone up and voted.
"What a year. To stand on this stage with these people next to me is incredible. I'd like to thank my team-mates because without them I wouldn't be here tonight.
"I'd like to thank Dave Brailsford, Shane Sutton and Tim Kerrison, British Cycling, Sky, and all the Olympians who are here as well."
When he'd been invited onto the stage earlier in the evening to accept his nomination, Wiggins had preceeded by saying: "I feel embarrassed because so many other people played a part in this sporting year. It was amazing.
"Cycling is a team sport and I couldn't have done it without the squad behind me, the team of riders and the personnel behind them. All the athletes here tonight will know that we're not alone in what we do, it's the people behind us that make it happen.
"At the end of the day we're just the athletes. That sound really demeaning but there is an incredible team of people behind every athlete in this room who make it happen and I'm no different."
Brailsford honoured
The man who helped deliver a large chunk of Team GB's success this year, cycling chief Dave Brailsford, won the coach of the year award.
Gold-medal winning races from Sir Chris Hoy, Pendleton and Laura Trott were among some of the biggest highlights of the London Olympic Games as Britain reigned supreme in the Velodrome once again.
British Cycling performance director Brailsford was key to Britain's 15 cycling medals in London and also headed the Team Sky outfit which guided Wiggins to victory in the Tour de France.
Brailsford, who beat Ennis' coach Toni Minichiello and rowing coach Paul Thompson to the award, said: "It's a huge privilege to win this because it was a fantastic summer of sport. There is a great team behind me at British Cycling and Team Sky.
"They did a brilliant job. I would like to thank head coach Shane Sutton and all the team for the work they have done.
"They did such a good job. Our opponents thought our wheels were rounder than theirs.
"It's great because everyone sniggered when we said we would win the Tour de France in five years with a clean British rider."
Britain's Olympic and Paralympic squads were named the Team of the Year after a record medal haul at London 2012.
Team GB won 65 medals, including 29 golds, while the Paralympians claimed 34 golds and 120 medals in total.
Usain Bolt rounded off 2012 by claiming the Overseas Sports Personality of the Year award.
The fastest man on the planet lit up a second successive Olympics this summer, sprinting to gold in the 100 metres, 200m and the 4x100m relay.
Lord Coe was given a Lifetime Achievement award for delivering the London 2012 Games.
