Cavendish - best sportsman in the world?

woodford2barbican
woodford2barbican Posts: 1,505
edited May 2013 in Pro race
David Walsh mentioned on his twitter feed a while back that Cavendish was currently one of the best sportsman in the world.

I can see his point, he is streets ahead of his nearest competitors and has been for several years. He seems to be able to execute his talent at will.

Not sure how to judge this, perhaps the only way is to asses who the competitors for that title are, Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Vettel....?

Who else could be judged to be in such a group and could Cavendish be the current 'best' of that group?
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Comments

  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    No other sprinter has the acceleration, top end, or the bloody minded will to win that cav has. His nearest competitors this year are greipel, bouhanni and kittel, none of whom have his class.
  • Walter White
    Walter White Posts: 238
    Hes in the elite group of sportsmen on this planet for sure.
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    Is this a joke?

    Let's see how good a Nibali would be if he turned up in Naples with 3-4 kilo overweight..

    Best sprinter in the world? Definitely.
    Best sportsman in the world? Not even close.

    I like Cav but that's a hilarious claim. Being paced by 8 teammates until 200m before the finish line versus a Nibali, Wiggins, Contador, Froome, Evans etc.. who conquer ridiculous mountains with ridiculous speeds..

    It's a tough one..
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,259
    In sport there are very few things which have shorter odds than Cavendish winning a bunch sprint.

    The only person I can think of who is as much a sure bet at a really high level is Usain Bolt.

    So if Walsh is coming from a position of dominance, he may well have a point.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • nic_77
    nic_77 Posts: 929
    RichN95 wrote:
    In sport there are very few things which have shorter odds than Cavendish winning a bunch sprint.

    The only person I can think of who is as much a sure bet at a really high level is Usain Bolt.

    So if Walsh is coming from a position of dominance, he may well have a point.

    Yep, that's where he was coming from...

    17 May:
    “@DavidWalshST: I said yesterday, and have been saying for two years, Cavendish is better at what he does than anyone, in any sport. What a will-to-win.”

    Bolt is a good shout. Ben Ainslie - if that's a sport (meets my criterion in that it requires a change of footwear)? - another who you'd put your house on. Mo Farah - maybe hasn't been doing it long enough? Marianne Vos is probably the major contender from cycling, and she's more versatile.
    Strava
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  • wombly_knees
    wombly_knees Posts: 657
    Prior to his ban, and so far even after it, pretty much the most predictable thing in cycling was a Contador grand tour win. I don't like him, but he's got to be at the top on that count.

    A stretch to call Cav the best cyclist, let alone best sportsman.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Obviously.
    _
  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    Best sprinter, yes, best all rounder, no. Best all rounder, probably nibbles/groomed/ contador in our sport. Honourable mentions to wiggins and Rodriguez (both have big flaws).
  • estampida
    estampida Posts: 1,008
    I think you will find something on your nose there.......... :lol:

    as he only competed in 1 sport, not really an all round sportsman.....
  • mike6
    mike6 Posts: 1,199
    I think, as he qualified it by saying best as what he does ie sprinting. Cav is a specialist sprinter. To compare him to the GT contenders is apples and oranges. No one doubts that Bolt is the best sprinter at this time, thats what he does,so you cant then say he is no good cos he has not won a 10k or a marathon. Again apples and oranges.
  • seanoconn
    seanoconn Posts: 11,702
    Yeah it's fair to say. Cavendish is outstanding in his field. And the only other in with a shout would be Cancellara.
    Pinno, מלך אידיוט וחרא מכונאי
  • alihisgreat
    alihisgreat Posts: 3,872
    philbar72 wrote:
    Best sprinter, yes, best all rounder, no. Best all rounder, probably nibbles/groomed/ contador in our sport. Honourable mentions to wiggins and Rodriguez (both have big flaws).

    Best all rounder? Wiggins is flawed?

    He's gone from winning Olympic track golds to TT gold and the Tour de France... and he's a flawed all rounder? Yeah that makes sense!
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,451
    ALIHISGREAT wrote:
    philbar72 wrote:
    Best sprinter, yes, best all rounder, no. Best all rounder, probably nibbles/groomed/ contador in our sport. Honourable mentions to wiggins and Rodriguez (both have big flaws).

    Best all rounder? Wiggins is flawed?

    He's gone from winning Olympic track golds to TT gold and the Tour de France... and he's a flawed all rounder? Yeah that makes sense!


    Never won a one day race of any note.
    Never been World Champion in any road discipline.
    No Off Road wins.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • Jez mon
    Jez mon Posts: 3,809
    TailWindHome wrote:
    ALIHISGREAT wrote:
    philbar72 wrote:
    Best sprinter, yes, best all rounder, no. Best all rounder, probably nibbles/groomed/ contador in our sport. Honourable mentions to wiggins and Rodriguez (both have big flaws).

    Best all rounder? Wiggins is flawed?

    He's gone from winning Olympic track golds to TT gold and the Tour de France... and he's a flawed all rounder? Yeah that makes sense!


    Never won a one day race of any note.
    Never been World Champion in any road discipline.
    No Off Road wins.

    As far as I recall, the above criticisms could relate to Contador too...

    I think there is a case for Cavendish, but it comes down to how you see sprint stages fitting in with the rest of cycling. If you see them as as integral and important part of a grand tour, then you're going to admire his achievements. If you see them as the flat boring bits between the stages where the GC gets decided, then obviously, Cav's achievements look a little meaningless.
    You live and learn. At any rate, you live
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    TailWindHome wrote:
    ALIHISGREAT wrote:
    philbar72 wrote:
    Best sprinter, yes, best all rounder, no. Best all rounder, probably nibbles/groomed/ contador in our sport. Honourable mentions to wiggins and Rodriguez (both have big flaws).

