Mark Cavendish has told cyclingnews.com his nomination for the 2010 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award is 'a real honour'.
The Manx Missile has been named in the final ten for the second year in a row for winning another five stages at the Tour de France and claiming his first ever points jersey at the Tour of Spain.
He sees his nomination as growing recognition for cycling in Britain.
Cav is quoted as saying: 'It's incredible to see how many more people are cycling when I go back there now. There are bikes everywhere. I also get recognised a lot more. In Europe, it's something I'd got used to. Now it's getting that way in Great Britain as well.'
Cavendish is currently training with his HTC Columbia teammates in California but will return for the BBC gala evening on Sunday, December 19.
His first event of the 2010 season will be the Tour Down Under in January.