Geraint Thomas was joined in his hotel room in celebration by former BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards winners Paula Radcliffe and Steve Cram after picking up the end-of-year gong.
The Tour de France winner edged out runner-up Lewis Hamilton and Harry Kane, who came third, to win the prestigious award in Birmingham.
And following the night’s celebrations, he revealed the former distance running pair had likened him to one-time 10,000m world record holder Dave Bedford, who famously enjoyed a night out on the beers and a curry before running the London Marathon.
Thomas, who this morning flew back to Majorca to continue Team Sky’s pre-season training camp, wrote on Twitter: “One final drink? then @paulajradcliffe and Steve Cram end up in your hotel room (and liken you to Dave Bedford)… Now back to training camp.”
Thomas was on a shortlist of six athletes, including Hamilton, Kane, Dina Asher-Smith, Lizzy Yarnold and James Anderson. But he won the public vote to become the fifth cyclist to win the award after Tommy Simpson, Chris Hoy, Mark Cavendish and Sir Bradley Wiggins, and the first Welshman since Ryan Giggs back in 2009.
Thomas, who was cheered by Team Sky team-mates watching in Majorca, said: “It’s an unbelievable era for cycling. It’s a big sport, success has brought that. For me, it is an amazing way to finish an amazing year.
“I take great pride in representing Britain and Wales.”