    Best all rounder? Wiggins is flawed?

    He's gone from winning Olympic track golds to TT gold and the Tour de France... and he's a flawed all rounder? Yeah that makes sense!


    Never won a one day race of any note.
    Never been World Champion in any road discipline.
    No Off Road wins.

    National champs not of any note :D
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,451
    inseine wrote:
    TailWindHome wrote:
    ALIHISGREAT wrote:
    philbar72 wrote:
    Best sprinter, yes, best all rounder, no. Best all rounder, probably nibbles/groomed/ contador in our sport. Honourable mentions to wiggins and Rodriguez (both have big flaws).

    Best all rounder? Wiggins is flawed?

    He's gone from winning Olympic track golds to TT gold and the Tour de France... and he's a flawed all rounder? Yeah that makes sense!


    Never won a one day race of any note.
    Never been World Champion in any road discipline.
    No Off Road wins.

    National champs not of any note :D

    Not unless you're Belgian.

    :wink:
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,708
    Ok, One of the best - yes

    THE best - No

    I think Vos has a very good shout at that, I can't really see an alternative. Heptathletes/Decathletes maybe but then that's a bit different
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    If a sprinter can be 'best sportsman of the world' that's a god damn easy way to be it. I can't even begin to describe how much more an effort 80% of the riders in the peloton do throughout a GT than the sprinters.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,708
    Well, please try becasue most informed people say that thats rubbish...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,259
    ThomThom wrote:
    If a sprinter can be 'best sportsman of the world' that's a god damn easy way to be it. I can't even begin to describe how much more an effort 80% of the riders in the peloton do throughout a GT than the sprinters.
    If it's so easy, why don't those 80% of riders making all that effort do it?
    I mean why do they do all that slogging around the course with no personal glory and lower pay when it's really, really easy just to pop up and win five stages. They must be thick.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,451
    Long is the list of sprinters who either dodged the Giro or went home early.

    I'm not sure anyone could characterise Cavendish's Giro as an easy experience.
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • Jez mon
    Jez mon Posts: 3,809
    RichN95 wrote:
    ThomThom wrote:
    If a sprinter can be 'best sportsman of the world' that's a god damn easy way to be it. I can't even begin to describe how much more an effort 80% of the riders in the peloton do throughout a GT than the sprinters.
    If it's so easy, why don't those 80% of riders making all that effort do it?
    I mean why do they do all that slogging around the course with no personal glory and lower pay when it's really, really easy just to pop up and win five stages. They must be thick.

    Besides, being the best isn't about putting the most effort in. It's about being the best.
    You live and learn. At any rate, you live
  • alihisgreat
    alihisgreat Posts: 3,872
    TailWindHome wrote:
    ALIHISGREAT wrote:
    philbar72 wrote:
    Best sprinter, yes, best all rounder, no. Best all rounder, probably nibbles/groomed/ contador in our sport. Honourable mentions to wiggins and Rodriguez (both have big flaws).

    Best all rounder? Wiggins is flawed?

    He's gone from winning Olympic track golds to TT gold and the Tour de France... and he's a flawed all rounder? Yeah that makes sense!


    Never won a one day race of any note.
    Never been World Champion in any road discipline.
    No Off Road wins.

    he won a sprint finish in Romandie last year though :wink:
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    Jez mon wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    ThomThom wrote:
    If a sprinter can be 'best sportsman of the world' that's a god damn easy way to be it. I can't even begin to describe how much more an effort 80% of the riders in the peloton do throughout a GT than the sprinters.
    If it's so easy, why don't those 80% of riders making all that effort do it?
    I mean why do they do all that slogging around the course with no personal glory and lower pay when it's really, really easy just to pop up and win five stages. They must be thick.

    Besides, being the best isn't about putting the most effort in. It's about being the best.

    too right.
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/
  • resaRider
    resaRider Posts: 109
    I would say Alastair Brownlee is probably more dominant in his own sport, in cycling dont think anybody is as dominant in what they do as Cav.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Phil Taylor?

    Plus there's probably a Chinese table tennis player or a South Korean archer or something that none us of heard of.
  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    seanoconn wrote:
    Yeah it's fair to say. Cavendish is outstanding in his field. And the only other in with a shout would be Cancellara.

    In the time trials ? As a classics rider I don't think he's reached the level of dominance that Cav has as a sprinter.
    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    TailWindHome wrote:
    ALIHISGREAT wrote:
    Best all rounder? Wiggins is flawed?

    He's gone from winning Olympic track golds to TT gold and the Tour de France... and he's a flawed all rounder? Yeah that makes sense!
    Never won a one day race of any note.
    Never been World Champion in any road discipline.
    No Off Road wins.
    When you get another Allrounder like Eddy Merckx then you are onto something.
    Road wins are well known but many wins in Indoor Track 6 day racing and outdoor tracks.
    Maybe being Belgian he may have dabbled at Cyclo X.

    Today's Cycling Olympics are a Farce being run in sheltered indoor tracks or with ageing professionals and should be left to the children. ie under 23's
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    RichN95 wrote:
    ThomThom wrote:
    If a sprinter can be 'best sportsman of the world' that's a god damn easy way to be it. I can't even begin to describe how much more an effort 80% of the riders in the peloton do throughout a GT than the sprinters.
    If it's so easy, why don't those 80% of riders making all that effort do it?
    I mean why do they do all that slogging around the course with no personal glory and lower pay when it's really, really easy just to pop up and win five stages. They must be thick.

    Because they are busy pacing the greatest sportsman 199.8 km out of 200km..
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Marianne Vos.
    Contador is the Greatest

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