Cavendish - Spoilt Brat ?

flattythehurdler

I think what he did to Cipo was absolutely a classic. One of my favourite ever cycling moments. Go Cav, you are a legend already. Feck the begrudgers.

ricadus

A healthy disrespect for the establishment – in this case Cipo – is a traditional aspect of British culture.

deltadawn

ricadus wrote:

A healthy disrespect for the establishment – in this case Cipo – is a traditional aspect of British culture.

LOL! It's funny to think of Cipo as the "establishment". But I guess you're right.

andyp

ricadus wrote:

A healthy disrespect for the establishment – in this case Cipo – is a traditional aspect of British culture.

Do you think that was uppermost in Cavendish's mind as he caught Cipo?

LangerDan

Let's see if he hops past Hinault on one leg when he gets his first Tour stage win. Bernard would probably rip his leg off and hit him with the soggy end.

Gragi

Haven't met the guy so obviously can't give a personal comment. But great to see British riders doing so well in the peloton. He's a confident guy (if what I read in the cycling mags is actually what he says and quoted in context) and I thought the story about Cippolini was really funny - so he's obviously got a sense of humour.

I say, Good Luck Mr Cavendish, go for it, and frankly who gives a flying f++k what anyone else thinks about what you are or who you are. You ride a bike pretty damn well!

drenkrom

Cavendish should feel lucky he became a pro now and not in the days of Hinault, Fignon and the other serious, stern men. Neo-pros used to stick to their little hole a lot more in those days or have very short careers. I personally don't have a problem with Cav's attitude. The only times he gets to me is when he won't recognize it was his own mistakes that cost him victories, but that applies to McEwan as well, so he's in good company there.

Winning is never a justification for being an a$$. While Cavendish is mighty close to that threshold sometimes, he stays on the good side of it most of the time. Letting the legs do the talking is still my favorite approach.

colint

andrewgturnbull wrote:

colint wrote:

I agree about the Cipo thing, it was way way way out of order, but he's still a kid so we have to cut him a bit of slack.

Get over yourself. Cipo isn't some kind of demi-god. He's an ex-cyclist who attempted a comeback for publicity reasons. This incident was blown out of proportion as part of the same publicity stunt...

Cheers, Andy

I was always taught to respect the past champions in my sport and save the pi$$ taking for your rivals. It showed a lack of class which you can put down to immaturity. If you think its acceptable it says more about you than a young Cav.

Titanium

Sprinters in particular are big mouths. McEwen was outrageously annoying to the established sprinters when he was younger.

Cavendish has a sense of humor. Enjoy it, don't slam the guy.

colint

Oh I'm not slamming him, I like him and love the way Robbie Mc used to treat the established sprinters. But they were rivals, the Cipo thing was a bit different.

Titanium

I get what you are saying. Maybe it was disrespectful but that's cycling. You are only as good as your last race.

If Zabel, McEwen and a few others had retired in recent years, they'd be more highly regarded than they are today.

Cipo's comeback diluted the legend too much. But it was all legend, I rode with the guy a few times and he is actually a normal guy, actually more humble than your average Italian guy. The public image was an act, he realized that if you can cross sport and showbiz, the lira and euros would come tumbling in.

shockedsoshocked

colint wrote:

ShockedSoShocked wrote:

What exactly did he do to Cipo?

In the Tour of California (I think) this year he caught Cipo in the TT, took one foot out the pedal and rode past using 1 leg. Cipo hit the roof (as you'd expect).

Is there a video anywhere?

andrewgturnbull

colint wrote:

andrewgturnbull wrote:

colint wrote:

I agree about the Cipo thing, it was way way way out of order, but he's still a kid so we have to cut him a bit of slack.

Get over yourself. Cipo isn't some kind of demi-god. He's an ex-cyclist who attempted a comeback for publicity reasons. This incident was blown out of proportion as part of the same publicity stunt...

Cheers, Andy

I was always taught to respect the past champions in my sport and save the pi$$ taking for your rivals. It showed a lack of class which you can put down to immaturity. If you think its acceptable it says more about you than a young Cav.

Can you explain that one again?

