Cavendish - How long can a sprinter stay on top?

Dorset_Boy

Great link to the analysis of the finish.
Still think Cav should have been able to win though!

Daz555

I still think Cav is favourite for Paris. He seems to arrive largely unaffected by the mountains in the final week - even though he looks to be blowing a gasket when riding up them. I doubt he'll win by 2 bike lengths though.

above_the_cows

Has anyone mentioned Cav's sore buttock? Apparently he has a sore left buttock. Not sure if that's affecting performance, looks like the Big Man Marcel just got the better of him, but I thought you all should know about his hurty bum.

wombly_knees

Has already been mentioned once, he has ridden a full Giro, at least as full as this year's Giro was, while none of the others challenging in the sprint stages did. Surely that counts for something. That said, I don't think he'll win five or six sprint stages in future Tours. He'll win 9 next year now that I've said it.

EPO Delivery Man

Cavendish is no longer on top. Yesterdays race proved that and so did last years Tour.

Cavs had his day.

EPO Delivery Man

wombly knees wrote:

Has already been mentioned once, he has ridden a full Giro, at least as full as this year's Giro was, while none of the others challenging in the sprint stages did. Surely that counts for something. That said, I don't think he'll win five or six sprint stages in future Tours. He'll win 9 next year now that I've said it.

You say all that, but its just making excuses. For every excuse about the Giro I can throw in a reason why hes meant to be so fast that ive heard a dozen times ie:

He has an awareness that means he is quicker than other sprinters
He knows what wheel to follow
Once hes gone, hes gone
He has a second kick that no one can match...

blah blah blah..all b*sh*t made up while he was on top. When youre on top you can make up any cr*p you like about why you are on top as people can't dispute it, but i have never seen this so called magic "2nd kick", where was it yesterday then? Kittel not only got on his wheel, he not only had his 2nd kick, he also went past and beat him for speed.

Time to take the rose-tinted specs off and on that subject, time for Cav to stop putting his specs on after the race and trying to make us all believe hes intelligent and well spoken all of a sudden. Pull the other one.

Paulie W

It's possible that Cav is not quite at the top of his game but he looks to me to still have the beating of Griepel in a straight sprint so I suspect it is just about Kittel being faster right now - it'll be interesting to see how Cav reacts to this immediately (as in today's stage - does he try to go from the front as yesterday or does he try something different?) and in the longer term.

wombly_knees

EPO Delivery Man wrote:

wombly knees wrote:

Has already been mentioned once, he has ridden a full Giro, at least as full as this year's Giro was, while none of the others challenging in the sprint stages did. Surely that counts for something. That said, I don't think he'll win five or six sprint stages in future Tours. He'll win 9 next year now that I've said it.

You say all that, but its just making excuses. For every excuse about the Giro I can throw in a reason why hes meant to be so fast that ive heard a dozen times ie:

He has an awareness that means he is quicker than other sprinters
He knows what wheel to follow
Once hes gone, hes gone
He has a second kick that no one can match...

blah blah blah..all b*sh*t made up while he was on top. When youre on top you can make up any cr*p you like about why you are on top as people can't dispute it, but i have never seen this so called magic "2nd kick", where was it yesterday then? Kittel not only got on his wheel, he not only had his 2nd kick, he also went past and beat him for speed.

Time to take the rose-tinted specs off and on that subject, time for Cav to stop putting his specs on after the race and trying to make us all believe hes intelligent and well spoken all of a sudden. Pull the other one.

I'm not making excuses, neither do I want to see Cav bossing every sprint as that's boring as batshit, heck I'm not even a fan. But I do know that fatigue is a factor that has an effect on all that you've posted above. Maybe the tinted spectacles work both ways...

frenchfighter

frenchfighter

Coriander

I very much like that OPQS has resurrected the casquette.

Squaggles

EPO Delivery Man wrote:

Cavendish is no longer on top. Yesterdays race proved that and so did last years Tour.

Cavs had his day.

jamie1012

Coriander wrote:

I very much like that OPQS has resurrected the casquette.

This.

resaRider

Squaggles wrote:

EPO Delivery Man wrote:

Cavendish is no longer on top. Yesterdays race proved that and so did last years Tour.

Cavs had his day.

hahahahahahahahahaha
silly boy

Le Commentateur

Kind of answered the question this afternoon eh?

Crankbrother

frenchfighter wrote:

I'm 50/50 on Cav but if any one of us looked that cool we'd die bike-happy ...

Daz555

It would appear he can stay on top for at least one more day.

thomthom

wombly knees wrote:

EPO Delivery Man wrote:

wombly knees wrote:

Has already been mentioned once, he has ridden a full Giro, at least as full as this year's Giro was, while none of the others challenging in the sprint stages did. Surely that counts for something. That said, I don't think he'll win five or six sprint stages in future Tours. He'll win 9 next year now that I've said it.

