Cav speaks out for Millar

Newly crowned BBC Sports Personality of the Year Mark Cavendish says Britain needs banned rider David Millar if it is to win the road race at the 2012 London Olympics.

Millar received a lifetime ban from the British Olympic Association after admitting using a performance enhancing drug in 2004, but has since gone on to become a big anti-doping campaigner.

Cav says Millar deserves a second chance and in an interview with BBC sport he says: 'Dave has redeemed himself. I would love him to be at London 2012.

'Dave cheated but he has realised what he did and learned a lot. He's a good friend of mine and an incredible bike rider, incredible.'

Millar, who turns 35 next week, captained the British team that helped Cavendish win the men's world road race title in Copenhagen in September.

Cav goes on to say: 'If you want to win and make history, you need a group of people around you. If we want to win the Olympic road race, we need Dave.'