Nice Cavendish interview here

Shadowrider

Really enjoyed reading this, good content by Cycling tips

https://cyclingtips.com/2017/01/mark-ca ... lling-out/

above_the_cows

Ahhh the bromance

takethehighroad

My man

carbonclem

Not a mention of Brad. Doesn't Stokes like to ask difficult questions?

dish_dash

CarbonClem wrote:

Not a mention of Brad. Doesn't Stokes like to ask difficult questions?

Or anything about doping in sport for that matter... SS keeps the omerta going :roll:

Instead we get:

Do you believe in fate, or luck, or destiny?

Little wonder Cav gets impatient with journos...

salsiccia1

Good interview that. He's definitely mellowed a bit, and the interview bears that out.

I can't see him getting another 4 TdF stage wins to match Merckx. Love to be proved wrong though.

RichN95.

Salsiccia1 wrote:

Good interview that. He's definitely mellowed a bit, and the interview bears that out.

I can't see him getting another 4 TdF stage wins to match Merckx. Love to be proved wrong though.

He's only 31. Greipel is still winning stages at 34. Petacchi won his last stage aged 36.

andyp

Salsiccia1 wrote:

Good interview that. He's definitely mellowed a bit, and the interview bears that out.

I can't see him getting another 4 TdF stage wins to match Merckx. Love to be proved wrong though.

Cavendish's Tour stage win record;

2007 0
2008 4
2009 6
2010 5
2011 5
2012 3
2013 2
2014 0
2015 1
2016 4

He's 31 and still one of the best three sprinters in the world. I reckon he's got at least two more years at the top level, if not more, so if I were a betting man I'd say the odds were in his favour.

dav1d1

Salsiccia1 wrote:

Good interview that. He's definitely mellowed a bit, and the interview bears that out.

I can't see him getting another 4 TdF stage wins to match Merckx. Love to be proved wrong though.

Remember this time last year, when the forum was full of cavs finished, cav won't win, than he lit up the tour.

salsiccia1

That's me told then

Kittel is going to come back really strong this year; Cav's admitted himself he's tired after last year; there's lots of decent young ones coming through like Gaviria, Ewan and others; I just think four or five more is going to be a big ask.

I'd be delighted to be proved wrong.

inseine

Salsiccia1 wrote:

Good interview that. He's definitely mellowed a bit, and the interview bears that out.

I can't see him getting another 4 TdF stage wins to match Merckx. Love to be proved wrong though.

I don't think anyone (including himself) expected 4 last year.

Dorset_Boy

He's chilled a lot, and seems pretty happy within himself. He has a good team around him that suits his temperament.
Will Quickstep manage a sprint train and launch Kittel to the fore? Time will tell.
I still think there's only 3 A list sprinters and the rest will be left in their wake come July. Cav's focus is the Tour and he will gear everything around that - yes he may be tired now, but he's 5 months to get himself right.

andyp

inseine wrote:

I don't think anyone (including himself) expected 4 last year.

True. And I doubt anyone would've predicted Greipel winning 4 the year before.

It's interesting, I think once the likes of Cavendish, Greipel and Kittel get a win at the Tour they relax a bit, as the pressure is off, but the other's have more pressure, which leads to them making small errors. There's also a psychological boost, and likely a opposite reaction in their rivals, which helps too and this translates, usually, into a short term dominance.

I don't know how many stages Cavendish will win this year, but his track record suggests that if he gets one then more follow.

RichN95.

Salsiccia1 wrote:

That's me told then

Kittel is going to come back really strong this year; Cav's admitted himself he's tired after last year; there's lots of decent young ones coming through like Gaviria, Ewan and others; I just think four or five more is going to be a big ask.

I'd be delighted to be proved wrong.

My point was that he's probably going to be around for another four or five years. And other experienced top sprinters, like Greipel and Petacchi, have alaways managed to find a stage win somewhere, even when up against clearly superior competition. I expect Cavendish to at least do that.
He may not make it, but I'd say he's more likely to do it than not.

carbonclem

Seven sprint stages this year could see him take it quickly if he's on form. But, as said, he's got a couple of years to chip them off. Barring some unforeseen disaster/incident, I cant imagine him not doing it.

Lanterne_Rogue

I can imagine him not doing it - nobody has a divine right to win things (except Contador in Frenchie's award ceremony for the category of 'most fanciable male cyclist 2003 - 2015', obviously) - but I do think Cavendish already has greatest pure sprinter in the history of the TdF sewn up, regardless of how many stage wins he eventually retires with.

above_the_cows

Salsiccia1 wrote:

there's lots of decent young ones coming through like Gaviria, Ewan...

There is nothing they have done (yet) that suggests they are anywhere near challenging the sprint kings.

Richmond Racer 2

Salsiccia1 wrote:

Good interview that. He's definitely mellowed a bit, and the interview bears that out.

I can't see him getting another 4 TdF stage wins to match Merckx. Love to be proved wrong though.

This post. Torch it. Now.

salsiccia1

Look, I love him, he's one of my mans for this season. I just think it's going to get a lot harder for him to win TdF stages.

Stop ganging up on me *whimper*

pottssteve

He's only a couple of stage wins of Mercx's TdF record, so I guess he'll be busting a gut come July in order to beat that....