Bradley Wiggins heads BBC SPOTY nominations

Bradley Wiggins remains on course to be crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year after he was named on the list of nominees this evening.

Sir Chris Hoy and Sarah Storey also appear on the list, but Wiggins remains the overwhelming favourite for the prize following his incredible 2012 season.

Britain's main bookmakers all say the Tour de France winner is the man to beat, with competition likely to come from double Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah and US Open champion Andy Murray.

If he is successful, Wiggins will become only the fourth cyclist to win the award. Tom Simpson was the first to do so in 1965, before Hoy and Mark Cavendish scooped the prize in 2008 and 2011 respectively.

Speaking about the announcement, British Cycling President Brian Cookson said: "It's phenomenal news that three of our cyclists are up for the UK's most prized annual sporting award. To be nominated for Sports Personality - especially after such a spectacular Olympic year for Team GB - is an amazing recognition of what has been achieved across our sport.

"Bradley Wiggins, our first winner of the Tour de France, Sir Chris Hoy, now Britain's most successful Olympian, and Sarah Storey - whose 11 Paralympic golds match Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson's record - all thoroughly deserve their place on the shortlist.

"This comes a year after Mark Cavendish won the award and if a cyclist can do it again, it will further highlight just how mainstream our sport now is." 

The prize will be awarded during a live ceremony from London's ExCeL Centre on Sunday, December 16. Votes can only be cast on the night. 

BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2012: The nominees

Nicola Adams

Ben Ainslie

Jessica Ennis

Mo Farah

Katherine Grainger

Sir Chris Hoy

Rory McIlroy

Andy Murray

Ellie Simmonds

Sarah Storey

David Weir

Bradley Wiggins

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