Lewis Hamilton had fancied his chances of beating Chris Hoy twice in the space of a few hours yesterday but ended up empty handed.

The "man v machine" challenge between triple Beijing Olympic cycling gold medallist Hoy and Formula One champion Hamilton had earlier been cancelled because of fears over the safety of the Wembley track.

Hamilton was to race in McLaren's new road car against Hoy on an adapted version of the track bike he used to win his three gold medals in China.

However, Saturday's relentless rain and subsequent oil spills caused problems for the temporary track laid inside Wembley for the Race of Champions.

The pair then headed north to Liverpool and Hamilton lost out as Hoy won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year. The 23-year-old, also finished as runner-up a year ago but insisted after the British team's success in Beijing he knew the final result would be close.

He said: "In an Olympic year, I always thought an Olympian would win. I was up against such amazing athletes."

Hoy may be used to winning on the cycle track but the Scot was stunned by last night's result as he beat Hamilton and swimmer Becky Adlington, who finished third.

He said: "I must admit I was looking at the betting odds over the last few weeks and I was lagging back in third. I was hoping for a bronze medal but when I heard Becky's and Lewis's names read out I realised it could be me."

Hoy's victory was emphatic as he won 283,630 viewers' votes to 163,864 for Hamilton and 145,924 for Adlington, the 19-year-old whose two gold medals in Beijing made her Britain's most successful swimmer for over a century.

It also completed a triple success for British cycling with the Olympic team, which secured 14 medals in China including eight golds, winning the Team of the Year award and Dave Brailsford, British Cycling's Director of Performance, being named Coach of the Year.

Olympic sprint sensation Usain Bolt won Overseas Personality of the Year, Paralympic swimmer Eleanor Simmonds was named Young Sports Personality, and 70-year-old amateur boxing coach Ben Geyser was presented with the Unsung Hero Award.

But the loudest applause from the 9,000 crowd packed inside Liverpool's Echo Arena was for 71-year-old Sir Bobby Charlton who received the Lifetime Achievement Award from his footballing brother Jack.