Should Mark Cavendish swallow his pride and retire?
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He should swallow his pride and retire for the benefit of the new generation of sprinters that can't get a look in.1
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Who do you see as the new/next generation of sprinters? It's already skipped one generation and I can't think who's up and coming. It's like it's gone out of fashion."Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago0
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Probably shouldn't quit right now - the BBC have just noticed "he's on the verge of greatness".
If you see a pair of eyes overtaking the peloton tomorrow it'll be mine, so hard did they roll at that statement.5 -
Philpsen is only 23 and Jacobsen, 25, if he ever recovers fully mentally as well as physically but it does seem like we might be in an era where sprints will be won by non-specialist all-rounders.gsk82 said:Who do you see as the new/next generation of sprinters? It's already skipped one generation and I can't think who's up and coming. It's like it's gone out of fashion.
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Don't think an unreasonable comment, becoming the most successful stage winner in Tour history would be true greatness.Lanterne_Rogue said:Probably shouldn't quit right now - the BBC have just noticed "he's on the verge of greatness".
If you see a pair of eyes overtaking the peloton tomorrow it'll be mine, so hard did they roll at that statement.0 -
MvdP and WvA have both proven to be pretty decent in bunch sprints.Pross said:
Philpsen is only 23 and Jacobsen, 25, if he ever recovers fully mentally as well as physically but it does seem like we might be in an era where sprints will be won by non-specialist all-rounders.gsk82 said:Who do you see as the new/next generation of sprinters? It's already skipped one generation and I can't think who's up and coming. It's like it's gone out of fashion.
Even Pidcock puts out a good sprint for such a small guy, not that he would probably go for a bunch sprint.0 -
Yeah, that's what I was getting at. Why invest in a sprinter and train to help them if you can get an all-rounder who can win bunch sprints?0
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Yeah, I wasn't disagreeing at all0
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They might win an occasional sprint, but a dedicated sprinter might win more often?Pross said:Yeah, that's what I was getting at. Why invest in a sprinter and train to help them if you can get an all-rounder who can win bunch sprints?
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But how many win enough to justify having one on your squad along with all the support?elbowloh said:
They might win an occasional sprint, but a dedicated sprinter might win more often?Pross said:Yeah, that's what I was getting at. Why invest in a sprinter and train to help them if you can get an all-rounder who can win bunch sprints?
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Yep I cringed as I read that article. What a shoddily written piece, by someone (2 of them I think!) that clearly don't have an indepth knowledge of the sport, but are still going to 'report' on itLanterne_Rogue said:Probably shouldn't quit right now - the BBC have just noticed "he's on the verge of greatness".
If you see a pair of eyes overtaking the peloton tomorrow it'll be mine, so hard did they roll at that statement.
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I remember seeing Cav at the ToB in 2019 and thinking he's finished he could hardly finish the race let alone sprint.
I did have a lump in my throat on that 1st win this week. Although I do think the sprinters he's up against are poor. Can he get over these mountains now? If he can I suspect he'll win all the sprints and the green. And Lefevre what a guy.
Anyway must grab that Jammie dodger...0 -
From a hurty knee, all this. People wondering why they haven’t seen any messages of congratulations from ousted Sultan Sam: poor sod has to watch his replacement sleep with his harem in front of a global audience.
To make matters worse, Morkov is basically asked on TV, “ who’s the better lover?”…2 -
There are 20 odd teams in each race so you'd imagine enough there to allow some to focus on a sprinter, some to have all-rounders, some GC men etc.Pross said:
But how many win enough to justify having one on your squad along with all the support?elbowloh said:
They might win an occasional sprint, but a dedicated sprinter might win more often?Pross said:Yeah, that's what I was getting at. Why invest in a sprinter and train to help them if you can get an all-rounder who can win bunch sprints?
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He's done well to get to a Tour where Ewan crashes out, and Groenewegen, Jakobson, Bennett all haven't started.0
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It broke perfectly for him and he is making the best of it.PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 20231
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I would think having a relatively decent sprinter, plus one lead out specialist plus some big engines to put on the front (who could also go for breakaways in transfer stages) would still be an efficient team.
More chance of some front page media coverage than riding for a top 10 GC.0 -
But even then, there were double takes in the tour preview thread when DQS announced they were taking him. I think a lot of us wouldn't have backed him against those still in the race.rick_chasey said:He's done well to get to a Tour where Ewan crashes out, and Groenewegen, Jakobson, Bennett all haven't started.
And Sagan is still there.
