Tour build up 2019

salsiccia1

TailWindHome wrote:

It's 3 years since Mark Cavendish won a race outside of the Middle East
It's a year and five months since he won a race anywhere

You know, along with being a bit disappointed to hear this I'm actually a bit relieved. There's no way he'd be anywhere near the sharp end and I think it would have got ignominious.

I can genuinely see him packing it in very soon.

Dorset_Boy

Not surprised Cav has been left out for the reasons others have stated, but disappointed nonetheless.

He's shown no form since it's been claimed he's clear of the EB virus.
He won't be happy for sure and will probably be considering his future. Back to the track for one last tilt in Tokyo?

RichN95.

Looking at DD's squad, I'd question whether Steve Cummings still has much to offer

carbonclem

I watched the Matt Stephens/Cancellara cafe ride video last night and it was interesting that despite all he'd won, Fabian was implicit that he needed to finish at a point where he achieved something specific, and in 2016 he did that. I suspect that is what has been keeping Cav going, I guess its just a case of at what point it happens or he feels it just isn't going to.
Just packing now would in many ways be the dignified way to go, but he's already now being pushed rather than jumping ... shame.

Mad_Malx

Dorset Boy wrote:

Back to the track for one last tilt in Tokyo?

That's what I was thinking. Probably the only really big thing missing that he has any chance of reaching (although a massive task).

What would he need to to qualify?

Lanterne_Rogue

RichN95 wrote:

Looking at DD's squad, I'd question whether Steve Cummings still has much to offer

Calculation is presumably that they can take one wildcard to try and pinch a stage or two. Cavendish can't do that without support (compromising EBH?), Cummings at least is content to loaf around at the back on his own so doesn't use up much team resource. Cavendish at risk of elimination in the hills, too.

philbar72

RichN95 wrote:

Looking at DD's squad, I'd question whether Steve Cummings still has much to offer

not as much as he did. certainly still quite strong, but like the rest of the team the last 18 months have turned them from being a great surprise team with a few potential stage winners, to a team of old stagers looking for a last world tour salary payday. EBH is really their focal point.

shame about Cav, kind of inevitable though.

jerry3571

Any ideas on the Yates brothers. Both riding and both had shaky starts. Bad weather were present in both Brothers demises this year. Aren't they any good in the cold and wet? They were saying they prefer to ride in the rain than a turbo in the dry. Think that's what Simon done at the Giro day off then his Giro struggles continued. :?

carbonclem

Reading between the lines, if thats a thing on Twitter, I'd say the Cav's are pissed at not getting picked and not being acknowledged in the presser.
I guess(?) cav doesn't feel he's 'done' just yet.

philbar72

CarbonClem wrote:

Reading between the lines, if thats a thing on Twitter, I'd say the Cav's are pissed at not getting picked and not being acknowledged in the presser.
I guess(?) cav doesn't feel he's 'done' just yet.

the nature of that kind of rider, means they will never know when they are done. the answer was of course 2016 September, the worlds when he didn't jump past Matthews earlier to pip Sagan. since then its all been downhill.

RichN95.

As a little aside, am I the only one who tends to forget CCC exist as a World Tour team?

gweeds

He’s 34 now. Even if he hadn’t been ill it would have been hard to stay competitive against the younger sprinters.

Alejandrosdog

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

hands down an ineos win barring more crash catastrophes

I am still going out on a limb and saying no Ineos rider will win the race.

I'm going to put some money on Valverde, an absolute outside bet but id love it to happen.

Alejandrosdog

RichN95 wrote:

As a little aside, am I the only one who tends to forget CCC exist as a World Tour team?

who? are they the orange ones?

argyllflyer

Alejandrosdog wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

As a little aside, am I the only one who tends to forget CCC exist as a World Tour team?

who? are they the orange ones?

The orange BMC but not riding BMC bikes (as DD are...)

TheBigBean

I would have taken Cavendish especially if he thought he had any sort of chance. Good publicity and he has plenty of experience even if his legs are questionable.

ShutupJens

argyllflyer wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

As a little aside, am I the only one who tends to forget CCC exist as a World Tour team?

who? are they the orange ones?

The orange BMC but not riding BMC bikes (as DD are...)

Ah yes CCC. At some points in spring it seemed to be the case that they only had one rider who remembered that he is part of a world tour team

m.r.m.

Alejandrosdog wrote:

jimmythecuckoo wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

hands down an ineos win barring more crash catastrophes

I am still going out on a limb and saying no Ineos rider will win the race.

I'm going to put some money on Valverde, an absolute outside bet but id love it to happen.

Think there is some definite value there this year. Would be a spectacular end to a spectacular career!

rick_chasey

Valverde is crap at altitude but knock yourself out

blazing_saddles

Rick Chasey wrote:

Valverde is crap at altitude but knock yourself out

This.
Highest Alpine stages in years.
Half a dozen cols over the magic 2000 metres.
Valverde’s kryptonite.

m.r.m.

Yeah I keep forgetting that! :oops:

ddraver

philbar72 wrote:

the answer was of course 2016 September, the worlds when he didn't jump past Matthews earlier to pip Sagan. since then its all been downhill.

I think that is a very good point.

ContrelaMontre

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Rick Chasey wrote:

Valverde is crap at altitude but knock yourself out

This.
Highest Alpine stages in years.
Half a dozen cols over the magic 2000 metres.
Valverde’s kryptonite.

If 2000+m is Valverde's kryptonite who is Lex Luthor to embellish the metaphor?

Who is particularly good over 2000?

Quintana?
Nibali?
Bardet?

Any evidence of who is best? Or are we just going to be kept guessing until the final 4 stages?

argyllflyer

Ca't rule out wee Bernal

rick_chasey

Kruiswijk does alrite at altitude.

I think Quintana is ok.

It’ll be a challenge for alaphilippe for the polka I suspect.

argyllflyer

ShutupJens wrote:

argyllflyer wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

RichN95 wrote:

As a little aside, am I the only one who tends to forget CCC exist as a World Tour team?

who? are they the orange ones?

The orange BMC but not riding BMC bikes (as DD are...)

Ah yes CCC. At some points in spring it seemed to be the case that they only had one rider who remembered that he is part of a world tour team

I think they spent their entire budget on him and his golden helmet, mind.

blazing_saddles

Rick Chasey wrote:

Kruiswijk does alrite at altitude.

I think Quintana is ok.

It’ll be a challenge for alaphilippe for the polka I suspect.

Plus he’s a bit of a diesel and the last summit finish takes 34kms to reach 2400 metres.
Not sure how good Bernal will be up to Val Thorens...

Lanterne_Rogue

Anyone else feeling like the Cavendish news has restarted the build up to the Tour? With Froome and Dumoulin ruled out a while back it felt like the anticipation had begun way too early and then sort of stalled out.

ddraver

Altitude favours Columbians usually no? Kinda just because 2000m to them is like sea level to Euros...

Same would've been true for FroomeDog

awavey

if Froome were still involved in this years TdF it would have just passed 400 days since he last won a race anywhere, so I dont get why people get so hung up on Cavs lack of recent victories, especially since he had glandular fever in that time, surely its about the number of chances to go for the win and whether he's been in the mix and right end of races and looking to peak for the TdF, much like Sky/Ineos operate.

I had to smile someone at work who did the whole "yeah Cav is washed up, he only finished 22nd in the nationals after all" reaction :roll:

maybe hes not the Cav of old who could win stages seemingly at whim, but you know he'd give it his damndest to try still. I dont think he'll retire yet Im still expecting him to turn up at Bahrain Merida tbf