Bradley Wiggins has been heavily backed by our readers to become the third cyclist in five years to win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award in London on Sunday.

Sir Chris Hoy topped the voting following his exploits at the 2008 Olympics and Mark Cavendish picked up the gong 12 months ago after sprinting to green jersey glory in the Tour de France.

Given that Wiggins enjoyed success in both events this year, securing the yellow jersey in the last-named event before bagging a time-trial gold medal at the London 2012 Games, it is easy to see why he proved so popular with voters in our poll today.

The 32-year-old Team Sky rider finished streets ahead of heptathlon queen Jessica Ennis, and dual long-distance Olympic champion Mo Farah.

Tennis star Andy Murray Rower Katherine Grainger, golfer Rory McIlroy, boxer Nicola Adams and sailor Ben Ainslie are amongst the other hopefuls but didn't pick up many votes in our poll.

Neither did Paralympians Sarah Storey, Ellie Simmonds and David Weir who also make the list for the award.

Sports Personality of the Year will be a star-studded climax to 12 months of sport which saw London host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

*See tomorrow's paper to see who Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire's sporting heroes think should win Sports Personality of the Year