Cheers, Andy

redddraggon

Cav is gradually becoming one of my favourite riders, he seems to be up with the best sprinters, and he's not boring.

Brian B

redddraggon wrote:

Cav is gradually becoming one of my favourite riders, he seems to be up with the best sprinters, and he's not boring.

Its true he is exciting and I think he needs his attitude to thrive in the european ranks but still reckon he is one of those guys that blames others if he doesent do well. Just got my Cav weekly mag this morning.

flattythehurdler

I was always taught to respect the past champions in my sport and save the pi$$ taking for your rivals. It showed a lack of class which you can put down to immaturity. If you think its acceptable it says more about you than a young Cav.[/quote]


Meeoow. Get her. If Cipo wasn't a rival, what was he doing in the race? There are an awful lot of "it were much tougher in my day" yorkshire types on here.
It was a joke, and was funny. Some people are great. Complain if you lose, complain if you win, complain it's too cold in winter and too hot in summer. Cav is the man.

simon_e

Titanium wrote:

If Zabel, McEwen and a few others had retired in recent years, they'd be more highly regarded than they are today.

Robbie? Nooo!

He's not fit for the pipe and slippers yet. My favourite moment of last year's Tour was his win in Canterbury. Yeah, he's got attitude, but he's got the palmares to carry it.

Earlier last year I thought Cav believed the hype - a bit long on his gob and short on success. However, he went and won enough races/stages to show he's a class sprinter. Sometimes he comes across as a whinger but TBH he's young and he has that winning mentality that so many people don't have so good on him. I realised it's just his way. I can put up with the moans if we get to see him win more.

Personality beats being a faceless sponsor-talk dork any day. Vote Cav for President!

Lack of public support... what does he expect? It's not bloody Belgium around here, the British public are only interested in grossly overpaid nancyboy footballers and F1 drivers, zzzzzzzz

Bigmiksears

How old exactly does he have to be until he's not 'young' anymore? TBH i think its an excuse. I represented Great Britain at the European Youth Olympics in 2005 and did very well however i retained modesty in my sucess an that was at the age of 16. To get to such a level alot of failures an defeats also took place - but i didn't start lashing out at people because of it. If i failed it was my fault - yes i would get annoyed at myself but in such a way that had no direct affect on anyone else. You cannot place any age on such behaviour - its called professionalism. He is in the pro peloton - just because he is winning doesnt give him the right to disrepect his other competitors. Yes be flambouyant in victory and take pride in what you have accomplished but dont rub other peoples backs up by being a pri*k, let the results sheets do that. How many mistakes is he going to have to make for people to realise it. If people didn't question his behaviour then all it will do is encourage it. I think its alot of c*ap. How many up an coming youth riders will begin to mimick his behavour?

colint

flattythehurdler wrote:

I was always taught to respect the past champions in my sport and save the pi$$ taking for your rivals. It showed a lack of class which you can put down to immaturity. If you think its acceptable it says more about you than a young Cav.

Meeoow. Get her. If Cipo wasn't a rival, what was he doing in the race? There are an awful lot of "it were much tougher in my day" yorkshire types on here.
It was a joke, and was funny. Some people are great. Complain if you lose, complain if you win, complain it's too cold in winter and too hot in summer. Cav is the man.[/quote]

I don't recall saying anything about tougher etc, what cav did showed either a) immaturity b) lack of class or c) he's a t1t. Personally I think, and hope, it was a).

I don't think anyone is complaining, just making the point that he's coming over as a bit of a to$$er. There are better ways of getting one over on your rivals which do more for your image and have the desired effect on rivals performance.

flattythehurdler

IMO, if he gets his lead out right he'll win an awful lot of stages. I don't think that you can go elbow to elbow at 70kph with another psychopath unless you have the "correct" personality. Even as a paddy, i love to see a British cyclist with the balls to go for it. If he tugged the forelock, he wouldn't be allowed into the sprint train at the front (as per Robbie McKewan in procycling this month).

Monty Dog

He was unlucky not to win yesterday - a foot more and he would have won. Today there was no doubt - he went a long way out and simply burnt everyone away. Big up for Greibel for a perfect delivery and all credit for Benatti for keeping his line and not leaning onto Cav.

simon_e

Monty Dog wrote:

Today there was no doubt - he went a long way out and simply burnt everyone away.

