Geraint Thomas crowned Wales Sports Personality of the Year

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Geraint Thomas was crowned Welsh Sports Personality of the Year on Tuesday night, collecting the prize for a second time after his victory in 2014. 

Thomas became the first Welshman – and the third Briton – to win the Tour de France in July, making him pretty much a shoo-in for the award.

In the public vote, he beat Mark Williams, who won the World Snooker Championship, and Laura Deas, who won the bronze medal in the skeleton at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

"It's massive, it's something I always grew up watching when I was younger," Thomas said on BBC Sport Wales.

"Just to be nominated shows you've done something special in that year, so to win it and have everyone vote for me is really nice, and it's a lovely way to finish off the year."

Thomas last won the award in 2014 after winning the Commonwealth Games road race for Wales in Glasgow. This year he also won the Critérium du Dauphiné. 

"Even before the Tour, winning the Dauphiné was my biggest result at that point and to go on and do what happened in the Tour was insane really. But this is a nice way to cap it all off."

Thomas is also in the running for the British Sports Personality of the Year award, which will be announced at a ceremony in Birmingham on December 16. 

Most bookmakers have him down as the favourite or second favourite behind England football captain Harry Kane. If successful, Thomas would become the fifth cyclist to win the award, after Tom Simpson in 1965, Chris Hoy in 2008, Mark Cavendish in 2011, and Bradley Wiggins in 2012.