Chief Minister Tony Brown MHK has urged the Manx public to get behind Mark Cavendish in the contest to be crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2010. The 25-year-old Laxey cyclist is on a shortlist of 10 for the prestigious award which will be decided by a telephone vote during Sunday night’s (December 19) live show. He faces competition from leading British sports stars such as heavyweight boxer David Haye, US Open golf champion Graeme McDowell and European heptathlon gold medallist Jessica Ennis. Cavendish, the most successful British cyclist of all time, enjoyed another memorable year in 2010, following up his five stage wins at the Tour de France by clinching the coveted points jersey in the Tour of Spain. Last year the ‘Manx Missile’ became the Isle of Man’s first home-grown sportsman to be nominated for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award. He just missed out on a trophy after finishing fourth in the public vote. Cavendish’s bid to secure a top-three finish in 2010 is being backed by the Chief Minister, who is once again rallying local support ahead of the BBC1 show. Mr Brown said: ‘Mark has once again done the Island proud with his magnificent achievements over the past 12 months, and I hope as many people as possible will vote for him on Sunday. He has shown the heights that can be scaled with talent, determination and team support and I’m sure he will be an inspiration for future generations of Island sportsmen and women.’ The 10 nominees for the main award will be put to a public vote during the show, which will be broadcast from Birmingham’s LG Arena at 7pm. The telephone number to call to register a vote for Cavendish will be revealed on the night and repeated throughout the programme by presenters Sue Barker, Gary Lineker and Jake Humphrey. Ends