The 24-year-old from Laxey is the first Manx-born sports star to be nominated in the top 10 which viewers can vote for the top prize on the show.

Cavendish is nominated alongside Formula1 world champion Jensen Button, world champion diver Tom Daley, heptathlon world champion Jessica Ennis, world champion triple jumper Phillips Idowu, Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs, world heavyweight boxing champion David Haye, England's Ashes winning cricket captain Andrew Strauss, tennis star Andy Murray and world champion gymnast Beth Tweddle.

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>> Contenders for BBC Sports Personality award revealed
bbc.co.uk

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A panel of 26 sports editors from national and regional publications drew up the top 10 list which viewers will be able to vote for on December 13, the night of the awards which will be held in Sheffield and shown live on BBC1.

This year, Cavendish was the most successful rider in pro cycling claiming 23 wins including six stage wins at the Tour de France and a victory in Italy's Milan-San Remo classic.

He is now officially the most successful British rider of all time and the Isle of Man's first home-grown sports star to make it into the BBC's top 10 Sports Personality of the Year list.

Formula1 world champion Nigel Mansell won the BBC prize in 1992 when he was living in the Isle of Man.

Motorcycle champions and current Isle of Man residents Neil Hodgson and James Toseland have both been nominated in the top 10 of the awards.

Hodgson made the top 10 in 2003 after winning the World Superbike title. The winner of the BBC prize that year was rugby union star Jonny Wilkinson who kicked England to victory in the World Cup a few weeks before the BBC awards night.

Ramsey resident Toseland made it to the top 10 in 2007, the year he became World Superbike champion. Toseland was fourth in the BBC vote with the top prize going to boxer Joe Calzaghe.

Only two cyclists have ever won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year prize. Tom Simpson won it in 1965, the year that he became world road race champion.

Sir Chris Hoy won it last year just a few weeks after returning from the Beijing Olympics with three gold medals.

Bookmaker William Hill makes Jensen Button the favourite to win this year, he is quoted at 4/7 to win while Cavendish is given odds of 66/1.

But it all depends on a public vote with the numbers to call being announced during the BBC show on December 13.

DOES CAV STAND A CHANCE?
WILL YOU BE VOTING?
Send your comments to sportsviews@newsiom.co.im

YOUR COMMENTS

Absolutely I will be voting. Chris Hoy only won it last year because the Scotsman Newspaper and Cycling Weekly had a massive campaign to unite the public behind one cyclist (there were 4 in the top 10?). He beat Lewis Hamilton to the main prize which was a major surprise/upset.
It would be good to see front page Courier & Indi urging the public to vote Cav and give the details of how to do it. And Manx radio too – they should run an ad. The publicity potential for the IOM is huge; even if they did film him below Snowdon(!)
Kind Regards,
SHARON

This household will definitely be voting for Cavendish. How good is this that we have a Manxie alongside the sporting elite of Britain. Cannot believe that the Manx press and Government are not making more of this achievement as this is just the sort of story we want to send out to the wider audience about our Island after recent criticisms. I would like to point out I am not a cycling fan but can recognise phenomenal talent when I see it. Regards
SHIRLEY