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The team do look like they're having a real blast with him. Tim DeClercq was on the avondettappe last night and he was beaming when he retold the story of Cav waiting for him at the finish line.
I think the line on the programme from one of the Pundits (Stef Clement) was "Winning with Bennet is fun, winning with Cavendish is a lot more fun".
I think that is the difference with Cavendish; I think he leads by making worth everyone's while to chip in and do their best.1 -
I think there's several strands to it. A winning Cavendish is pretty infectious - we've seen that in team after team. I think the reaction of other riders to Cavendish winning probably helps too - you see rider after rider congratulating him after that first stage win and realise quite what you've done.
Partly though I think there's a genuine feeling amongst that team that they're doing something they really shouldn't be, and they're reacting to that like a gang of schoolboys who have got one over the teachers. Cavendish probably gave the biggest indication of that when he first hit the front in that break, caught the eye of someone else as he dropped back off after his turn and nearly burst into giggles.
Plus the myth they like to project is that they're a gang of instinctive racers who all support each other, and I think Cavendish's style plays up to their own sense of who they are. Witness him working for Alaphilippe on stage two, or dropping gels and bottles off for Asgreen in the break. He doesn't just do that work, but he does it ostentatiously. It's easy to be cynical about that, and suggest it's Cavendish polishing his own image, but people notice it and talk about the way that the whole of DQS support each other, and that too rubs off on the team and adds to their reputation.2 -
^^^Well said.^^^The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
I'll stick my head on the block and say he would be beating Groenewegen and Jakobsen. On current form he's probably be competing with Ewan (if not then Ewan would have been walking all the sprint stages).rick_chasey said:He's done well to get to a Tour where Ewan crashes out, and Groenewegen, Jakobson, Bennett all haven't started.
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Pross said:
I'll stick my head on the block and say he would be beating Groenewegen and Jakobsen. On current form he's probably be competing with Ewan (if not then Ewan would have been walking all the sprint stages).rick_chasey said:He's done well to get to a Tour where Ewan crashes out, and Groenewegen, Jakobson, Bennett all haven't started.
Let's remember that Jakobsen is a teammate. And he hasn't done a sprint since his crash. One may as well say "If Kittel was still riding"Twitter: @RichN950 -
From this opening post to where we are now. DQS have 40% of the stages up to now with a team thinking about doing something special in the sport and a sprinter who is seemingly unstoppable. Less than 2 years.Jammiedodgeruk said:I used to be a big fan of Cavs back in the day, but I've got to say he's become a bit of a sad joke these past few years that, for me at least, seems to be undermining everything he's achieved in the sport.
That head down, explosive sprinting power he had has gone and has been for 3 years it seems. Even today watching the Tour of Poland, it seems to be a regular pattern of his to now make it 'look' like he's still in the mix but simply isn't. He's way off, often head butting other riders going past, picking the wrong wheel and basically giving up way early in a sprint where 5 years ago he would have been at the front and popped out for a win with devastating power.
I find it all a bit sad to watch now because in interviews it's like his head hasn't caught up with the realisation that his body just can't do it anymore. He keeps coming out with the same old rhetoric 'I've won 30 stages at the Tour' as if the last stage he won was recent, when in actual fact it was over 3 years ago now. He sounds a bit like the Liverpool supporters of the 90's who lived off their past glories from the 70's, still not quite accepting its over.
With the likes of Griepel admitting his peak was done and moving down a level in terms of team and now Vivianna choosing a lesser team, isn't it about time Cav, who's been around just as long if not longer, does the same? I fear the guy is doing his reputation more harm than good now, which I find a real shame as he should be remembered as a legend rather than someone who held on too long and just makes excuses all the time.0 -
Looking back at the OP's other posts. Porte was done in 2019 (Tour podium in 2020) and Froome is going to come back and win a few more Tours (2019 too).
Ask him to select your lottery numbers. You might not win but that's 6 you can discount to improve your odds2 -
Might be eminently stoppable in the mountains if today's stage carries on like this...amrushton said:
From this opening post to where we are now. DQS have 40% of the stages up to now with a team thinking about doing something special in the sport and a sprinter who is seemingly unstoppable. Less than 2 years.
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That's a deceptive graphic. The altitude barely goes above 100m.kingstongraham said:There's not a yard of flat for the last 200km of this years worlds.
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You think it's a Cavendish race?mrfpb said:
That's a deceptive graphic. The altitude barely goes above 100m.kingstongraham said:There's not a yard of flat for the last 200km of this years worlds.
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^ Erm. Whoosh?1
