Sad for Cav.....

Silly Old Hector
Silly Old Hector Posts: 573
edited August 2012 in Pro race
After Sir Chris's 5th gold, Cav gets chatty on the sofa with Mr Lineker.

" No medals for me......"

He's an amazing cyclist, but the Olympics have not been kind to him.

We are sad for him. Anyone else ?
All the gear, but no idea...
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Comments

  • dougzz
    dougzz Posts: 1,833
    MSR, 23 Tdf Stages and counting, Peta, I'm gutted for him, his life must really suck.
  • slim_boy_fat
    slim_boy_fat Posts: 1,810
    I think he'll always regret it if he oesnt win one, so yes I defo feel sorry for him in terms of that.
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Silly Old Hector wrote:
    Anyone else ?

    Nope, not in the slightest.
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    edited August 2012
    Well, if he's not happy enough with what has won so far, he should start improving on the many things he's not capable of yet and he might start winning some more/or different/difficult races. He's by far the best rider around to ride 200 m the fastest but that's also pretty much it - in my opinion that's not making him an amazing cyclist.
    I don't expect you to agree on my views, though.
  • majormantra
    majormantra Posts: 2,094
    dougzz wrote:
    MSR, 23 Tdf Stages and counting, Peta, I'm gutted for him, his life must really suck.

    This.

    /thread

    And he's still worth a fortune, along with Wiggo, it just hasn't been quite as perfect a season this year for him.
  • alihisgreat
    alihisgreat Posts: 3,872
    dougzz wrote:
    MSR, 23 Tdf Stages and counting, Peta, I'm gutted for him, his life must really suck.


    You missed the world champs, bbc sports personality!!!!!!, shed loads of money, rob hayles following him everywhere on a scooter....

    the list is endless.
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,243
    ALIHISGREAT wrote:
    dougzz wrote:
    MSR, 23 Tdf Stages and counting, Peta, I'm gutted for him, his life must really suck.


    You missed the world champs, bbc sports personality!!!!!!, shed loads of money, rob hayles following him everywhere on a scooter....

    the list is endless.
    Not to forget L'Equipe voting him the best sprinter of all time.
  • kentphil
    kentphil Posts: 479
    Best sprinter in the world, but its still a shame he didn't win any medals. He has seemed to take it quite well though in the interviews i've seen.
    1998 Kona Cindercone in singlespeed commute spec
    2013 Cannondale Caadx 1x10
    2004 Giant TCR
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    KentPhil wrote:
    He has seemed to take it quite well though in the interviews i've seen.

    Doesn't seem very happy in this clip...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXv3yA5k3i4
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,454
    ThomThom wrote:
    Well, if he's not happy enough with what has won so far, he should start improving on the many things he's not capable of yet and he might start winning some more/or different/difficult races. He's by far the best rider around to ride 200 m the fastest but that's also pretty much it - in my opinion that's not making him an amazing cyclist.
    I don't expect you to agree on my views, though.

    The likes of Hoy, Bauge and even Theo Bos are probably faster over 200 metres so you're wrong there for a start. To think that all a sprinter has to do is sit in the wheels and wait for the 200 metre to go sign is so wrong headed it's not even worth arguing against.
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    Pretty difficult to compare him with Hoy and Bauge on the roads - which was what I was referring to - but Theo Bos? Don't agree with that. But enlighten me what more there is to it? Is pushing, staying in front, avoiding crashes, though that is genuinely hard and perhaps underrated, really enough to be considered as an 'amazing cyclist'? If so, what category should we put Boonen, Sagan, Wiggins and the likes in?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    ThomThom wrote:
    Pretty difficult to compare him with Hoy and Bauge on the roads - which was what I was referring to - but Theo Bos? Don't agree with that. But enlighten me what more there is to it?
    Theo Bos used to be a track sprinter like Hoy and Bauge . In fact at one time he was Hoy's main rival (here's them racing each other: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWHjg7iBp98 ). He's a lot less muscular than those two though so he could make the change to the road - I think he's the only one who has managed it.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    I'm well aware that Bos was a track rider..? :)
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,661
    Sort of what doug says, but I understand his point. No one gives a monkeys about what he's won except for wierdo cycling fans who post on forums...

    To 99% of people he's the guy that choked twice!
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    I do sort of agree with Thomthom, I can't really see why people think he's so fantastic. How is he really any better than someone like Cipollini?
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    I do sort of agree with Thomthom, I can't really see why people think he's so fantastic. How is he really any better than someone like Cipollini?

    Yeah he is.
    _
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    I do sort of agree with Thomthom, I can't really see why people think he's so fantastic. How is he really any better than someone like Cipollini?

    Yeah he is.

    How so, please explain.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    I do sort of agree with Thomthom, I can't really see why people think he's so fantastic. How is he really any better than someone like Cipollini?

    Yeah he is.

    How so, please explain.

    The intensity of his success.

    His hit rate in a sprint is totally unrivalled.

    I've only seen him beaten in a straight up fight once - by Greipel.

    He's already won more Tour stages than any other sprinter - and it's not like he just focusses on the Tour either.

    Even took Cippo his entire career to finally win M-SR.

    We speak of McEwen being a great sprinter - and he was - but even in his pomp he'd win maybe 1in3, 1in4 sprints.
    _
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    I do sort of agree with Thomthom, I can't really see why people think he's so fantastic. How is he really any better than someone like Cipollini?

