The 32-year-old Scot gold medals in the sprint, team sprint and keirin events in Beijing in August and won the award voted for by the British public.

 

Hoy, who four years ago also won the gold medal in the one kilometre time-trial at the Athens Games, finished ahead of runner-up Lewis Hamilton, the Formula One world champion, while double Beijing swimming gold medallist Rebecca Adlington took third place.

 

He was presented with his award by Sir Steven Redgrave, who he will surpass as Britain's most successful ever Olympian if he wins one more gold medal at London 2012, and the United States sprinter Michael Johnson.

 

Adlington had been the big favourite going into the ceremony, watched by a crowd of 9,000 in the Liverpool Echo Arena and screened live on BBC1.

 

Hoy said: "I really wasn't expecting this, it's such a shock."

 

But it was clear for those inside the Arena that he was the crowd's favourite as everytime his name was mentioned he received the loudest cheers.

 

He is the first Scot to win the award since Liz McColgan in 1991 after she claimed the world 10,000 metres title and the first cyclist since Tommy Simpson in 1965.

 

Hoy said: "After the year I have had this is unbelievable - looking at the other names on this trophy, this is the big one.

 

"British sport has enjoyed one of the best years in my lifetime and has had so many successful athletes.

 

"To be standing here in front of these two, and all 10 nominees, is incredible."

 

This award capped a memorable year for Hoy, who before heading to Beijing won world titles in both the keirin and the sprint at the British team's home track in Manchester.

 

Hoy polled 283,630 votes ahead of Hamilton who got 163,864 and Adlington 145,924.

 

Those three were a long way ahead of the fourth-placed Ben Ainslie with 35,472 votes, the sailor who was narrolwy ahead of last year's winner, boxer Joe Calzaghe, who scored 34,077.

 

The top ten was completed by Andy Murray with 19,45, Nicole Cooke 18,256, Christine Ohuruogu 7,677, Bradley Wiggins 5,633 and Rebecca Romero 4,526.

 

Hoy's triumph completed a brilliant night for British cycling.

 

Britain's Olympic cycling team, which won 14 medals, including eight golds, Beijing was named the BBC's Team of the Year, while performance director Dave Brailsford was chosen as Coach of the Year.

 

Last month Hamilton, 23, became Formula One's youngest world champion.

 

This was the second straight year he had finished runner-up in the BBC poll.

 

Adlington, 19, won two Olympic gold medals, in the 400m and 800m freestyle, at Beijing's Water Cube in August.

 

In the process of finishing first in the 800m, Adlington also broke swimming's longest-standing world record, clipping 2.12 seconds off American Janet Evans's 19-year mark to come home in a time of 8min 14.10sec.

 

The teenager from Mansfield was the first British woman to win an Olympic swimming gold medal in 48 years since Anita Lonsbrough triumphed in the 200m breastroke at the 1960 Games in Rome.

 

Usain Bolt, Jamaica's Beijing triple Olympic sprint gold medallist, won the BBC's Overseas Sports Personality of the Year prize.

 

Football great Sir Bobby Charlton, a member of England's 1966 World Cup winning team and whose tally of 49 goals in 106 international appearances is still a national record, was given the BBC's Lifetime Achievement award.

 

The first award of the evening went to Eleanor Simmonds, the double Paralympic swimming gold medallist, who was voted the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year.

 

The 14-year-old, born in Walsall but now based in Swansea, won the award ahead of Laura Robson, the Wimbledon junior gilrs champion, and diver Tom Daley.

 

She said: "It's been a fantastic year.

 

"There were some great contenders like Tom Daley and Laura Robson.

 

"This year has been the best year and I'll never forget it - I hope London 2012 will be as good.

 

"My life has changed since I won my medals because I get recognised when I walk in the streets or go to the shops.

 

"But I'm just Eleanor."

 

Simmonds, who was the youngest member of the GB team in Beijing, was born with achondroplastia or dwarfism.

 

Simmonds victory in the 100 metres in Beijing saw her become Britain's youngest ever individual Paralympic gold medallist at the age of 13.