TdF 2016 stage 6 **spoilers**

rick_chasey

Right, Tour starts tomorrow, only a third of the way in.

No_Ta_Doctor

Has riding a bit of omnium sharpened those old track instincts up, maybe? Especially on a team where he knows his train can't really match the others and he'll have to be wheel surfing more.

above_the_cows

Oh Kittel Kat. You need to learn to sprint without a train chicken.

blazing_saddles

Kittel having a huge moan about the stage finishes. Not set up to run 6 man trains from the 2 km mark.

slim_boy_fat

Above The Cows wrote:

Oh Kittel Kat. You need to learn to sprint without a train chicken.

Cav is the perfect size for surfing from wheel to wheel though. Kittel being so big struggles with that imo.

heavy_rat

PeteinSQ wrote:

I'd totally written Cav off as a spent force. What an amazing turn around in his form this year - he might even go on to beat Merckx' record if he can keep going for another 2 years.

You're not the only one especially after the British Road Champs. I am pleasantly surprised.

above_the_cows

Slim Boy Fat wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

Oh Kittel Kat. You need to learn to sprint without a train chicken.

Cav is the perfect size for surfing from wheel to wheel though. Kittel being so big struggles with that imo.

I was also going to say that he's too big to be nipping about town.

rick_chasey

No tA Doctor wrote:

Has riding a bit of omnium sharpened those old track instincts up, maybe? Especially on a team where he knows his train can't really match the others and he'll have to be wheel surfing more.

I think it's down to his leg speed which has improved on the track yeah. The little micro accelerations needed to move from wheel to wheel will be that bit easier.

I liked his comment re going a little earlier to hit Max velocity sooner re leg speed. Once you've got your nose in front going at 70kph, no one can really pedal much faster to get passed.

TheBigBean

What happened to Renshaw? It seems Eisel brought Cav through the group.

above_the_cows

Well at least that means we've all forgotten about a naked Oleg, a Tinkoff team car and a watering can.

milton50

Awesome sprint.

I'll come out and say though that I don't want him to beat Merckx's record.

rick_chasey

So we're agreed Lefevre was wrong to keep Cav from doing proper track work?

RoadPainter

No tA Doctor wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

josame wrote:

Above The Cows wrote:

Playing chess on top of a rock with a couple of bikes is no boar man. Jog on chess players. Jog on.

Chess Rocks! nuff said

Is that Didi? Blimey he's ubiquitous.

I've heard the most ubiquitous thing about Didi is his stench. The peloton are rumoured to be able to tell where he is from about 5km out.

Really? I've bumped into him a few times at races and don't remember noticing that. I'm normally quite good at noticing repugnant BO.

Great stuff from Cav, I'm among those who thought his days as the fastest were over. A stunning turnaround really, I expect he and others will be doing more track in future years.

above_the_cows

I'd love to see Lefevere's face about now.

TheBigBean

Rick Chasey wrote:

So we're agreed Lefevre was wrong to keep Cav from doing proper track work?

I think we all agree that Lefevre is consistently wrong. I don't think the track stuff has helped. Probably removing the mountain of pressure has.

mrb123

heavy_rat wrote:

PeteinSQ wrote:

I'd totally written Cav off as a spent force. What an amazing turn around in his form this year - he might even go on to beat Merckx' record if he can keep going for another 2 years.

You're not the only one especially after the British Road Champs. I am pleasantly surprised.

Imagine how many stages Adam Blythe could have won...

gweeds

I reckon Cav's done Kittel mentally.

He's in your head son.

above_the_cows

I'll be Frenchie...

Lanterne_Rogue

Kittel:

“There is no tactics. It’s impossible to ride with a team like this. I don’t know why the organisers do it like this. It goes wide, narrow, wide again. It’s just pure chaos. You can win here with smart positioning.”

So let me get this right, there are no tactics, but you can win by being clever and using the right tactics?

To rework an old simile, Kittel appears to have brought a broadsword to a knife fight this year. It's a nice idea when you can keep everyone at a distance but once they get up close and personal then everyone else is more nimble than you.

above_the_cows

Gweeds wrote:

I reckon Cav's done Kittel mentally.

He's in your head son.

It will be interesting to watch the differences in mental fortitude between the two. Kittel Kat has never been the underdog before.

bobmcstuff

Bugger bugger bugger missed it

above_the_cows

underlayunderlay wrote:

To rework an old simile, Kittel appears to have brought a broadsword to a knife fight this year.

Kittel is Ned Stark.

rick_chasey

TheBigBean wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

So we're agreed Lefevre was wrong to keep Cav from doing proper track work?

I don't think the track stuff has helped.

Curious. I think the opposite. Why not?

Daz555

Cav was the one who could only win with the perfect train we thought..

Great stuff Cav. Couple of team mates to help find the right wheel is all he needs.

Cav wont win anything next year though... Finished.

above_the_cows

I'll still be Frenchie...

No_Ta_Doctor

I'm convinced the track stuff is part of it, though I think switching to a team that doesn't provide the full express train service is also a factor. Cav has always been resourceful surfing the wheels, but now he's tuned into it. He's not got all that stuff about the leadout not timing it right.

above_the_cows

Training to be Frenchie...

above_the_cows

No tA Doctor wrote:

I'm convinced the track stuff is part of it, though I think switching to a team that doesn't provide the full express train service is also a factor. Cav has always been resourceful surfing the wheels, but now he's tuned into it. He's not got all that stuff about the leadout not timing it right.

I like to think it's all down to pro-cycling's ultimate bromance...

Lanterne_Rogue

Daz555 wrote:

Cav was the one who could only win with the perfect train we thought..

Define 'we' - is anyone actually still adhering to this - ahem - train of thought? I know that it was a bit of a trope several years ago to decry Cavendish as basically getting an HTC armchair ride to the finish, but as the man himself said you have to earn the right to get that support. Since then his wins have come in a variety of ways, rarely with the sort of train he used to enjoy (even Kittel and Greipel don't get to play with a train as formidable as the HTC one, and nobody else is even trying due to splitting their targets). I don't think you can watch a highlights reel of the second half of his career and draw the conclusion that he only wins from trains.

above_the_cows

inseine wrote:

Michael Morkov limping in dead last yesterday, 33 mins down. Brave

Holy moly, I've just realised, does Mørkøv think he has to ride just in front of the Broom Wagon because it has the initials DK on the number plate...?