Basso on Cavendish
From his cyclingews diary
Nibali and I did well for Daniele Bennati, who was in great form for the race. When a grande campione like Mark Cavendish goes off for the win it is hard to do anything to stop it.
I can tell you that we have a good relationship, every time I see Mark we always exchange a few words and a grin. Often we will talk about the races or whatever when we are out on the road. When someone like him, a 23-year-old, wins, you have to applaud him – he did a heck of a number. Clearly, though, I would have preferred that my teammate won.
Grande Campione, eh?
Nibali and I did well for Daniele Bennati, who was in great form for the race. When a grande campione like Mark Cavendish goes off for the win it is hard to do anything to stop it.
I can tell you that we have a good relationship, every time I see Mark we always exchange a few words and a grin. Often we will talk about the races or whatever when we are out on the road. When someone like him, a 23-year-old, wins, you have to applaud him – he did a heck of a number. Clearly, though, I would have preferred that my teammate won.
Grande Campione, eh?
Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
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Comments
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Its funny that what this country construes as arrogance, most of the rest of the world sees as character.
I hope someone emerges to challenge him though. Lars Boom? Phinney?It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.0 -
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Cavendish isn't a sprinter on the track either, he's a Madison rider. But Phinney got a medal in the kilo and the pursuit. Cav might well have to watch out.0
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whatever he does he's going to make sh*t loads of cash and be one of the world greats!0
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Boom is more of an all-rounder / chrono specialist, isn't he?
Also, Gerald Ciolek is still very young (younger than Cav), but his career seems to have stalled a bit in the past year.0 -
I don't know a lot about Boom, only that he's a bit special. Phinney's a big old lump with a decent bit of speed. Maybe he might be able to turn that into something at the end of a race.
I think Ciolek is going nowhere fast at the moment. He needs sorting out.
Who else can step up to Cav? Petacchi and McEwen are past it. Boonen, Hushovd and Freire are not pure sprinters and Benatti, Haussler, Fernandez, Napolitano, Steegmans and Feillu just aren't good enough.It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.0 -
Benatti beat Cavendish fairly and squarely on two stages of the Giro last year and didn't ride the Tour. He's got to be hiis biggest rival for the time being and their head to head matches at the Giro should be interesting to see.0
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Had Hausler timed his finish differently at MSR would CAv still have passed him?
His win in Paris-Nice was very impressive also.0 -
Ih he'd held his line in the dying metres Cav wouldn't have got past. Glad he did though.
What about Boasen-Hagen as a rival to Cav?0 -
Surely he didn't hold his line because he couldn't?0
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Moray Gub wrote:aarw wrote:Had Hausler timed his finish differently at MSR would CAv still have passed him?
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That a bit like saying if my auntie had balls she would be my uncle :-)
LOL, very true! My point was that he is capable of, and shows, serious accelleration and speed... so i see him as a worthy competitor.0 -
If Haussler had a more aerodynamic position like Cav he would have won MSR.aarw wrote:Moray Gub wrote:aarw wrote:Had Hausler timed his finish differently at MSR would CAv still have passed him?
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That a bit like saying if my auntie had balls she would be my uncle :-)
LOL, very true! My point was that he is capable of, and shows, serious accelleration and speed... so i see him as a worthy competitor.
Take a look at Cav when he sprints - he is very aero while Haussler is not.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2009/ma ... id=results See from 48 secs on in the video.0 -
Lots of Cav stuff in the current issue of BiciSport. I particularly liked the photo crop on this spread - obviously clearer full size, but you can see all the paparazzi reflected in his sunglasses, which is quite neat. Just thought I'd share.
Elsewhere text describes the finish line moment as a textbook sprint and Cav as "an authentic and untouchable champion". I think they like him over there.0 -
Cav can sprint on the track and would certainly beat Phinney in a head to head srpint both on the track and the road.Kléber wrote:Cavendish isn't a sprinter on the track either, he's a Madison rider. But Phinney got a medal in the kilo and the pursuit. Cav might well have to watch out.
Phinney is very stron but a pursuiter.
Most of the GB pursuiters are aslo very quick in the kilo same as Phinney, look at the race where the GB pusruiters beat the GB sprinters in a flying kilo.
Can't remember who was actually in it, Thomas and Clancy against Kenny and someone.
The kilo is not purely for sprinters which is why Edgar and some others are not as good at the kilo. Hoy is different as he is so strong he can do both.
Phinney would make a good leadout man for Cav but not fast enough to be near him in a bunch sprint.
Slightly off subject, Phinney was recently beaten by accademy rider Luke Rowe in recent World Cup U23 in Holland, great ride by up and coming welshman
We could end up with a good commonwealth pursuit squad 0