Yep, the boy done good

Maybe he's not everyone's cup of tea but, as I said earlier, at least you can say he has a personality to match his performance. Expecting him to be an angel and a paragon of modest virtue is just ungrateful.

You can be sure that, whether or not you think he's a bad example, if cycling gets enough exposure he'll do more for the sport than any number of nearly men. Kids will copy who and what they like, the modern media are brimming with far worse role models than him for them to emulate.

RichN95.

I welcome his snotty attitude. I fed up with nice guy British sportsmen who come fourth.

Most top class sportsmen have some serious character defect when in the heat of competition:

Tiger Woods - grumpy, joyless perfectionist who can't work with others
Lance Armstrong - intolerant, bullying control freak
Roger Federer - very petulant when he's losing (not often these days)
Michael Schumacher - I remember him almost forcing his own brother into the pit wall
Cristiano Ronaldo - ego the size of a planet

I myself have a friend who has over 200 caps for hockey. Away from the pitch he's a lovely guy, very generous and modest, great company. Near a pitch he's horrendous. A vicious bully, always blaming someone else. A real Jekyl and Hyde character.

So I welcome the likes of Cavendish, Andy Murray and Wayne Rooney.

Show me a nice sportsman and I'll show you either a future runner-up or a great PR department.

(He shouldn't have done that to Mario though - he should hero worship him and copy him - perceived ego and all)

Peakraider

Can someone please explain what he did to Cipo? Or, better yet, offer a link to it?

I'm just catching up with all this. Sorry for being out of the loop.

Ta.

guv001

Peakraider

During a TT on the Tour of California Cav caught Cipo, while passing him he took one of his feet out the pedals and went past him one footed pedalling...

Brian B

Monty Dog wrote:

He was unlucky not to win yesterday - a foot more and he would have won. Today there was no doubt - he went a long way out and simply burnt everyone away. Big up for Greibel for a perfect delivery and all credit for Benatti for keeping his line and not leaning onto Cav.

Thanks for that today - saved me watching it when I got home.

Odelay!

Peakraider

During a TT on the Tour of California Cav caught Cipo, while passing him he took one of his feet out the pedals and went past him one footed pedalling...

Does anyone have a link to video or a photos of that? Sounds childish, but I'd like to see it!

Cheers

oldwelshman

Again we have the usual crap comments. So the guy has talent in abundamce and also has personality.
To say he lacks class and professionalism is bollox.
If every one in the peloton were all the same how boring would that be?
I thought most people on here have some experience of competition? Do they not remember how much of an adrenalin rush you get at a sprint? Is it any wonder riders are wound up at the end of sprint and it is certainly not the best time to give an interview.
I expect he will get more media savvy with experience but I hope he does not loose his personality.
There are too many old farst in cycling and forums as it is, it is as bad as squash and rugby. What is it with the English sporting public, even criticise an obvious talent for winning and having the balls to say what he thinks.
What should he say when he looses? " Oh golly, sorry old chap I seem to have mistimed my sprint"

giant_man

kellys heroes wrote:

is it me or has anyone else noticed how annoying Mark Cavendish is getting..ok he has talent.but watching him the way he behaved in the sprint yesterday to that other rider who`s name escapes me lacks class and maturity....his ego is the size of his backside...the way he treated Mario cipollini in the Tour of California when he half-peddaled in the time trial to mock him......yeah mark when you have won the amount of races he has then you can blow hot air.....i for one have lost respect for him now...he has got to big for his boots.

I've always said this about him, he's up his own arse unfortunately. He hasnt' matured but he will hopefully. Winning stages like he did yesterday will probably make him worse.

murcof

It's fairly typical of us moany, whinging, bitching Brits to not want to get get behind a rider who is showing that he truly is world class. After years of drought when it comes to British road talent, Cav comes almost from nowhere, shows pure class yet there are people out there who seem intent in finding faults with him. Cav's a legend already. That Cipo thing, what a bunch of jokers some of you lot are...