Sports Personality contender Chris Froome joined us for a video link interview and started by reflecting on his fourth Tour de France victory.

"This season has been an absolutely brutal season of racing. This year's race was such a close race between me and my rivals," he says.

"Standings on that podium in Paris for a fourth time is a feeling that never gets old."

Froome is asked about the adverse test that showed he had double the permitted level of legal asthma drug salbutamol in his urine in his 2017 Vuelta a Espana win.

"Listen, I do completely get it. I understand the concerns. I know how some people might look at our sport and that's a responsibility I take really seriously," he says.

"I am an asthmatic. I use a puffer but I've not taken more puffs than I'm allowed. This is a horrible situation and we're working to get to the bottom of this."

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport

Image source, PA

Was 2017 the year that women's cricket arrived, not only in England, but throughout the rest of the world?

The World Cup in England was the most-watched of all time. The final, England's thrilling triumph, was a national event.

Anya Shrubsole's match-winning spell made her a hero, the tournament made stars of Heather Knight, Tammy Beaumont and Nat Sciver.

Perhaps more important, though, was India's progression to the final. Could the women crack cricket's biggest nation?

Knight lifted more silverware in the Super League, but the Ashes were just beyond her England side.

Australia retained with two T20s to spare, England fighting back to earn a creditable draw.

But they will always have that grey day at Lord's and a World Cup win.

Image source, Getty Images

Anya Shrubsole's nominee video features her England team-mates Heather Knight, Nat Sciver, Katherine Brunt and Tammy Beaumont, who were dotted all round the world at the time of filming, with some of them competing in the Big Bash in Australia.

It brings back some fantastic memories from the Women's World Cup this summer.

Sara Orchard
BBC rugby union commentator

Image source, Getty Images

In 2017, England’s women became full-time professionals and blasted all aside in the 15-a-side game, winning the Six Nations Grand Slam, but ultimately fell short at the final hurdle.

Having been promoted to the world’s number one side, the Red Roses arrived at the World Cup in Ireland bursting in confidence but also with a big target on their back.

There were stunning pool stage performances from the likes of Katy Mclean, Sarah Bern and Lydia Thompson but at the same time New Zealand’s Portia Woodman, Kendra Cocksedge and Fiao’o Faamausili were making statements of their own. The final was inevitable, England against New Zealand - one of sport’s greatest rivalries resumed.

Despite being ahead at half-time and a heroic performance from Emily Scarratt who played on with a leg injury, England couldn’t get hold of the ball in the second half. It was the fourth time the two sides had met in the final and the Black Ferns didn’t deter from the script, coming away 41-32 winners in Belfast, lifting their fifth World Cup. The Red Roses, led by captain Sarah Hunter, were left devastated but with the knowledge they were beaten by a better side on the day.

Bradley Lowery's mum Gemma took to the stage to a standing ovation:

"Wow I'm slightly overwhelmed but I'm absolutely honoured to receive this on behalf of Bradley," she said.

"Bradley was only here for six short years but the nation took him into their hearts and he raised so much awareness for childhood cancer, it was unbelievable.

"To continue that we've set up the Bradley Lowery Foundation because we want to continue the good work that he's done, and also to continue to give grants out and support fundraising, we've also got the For Bradley campaign because we want to build an amazing house where sick children can go and enjoy and have some normality."

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Miss Mac: Amazing #bradleylowery winning the @BBCSPOTY #helenrollason award. Such a brave little boy. So richly deserved. #SPOTY

Simon Gibbs: #SPOTY amazing award for @Bradleysfight still sad that amazing little boy was cruelly taken #ripbradley

Brian Marshall: Great show once again from the @bbc for #spoty amazing coverage.

Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer

Image source, Getty Images

In hindsight, the 2017 Formula 1 world championship was all about Lewis Hamilton.

He claimed the title - his fourth. He won nearly twice as many races as anyone else. And he set a new all-time record for pole positions, passing the achievements of his hero Ayrton Senna and Ferrari legend Michael Schumacher.

But for a long time it was not like that. Sebastian Vettel looked on course to achieve his aim of emulating Schumacher as a Ferrari world champion. That Vettel eventually failed was down to both his own and Ferrari’s fallibilities and Hamilton’s qualities.

Tied on four races each at the halfway mark at the summer break, Hamilton came back from his holiday on another level.

Five wins and a second place from six races at the same time as Ferrari imploded. Vettel precipitated a crash at the start in Singapore, where he was favourite to win, and then reliability problems at the next two races in Malaysia and Japan killed off his hopes that were already hanging by a thread.

Vettel conceded the title saying Hamilton had been the “better man”. It was the right thing to say but also a reflection of reality.

Lewis Hamilton will (hopefully) be joining us soon live from LA.

His film features some brilliant archive footage of Lewis as a little lad, in his go-karting days, and is based on the film Baby Driver.

It's voiced by actor Ashley Walters - who I know as Ashley from So Solid Crew.

21 seconds to go...

Tom Fordyce
Chief sports writer

Image source, Getty Images

Until mid-December the biggest story in cycling in 2017 was Chris Froome's fourth Tour de France title - joining an elite quartet of Jacques Anquetil, Eddie Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain. He then won the Vuelta a Espana two months later to become Britain's first champion there and only the third man in history to complete the Tour/Vuelta double in the same season.

