Bradley Wiggins wins BBC Sports Personality award 2012

Bradley Wiggins has won the 2012 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award. Wiggins won the public vote taken during a live broadcast of the ceremony on Sunday evening from the London Excel centre.

Heptathlete Jessica Ennis came second with Tennis star Andy Murray placing third. The BBC reported that over 1.6 million votes were taken during the show, with Wiggins taking 30.25 per cent of the votes.

Wiggins was the bookmakers' favourite to win the award prior to Sunday night having become the first Briton to win the Tour de France, and for securing Olympic gold in the time trial event in London. He also won Paris-Nice, the Tour of Romandy and Criterium du Dauphine in an unprecedented run of success that was unmatched in any sport this year.

Cyclists have won the award on three previous occasions. Tom Simpson was the first in 1965 after winning the world road race title. There was then a gap of over four decades before Sir Chris Hoy won the award in 2008 after the Beijing Olympics, then Mark Cavendish took the award in 2011 after winning the world road race title and Tour de France green jersey.

British Cycling performance director and Sky team principal David Brailsford won the 2012 Coach of the Year award for his part in the success of GB cyclists at the Olympics and Sky at the Tour de France. It's the second time that Brailsford has received the award, he also won it in 2008 after the Beijing Olympic Games.

As last year's winner Cavendish brought the SPOTY trophy into the Excel arena to kick off the evening's ceremony.

Wiggins, decked out in navy velvet suit, was then the first of the 12 nominees to be introduced during the programme. Wiggins gave a typically nerve-wracking interview with presenter Sue Barker during which he made the point that every athlete's success is based on having the back-up of a solid team. He named the make-up team of presenter Gary Lineker as a cheeky example.

"What a year, to stand on this stage with the people next to me is incredible," said Wiggins as he received the iconic SPOTY trophy.

"I'd like to thank my team-mates, I wouldn't be on this stage without them. I'd like to thank David Brailsford, the coaches, British Cycling, Team Sky and all the Olympians." He went on to thank his gran for pressing redial to ensure that he won the award.

The Great Britain Olympic and Paralympic teams won the Team of the Year award, with former Olympic runner and chairman of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games Lord Sebastian Coe bestowed with the Lifetime Achievement award, the latter presented by the Duchess of Cambridge.

BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2012: The winners

Sports Personality of the Year: Bradley Wiggins

Coach of the Year: David Brailsford

Overseas Sports Personality of the Year: Usain Bolt

Young Sports Personality of the Year: Josef Craig

Helen Rollason Award: Martine Wright

Unsung heroes: Sue and Jim Houghton

Team of the Year award: Great Britain Olympic and Paralympic teams

Lifetime Achievement award: Sebastian Coe

BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2012: Voting split

1. Bradley Wiggins 492,064 (30.25%)

2. Jessica Ennis 372,765 (22.92%)

3. Andy Murray 230,444 (14.17%)

4. Mo Farah 131,327 (8.07%)

5. David Weir 114,633 (7.05%)

6. Ellie Simmonds 102,894 (6.33%)

7. Sir Chris Hoy 42,961 (2.64%)

8. Nicola Adams 35,560 (2.19%)

9. Ben Ainslie 35,373 (2.17%)

10. Rory McIlroy 29,729 (1.83%)

11. Katherine Grainger 28,626 (1.76%)

12. Sarah Storey 10,342 (0.64%)
Total votes: 1,626,718

Cyclists who have previously won BBC Sports Personality

2011 Mark Cavendish

2008 Chris Hoy

1965 Tom Simpson

Sarah Storey (left) talks to Sue Barker

Bradley Wiggins and Jessica Ennis

Bradley Wiggins with David Beckham (left) and the Duchess of Cambridge (right)

Bradley Wiggins holds his award aloft

Related links

Why Bradley Wiggins should win Sports Personality

Help Wiggins win by a landslide

Bradley Wiggins heads BBC Sports Personality shortlist