You say all that, but its just making excuses. For every excuse about the Giro I can throw in a reason why hes meant to be so fast that ive heard a dozen times ie:

He has an awareness that means he is quicker than other sprinters
He knows what wheel to follow
Once hes gone, hes gone
He has a second kick that no one can match...

blah blah blah..all b*sh*t made up while he was on top. When youre on top you can make up any cr*p you like about why you are on top as people can't dispute it, but i have never seen this so called magic "2nd kick", where was it yesterday then? Kittel not only got on his wheel, he not only had his 2nd kick, he also went past and beat him for speed.

Time to take the rose-tinted specs off and on that subject, time for Cav to stop putting his specs on after the race and trying to make us all believe hes intelligent and well spoken all of a sudden. Pull the other one.

I'm not making excuses, neither do I want to see Cav bossing every sprint as that's boring as batshit, heck I'm not even a fan. But I do know that fatigue is a factor that has an effect on all that you've posted above. Maybe the tinted spectacles work both ways...

Pretty sure he's taking the p'iss here, mate

At least - I hope so. I'm a bit uneasy lately in here calling out jokes and stuff. Tempers run high at the moment!

Walter White

EPO Delivery Man wrote:

Cavendish is no longer on top. Yesterdays race proved that and so did last years Tour.

Cavs had his day.

So naive, he always proves people wrong who blurt that out.

wombly_knees

ThomThom wrote:

wombly knees wrote:

EPO Delivery Man wrote:

wombly knees wrote:

Has already been mentioned once, he has ridden a full Giro, at least as full as this year's Giro was, while none of the others challenging in the sprint stages did. Surely that counts for something. That said, I don't think he'll win five or six sprint stages in future Tours. He'll win 9 next year now that I've said it.

You say all that, but its just making excuses. For every excuse about the Giro I can throw in a reason why hes meant to be so fast that ive heard a dozen times ie:

He has an awareness that means he is quicker than other sprinters
He knows what wheel to follow
Once hes gone, hes gone
He has a second kick that no one can match...

blah blah blah..all b*sh*t made up while he was on top. When youre on top you can make up any cr*p you like about why you are on top as people can't dispute it, but i have never seen this so called magic "2nd kick", where was it yesterday then? Kittel not only got on his wheel, he not only had his 2nd kick, he also went past and beat him for speed.

Time to take the rose-tinted specs off and on that subject, time for Cav to stop putting his specs on after the race and trying to make us all believe hes intelligent and well spoken all of a sudden. Pull the other one.

I'm not making excuses, neither do I want to see Cav bossing every sprint as that's boring as batshit, heck I'm not even a fan. But I do know that fatigue is a factor that has an effect on all that you've posted above. Maybe the tinted spectacles work both ways...

Pretty sure he's taking the p'iss here, mate

At least - I hope so. I'm a bit uneasy lately in here calling out jokes and stuff. Tempers run high at the moment!

Kin ell, and there I thought it was Cav who was taking the p!ss.... Not really worried either way, mind.

Outsider art by Loan

Did anyone else think he looked rather unexceptional in the intermediate yesterday? :P

above_the_cows

frenchfighter wrote:

More importantly what is that man doing to that post? :shock:

tailwindhome

Outsider art by Loan wrote:

Did anyone else think he looked rather unexceptional in the intermediate yesterday? :P

I think the intermediate sprint neuters his real skills of positioning and decision making and just becomes a test of speed and power. Greipel is going to prevail nine times out of ten under those conditions.


Cavendish with 43 has more GT stage wins than any other currently active rider and is tied for fourth on the overall list. For comparison the nearest active rider is Thor with 14 wins.

Claud Roubaix

I wonder if Rio Olympics may be a motivation for him. Maybe back on the track?

TheBigBean

TailWindHome wrote:

Outsider art by Loan wrote:

Did anyone else think he looked rather unexceptional in the intermediate yesterday? :P

I think the intermediate sprint neuters his real skills of positioning and decision making and just becomes a test of speed and power. Greipel is going to prevail nine times out of ten under those conditions.

I don't think Cavendish tries very hard in the intermediate sprints which is very sensible - mostly it will only result in a one point swing. All the more reason to do away with them completely.

Daz555

Claud Roubaix wrote:

I wonder if Rio Olympics may be a motivation for him. Maybe back on the track?

He'd probably have to quit road for 2015 and 2016 season though. Would he be prepared to do that? He'd not get picked otherwise - GB track squad is immense.

Try and get in the team pursuit squad? Omnium? This Madison is coming back for Rio so we could see Wiggo and Cav have a last hurrah.