FILE PHOTO: Cycling – Geraint Thomas Homecoming Parade – Cardiff, Britain – August 9, 2018 Team Sky’s Geraint Thomas during the homecoming parade after his victory in the Tour De France REUTERS/Rebecca Naden/File Photo
LONDON (Reuters) – Cyclist Geraint Thomas was voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year on Sunday, receiving British sport’s premier annual individual accolade in Birmingham as a reward for his remarkable Tour de France triumph.
The Welshman, whose victory in cycling’s most prestigious race was the sixth by a British rider in seven years, topped the public vote ahead of Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton and England soccer captain Harry Kane.
The other sportsmen and women short-listed for the award were triple European sprint champion Dina Asher-Smith, English cricket’s record test wicket taker James Anderson and double Olympic skeleton champion, Lizzy Yarnold.
It completed a happy day for the 32-year-old Thomas at the end of an unsettling week in which Sky, sponsors of Team Sky, announced it would end its involvement with his team at the end of 2019.
Thomas picked up a replica of the winner’s trophy from Tour de France organizers earlier on Sunday after the original was stolen from a cycling show.
Reporting by Ian Chadband, editing by Ed Osmond