TDF 2018, Stage 4: La Baule > Sarzeau 10/07/2018 - 195 km *Spoilers*

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Comments

  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,435
    I thought Cav was going backwards before he got boxed in and cut up... Don't think he has the form.

    I think he will be happy to have been at the front towards the end given his build up.

    Very interesting post race interview too - the way he remembers such tiny details of an event which unfolded in about 4 seconds always amazes me.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    bobmcstuff wrote:
    I thought Cav was going backwards before he got boxed in and cut up... Don't think he has the form.

    I think he will be happy to have been at the front towards the end given his build up.

    Very interesting post race interview too - the way he remembers such tiny details of an event which unfolded in about 4 seconds always amazes me.

    Agreed, he was losing position throughout the last km after going into it perfectly placed. I don't think he was ever boxed, just opted left and the big guns all went on the right but even by then he was slipping back and never really got up to speed. Hopefully it's down to a lack of racing and he'll ride into form as he has in the past.
  • ShutupJens
    ShutupJens Posts: 1,373
    Dorset Boy wrote:
    Sagan once again veered over half way across the road in his sprint - he's going to end another sprinter's Tour again this year if he doesn't wise up.

    Nah from the overhead you can see he's well clear before he moves, he usually is. It's very rare of him to get caught up in anything
  • k1875
    k1875 Posts: 485
    When you do interviews after the stage holding your newborn kid you are inviting speculation that your priorities have changed.

    I would love Cav to get to 35 and he may still do, but he's gonna need some clean sprints to get there. I don't believe he's prepared to risk that last 1%to get the win and tbh I don't blame him. He's nothing to prove and plenty reasons not to injure himself.

    So Cav to dominate the rest of the sprint stages then... :D
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    RichN95 wrote:
    Wanty with three riders in the top ten. Pick one boys, don't be a Poundshop Movistar.

    Think of the WT points.
    _
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    k1875 wrote:
    When you do interviews after the stage holding your newborn kid you are inviting speculation that your priorities have changed.

    I would love Cav to get to 35 and he may still do, but he's gonna need some clean sprints to get there. I don't believe he's prepared to risk that last 1%to get the win and tbh I don't blame him. He's nothing to prove and plenty reasons not to injure himself.

    So Cav to dominate the rest of the sprint stages then... :D

    The thing is, as a sprinter, if you get into that mindset you either need to adapt to riding in a different way or retire. Greipel for example has been giving the cobbled Classics a go. That said, I'm not sure that is his mindset; I think he's just lost the speed as a result of getting older and having missed so much racing.
  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    The guardian article on Cav recently indicated he has a genuine permanent issue with his shoulder. That’ll affect his confidence. The truth of the matter is that he really doesn’t have 100% confidence in himself and his legs speed (which was always his killer attribute) is on the wane. He may well ride himself into fitness yet, but I don’t see any sprint stage wins this year. Perhaps he just needs to do track for half a season. That pre-empted his 4 wins in 2016 ( and a clean bill of health).

    As for the rest, Greipel went from too far back and couldn’t maintain it, and Gaviria got it right again. Sagan is great at following the wheel and nearly getting there against the faster guys. Kittel was way out of position to start with and still has his surge but from where he was he wasn’t going to win, same with Groenewegen.

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