    Yeah he is.

    How so, please explain.

    I think I'd take "Only" being as good as the man who won more stages of the Giro than anyone else.

    I think the general public cares a fair bit about Tour stage wins as well. Otherwise he wouldn' have a book out, random companies wouldn't make T-Shirts celebrating his acheivements and the BBC wouldn't pay him to talk about Olympic Track Cycling
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    The intensity of his success.

    His hit rate in a sprint is totally unrivalled.

    I've only seen him beaten in a straight up fight once - by Greipel.

    Sure, I'll give you that, his hit rate is probably higher than anyone else, but that surely just confirms the point that Thomthom made, he's just a very, very good sprinter. And what's a straight up sprint, who's the judge of that?
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    He's already won more Tour stages than any other sprinter - and it's not like he just focusses on the Tour either.

    Cipollini won 57 GT stages whereas Cavendish has won 36. Also Cipollini won 3 points competitions at GT whereas Cavendish has won two.
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Even took Cippo his entire career to finally win M-SR.

    But Cavendish has only won Milan San Remo once, you can't really rate a rider on what he might win. Also Cipollini won Gent Wevelgem 3 times, where are Cavendish's classic wins that everyone talks about? Not happened yet. Maybe he will pick them up, I don't know. But I really don't see how at the moment he's the "legend" everyone seems to think he is.
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    He's finished more Tours than Cipo ever did. And won more green jerseys. He's only ridden one Tour at which he didn't win at least 3 stages.

    The only spinter he's behind for me is Zabel.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    He's finished more Tours than Cipo ever did. And won more green jerseys. He's only ridden one Tour at which he didn't win at least 3 stages.

    The only spinter he's behind for me is Zabel.

    Cav's better than Zabel.

    He wins more.
    _
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Zabel won 6 green jerseys, 4 MSRs, an Amstel Gold,3 Paris Tours, 3 Vuelta points Jerseys and had over 200 pro wins in a career lasting 15 years at the highest level.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    edited August 2012
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    He's finished more Tours than Cipo ever did. And won more green jerseys. He's only ridden one Tour at which he didn't win at least 3 stages.

    The only spinter he's behind for me is Zabel.

    He's better cos he's finished the Tour? Cipollini's priorities were always at the Giro, which isn't that suprising for an Italian on an Italian team. I'll just point again to the number of GT stage wins, 57 to 36. And isn't the points comp at the Giro harder for a sprinter to win as it doesn't give more points to the flat stages. And this is something that Cavendish hasn't won and Cipollini has 3 times.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    Zabel won 6 green jerseys, 4 MSRs, an Amstel Gold,3 Paris Tours, 3 Vuelta points Jerseys and had over 200 pro wins in a career lasting 15 years at the highest level.

    Zabel wins jerseys and hilly faces with flat finishes.

    He's a sprinter who's more versatile, but as an out and out pure sprinter, Cav's better.
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    He's finished more Tours than Cipo ever did. And won more green jerseys. He's only ridden one Tour at which he didn't win at least 3 stages.

    The only spinter he's behind for me is Zabel.

    He's better cos he's finished the Tour? Cipollini's priorities were always at the Giro, which isn't that suprising for an Italian on an Italian team. I'll just point again to the number of GT stage wins, 57 to 36. And isn't the points comp at the Giro harder for a sprinter to win as it doesn't weight points towards the flat stages. And this is something that Cavendish hasn't won and Cipollini has 3 times.

    Giro sprint stages are worth less than Tour stages....

    And Cav's only halfway through his career.
    _
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    Zabel won 6 green jerseys, 4 MSRs, an Amstel Gold,3 Paris Tours, 3 Vuelta points Jerseys and had over 200 pro wins in a career lasting 15 years at the highest level.

    Zabel wins jerseys and hilly faces with flat finishes.

    He's a sprinter who's more versatile, but as an out and out pure sprinter, Cav's better.

    His 4 and a half MSRs say he was a pretty handy sprinter!

    I don't deny that at the close of his career Cav will probably be right up there, but at the moment, Zabel is te greatest sprinter of all time for me.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    Giro sprint stages are worth less than Tour stages....

    And Cav's only halfway through his career.

    Says who? You? Pfttt. What do you know? :wink:

    And how do you know Cavendish is halfway through his career? You can't rate riders on what they might win.
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    greasedscotsman wrote:
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    He's finished more Tours than Cipo ever did. And won more green jerseys. He's only ridden one Tour at which he didn't win at least 3 stages.

    The only spinter he's behind for me is Zabel.

    He's better cos he's finished the Tour? Cipollini's priorities were always at the Giro, which isn't that suprising for an Italian on an Italian team. I'll just point again to the number of GT stage wins, 57 to 36. And isn't the points comp at the Giro harder for a sprinter to win as it doesn't weight points towards the flat stages. And this is something that Cavendish hasn't won and Cipollini has 3 times.

    Giro sprint stages are worth less than Tour stages....

    And Cav's only halfway through his career.


    Not to Italians!
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    ...Zabel is te greatest sprinter of all time for me.

    Not sure where to rate Zabel, don't think he's won enough GT for me. But as it stands right now, there really isn't much between any of them.

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