Tom Dumoulin won his first Grand Tour at this year's Giro. Peter Sagan was disqualified from the Tour for swerving into Mark Cavendish. Geraint Thomas rode in yellow in France before a crash sent him out, just as it had at the Giro and in Rio the summer before. The Netherlands' Annemiek van Vleuten won La Course from Britain's Lizzie Deignan.

Alberto Contador retired, as did Tom Boonen and Thomas Voeckler, as well as Britain's former BMX world champion Liam Phillips. Katie Archibald won the omnium at the track Worlds. Sagan came back to win the world road race title once again, Chantal Blaak taking the women's road race title back to the Netherlands in a more surprising turn of results.

Oh, Gary's just ruined that quiz.

Congratulations if you said Stephen Graham, from This Is England fame.

Does anyone want to play 'guess the voice' on this Chris Froome montage?

You have two minutes. Go!

Johanna Konta wasn't able to travel to Liverpool but she's wore her dress anyway - a stunning ballgown - as she speaks live from London.

"I was so excited to wear this dress with you but at least I get to wear it here," she says.

"As my years have been going, I'm dealing with situations a little better. I've had some pretty incredible memories."

"During the Wimbledon championships, I did distance myself to a certain extent to TV, newspapers or social media but I stepped on to court, I felt the passion and emotional investment."

Asked about her hopes for next year, she said: "I'm leaving tomorrow - I'm really looking forward to getting started, playing again, competing and being in those big tournaments."

Here's what World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea had to say after entering the arena on his motorbike.

He recognises the importance of a great backroom staff:

"It's a difficult question to answer as I'm the guy riding the bike but there are so many people - like in all sports - behind the scenes that give me an incredible bike and enable me to live this incredible dream.

"My wife, my family, it's the whole package. I'm the guy who goes out there and finishes the job off but I couldn't do it without all that incredible support."

Not a dry eye in the house. A standing ovation and a brave, uplifting tribute from Gemma, Bradley's mum.

Image source, BBC Sport

Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at the Echo Arena, Liverpool

Image source, BBC Sport

It was a real pleasure to meet Bradley Lowery at last year's Sports Personality, when he enjoyed a walk down the red carpet.

I remember him also being treated to a day at the Grand National in April.

He got to try out the jockey weighing scales - and came in at 2st 12.5lb (18.37kg). Despite his illness, Bradley seemed so happy - he had an unforgettable smile.

Image source, BBC Sport

"The bravest smile you'll ever see."

The Helen Rollason award is given posthumously to Bradley Lowery.

Image source, BBC Sport

Bradley touched the hearts of many people as he bravely battled neuroblastoma - a rare type of cancer.

The Sunderland fan and club mascot gathered a popular following all around the world and became known for his loving friendship with Sunderland captain Jermain Defoe.

In December 2016, Bradley met England manager Gareth Southgate and Match of the Day pundit Gary Lineker at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year event in Birmingham.

Bradley then won the programme's December goal of the month award after he took a penalty before Sunderland's game against Chelsea.

He also appeared as a mascot for Everton, with the club donating £200,000 to the Bradley Lowery Foundation set up in his honour, and was visited in hospital by a number of Sunderland players.

A dream came true in March when he was mascot for the England team at Wembley Stadium before a World Cup qualifier where Defoe scored in a 2-0 win over Lithuania.

He was also given honorary 41st place in the racecard for the Grand National at Aintree in April.

Bradley passed away in July, at the age of six. His mum Gemma, dad Carl and brother Kieran will receive the award on his behalf.

Alistair Magowan
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

How to sum up 2017 for the Lionesses? Unpredictable? It was certainly unforgettable, and it proved to be a bruising year that many players will be glad to see the back of.

The team, ranked third in the world, started the year as one of the favourites for Euro 2017, yet, after a positive start to the tournament, were thumped by hosts and eventual winners the Netherlands in the semi-finals.

Then everything unravelled. Mark Sampson was sacked as head coach for “inappropriate and unacceptable” behaviour in his previous role with Bristol Academy, before the FA were dragged in front of a Department for Digital,Culture, Media and Sport select committee to explain a badly-handled bullying and racism case involving striker Eniola Aluko.

With a new England manager set to be appointed in January, and Chelsea and Manchester City both in the Champions League quarter-finals, many will hope that the focus returns to the pitch in 2018 before the World Cup in France the following year.

After overcoming a tough run at Sochi 2014, Elise Christie took the 1,000m, 1500m and overall titles at the World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Rotterdam, and won bronze in the 3,000m.

"It was a really tough few years for me and I was really scared of just going on the ice," she said on stage. "I'd done what I loved doing and I tried to inspire people and I'd been DQ'd three times and suffered death threats.

"It was the scariest time in my life and I was bullied through school. I remember back then I wanted to raise above them and show everyone I could it. I took three years but I really feel like I've shown them all."

Image source, PA

Libby Dawes
BBC Sport at the Echo Arena

I've made my way to immediately behind the stage.

I wonder what would happen if I just pulled *this* one out....