Elfyn Evans surges into Sports Personality of the Year contention after world title win

Nation.Cymru staff

Elfyn Evans has emerged as a contender for BBC Sports Personality of the Year after his World Rally Championship victory prompted a surge in betting support.

The Welsh driver’s odds have shortened from 200/1 to 50/1 following Sunday’s dramatic finale in Sardinia, where he and co-driver Scott Martin secured their first world titles.

Evans accounted for 41% of bets on the award this week in figures supplied by Oddschecker, more than any other contender listed.

The figure reflects betting activity rather than a public opinion poll or votes for the BBC award. The 37-year-old remains an outsider despite the increased backing.

Athlete Amy Hunt is the even-money favourite, followed by Josh Kerr at 7/2 and Harry Kane at 6/1. Matt Weston is priced at 11/1, Jude Bellingham at 22/1, Luke Littler at 28/1 and Saffie Osborne at 40/1.

Bellingham attracted 27% of bets in the figures, compared with Hunt’s 14%, Kane’s 9% and Kerr’s 5%.

Evans’ championship was decided in the final corners of the season, after a puncture threatened to leave him facing another disappointment.

He had finished runner-up five times and twice previously arrived at the season finale leading the standings without securing the title.

This year, Evans led for much of the campaign but saw his advantage reduced during the second half of the season.

In Sardinia, running early on the loose gravel roads left him clearing the surface for drivers behind. Despite that disadvantage, he and Martin remained in contention heading into the final stages.

Then a front-right puncture on the penultimate Osilo–Tergu test forced them to stop and change the wheel. It was a repeat of the costly penultimate-stage puncture they had suffered in Chile.

With their chances of taking additional Sunday points gone, the championship came down to the final 7.10km Sassari–Argentiera stage and a contest with Toyota team-mate Oliver Solberg.

Evans completed his run first. Solberg then attacked and was 1.9 seconds ahead of the Welshman’s time with little more than a kilometre remaining.

But the Swede slid wide into the sand just a handful of corners from the finish. He recovered, but the time lost was enough to confirm Evans and Martin as champions.

“I don’t think it’s quite sunk in yet,” Evans said afterwards.

“I mean, I was quite sure that it was over. I didn’t drive the best stage. I threw everything at it, but it wasn’t clean.”

He also acknowledged how close Solberg had come to taking the championship.

“I feel sorry for Oliver as well – he did an incredible weekend, and I’m sorry for him to lose it so close to the finish there.”

Evans thanked those who had supported him throughout his career and praised Martin for “an incredible job”.

The pair finished fifth in the rally. Solberg won by 57.6 seconds from Sébastien Ogier, with Sami Pajari completing an all-Toyota podium.

WRC Promoter chief executive Éric Boullier said: “Elfyn and Scott have shown incredible resilience throughout this championship. They have come close before, but they kept working, kept believing and kept delivering when the pressure was highest.

“Becoming WRC champions today is a hugely deserved reward for that perseverance.”

The winner is decided by a public vote during the BBC’s live awards programme, from a shortlist chosen by an independent panel. Evans would first need to make that shortlist before viewers could vote for him.

The last Welsh winner of the main BBC Sports Personality of the Year award was cyclist Geraint Thomas, who took the trophy in 2018 after winning the Tour de France.

Other Welsh winners include footballer Ryan Giggs in 2009, boxer Joe Calzaghe in 2007, show jumper David Broome in 1960 and golfer Dai Rees in 1957.

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