Cavendish a great bet to win BBC Sports Personality of the Year

Mark Cavendish is now the favourite to land the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award – and with good reason.

The cyclist has enjoyed a brilliant 2011, winning the green jersey at the Tour de France for the points classification and going on to win the UCI Road World Championships.

To win two such huge events in a single year is an absolutely massive achievement and there is a sense that Cavendish is finally starting to get the respect he deserves.

With cycling coming more to the fore with the Olympics just around the corner, backing Cavendish – who joined the British Team Sky in October – to claim the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award is a brilliant looking bet at 6/5.

Second favourite in the betting is golfer Darren Clarke who won the Open back in July.

The 42-year-old had endured a few years in the golfing wilderness before his superb display of links golf at Sandwich earned him his first ever major championship.

He became a hero with the British public following his amazing performance in the 2006 Ryder Cup just six weeks after the death of his wife.

He can be backed at 7/4 to go one better than his second place finish that year this time out.

Fellow Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy is third in the betting at 6/1 following his US Open success, while Mo Farah is 7/1 to add the SPOTY award to his 5,000m World Championship crown.

Alex Donohue of Ladbrokes said: “Before Cavendish’s Tour feat the market suggested the award was going to Northern Ireland.

“The Cyclist has now blown the competition wide open and, while Clarke still has a huge chance, the money we’ve seen indicates he may be playing for second place now.”

BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award

Mark Cavendish 6/5
Darren Clarke 7/4
Rory McIlroy 6/1
Mo Farah 7/1
Luke Donald 20/1
Alistair Cook 40/1
Dai Greene 50/1
Tom Daley 66/1
Andy Murray 100/1
Wayne Rooney 100/1
Phil Taylor 100/1
Andrew Strauss 100/1
Amir Khan 100/1
Rebecca Adlington 100/1