Should Mark Cavendish swallow his pride and retire?

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  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 2,293
    2021 Tour of Turkey stage 2. His first win in 3 years. Just to see the pure joy and relief on his face as he crossed the line.

    Bigger wins than this (obviously) in his career but after all the carp he'd gone through, its a moment that will live with me for a long, long time.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    edited May 2023
    Winning this stage at the 2009 Tour was probably his most extraordinary





    And in 2010 when Renshaw got sent home and some thought he'd struggle. At the next bunch sprint in Bordeaux he won with ease looking back
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    edited May 2023
    RichN95. said:

    Winning this stage at the 2009 Tour was probably his most extraordinary





    And in 2010 when Renshaw got sent home and some thought he'd struggle. At the next bunch sprint in Bordeaux he won with ease looking back

    Yeah this was something else. Definitely the most memorable for me.
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    edited May 2023
    Still remember I properly died on the hill on here declaring Cav too young for MSR and then he went and won it on his first try. 🫣

    I know he loves to stick it to the doubters so haha, fair play.
    _
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,822
    That stage in 2009 over the Cat 2 was incredible. The peak of the HTC train

    Brive in 2012 with a lead out from Bradley Wiggins in the MJ was outstanding.

    And for similar reasons, S1 in 2016 and his first win in 2021. They were the most emotional for me
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    That Stage 18 win in 2012 was special. The look on Roche’s face as Cav went past summed it up. The final stage that year was iconic too with Wiggins leading out.

    2021 was special as I don’t think many of us thought we’d see another win.

    I’d stopped watching cycling for much of the 00s so didn’t see much of his earlier wins.
  • dabber
    dabber Posts: 1,980
    Pross said:

    That Stage 18 win in 2012 was special. The look on Roche’s face as Cav went past summed it up. The final stage that year was iconic too with Wiggins leading out.

    2021 was special as I don’t think many of us thought we’d see another win.

    I’d stopped watching cycling for much of the 00s so didn’t see much of his earlier wins.

    Yes, Stage 18 to Brive for me as well. Watched it roadside then went back to the house to see the finish in Brive. A perfect day.

    “You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”

    Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,656
    Post Danmark Tour of Denmark, stage 6, 2013
    The only time I saw him sprint live. Had my youngest with me as well, who was quite excited by it all. Yes, he won.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,106
    First 2021 win and the Worlds.

    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,822
    The Worlds was big, but was just a "standard" Cav win for me. He went in as favourite and delivered. It's an achievement, no doubt, but not one of my favourites
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,334
    The wins where he had to break out of the bunch to catch and overtake riders ahead are the best demonstration of how fast he was back then - you just felt nobody else in the peloton could try that, let alone manage it. MSR was the first time we really saw it, I think?

    My favourite though was that Tour stage where it split in the wind, because of the interview afterwards. He was absolutely buzzing about sprinting full bore to make the selection - one of those rare times you see a rider totally unable to play it cool for the cameras.
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    takethehighroad said:

    The Worlds was big, but was just a "standard" Cav win for me. He went in as favourite and delivered. It's an achievement, no doubt, but not one of my favourites

    It feels like that was more of an accomplishment for the team, being able to control the race when they had the overwhelming favourite and weren't experienced in performing the sprint train role. The Olympics the following year showed how difficult that is to achieve.
  • wallace_and_gromit
    wallace_and_gromit Posts: 3,638
    Re controlling the 2011 Worlds vs 2012 OGs, wasn't the key that the former had no hills on the route? In the OGs, it wasn't a lack of control so much as a lack of uphill speed on behalf of Cav that did for the GB effort. The team had the horsepower, but without a tow rope, that wasn't any use for Cav going uphill.

    This might be disrespecting Vino. Whilst he was a cheating ****, he was also a very canny bike racer.
  • m.r.m.
    m.r.m. Posts: 3,475
    It's his MSR win for me. Could rewatch the YouTube clip of that daily.
    PTP Champion 2019, 2022 & 2023
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    wallace_and_gromit said:

    Re controlling the 2011 Worlds vs 2012 OGs, wasn't the key that the former had no hills on the route? In the OGs, it wasn't a lack of control so much as a lack of uphill speed on behalf of Cav that did for the GB effort. The team had the horsepower, but without a tow rope, that wasn't any use for Cav going uphill.

    This might be disrespecting Vino. Whilst he was a cheating ****, he was also a very canny bike racer.

    I think it was probably more the smaller teams allowed for the OG. From memory it was 8 in the Worlds and only 5 at the Olympics.
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,106
    Pross said:

    takethehighroad said:

    The Worlds was big, but was just a "standard" Cav win for me. He went in as favourite and delivered. It's an achievement, no doubt, but not one of my favourites

    It feels like that was more of an accomplishment for the team, being able to control the race when they had the overwhelming favourite and weren't experienced in performing the sprint train role. The Olympics the following year showed how difficult that is to achieve.
    Yes the work Wiggins did, the jeopardy in the last lap, the historic first British male winner since Simpson - that all goes to make it one of my favourites - plus it wasn't a straightforward sprint win at the end haven't rewatched it but seem to remember at one point in the sprint it looked like he wouldn't finish it off.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    edited May 2023
    Pross said:

    wallace_and_gromit said:

    Re controlling the 2011 Worlds vs 2012 OGs, wasn't the key that the former had no hills on the route? In the OGs, it wasn't a lack of control so much as a lack of uphill speed on behalf of Cav that did for the GB effort. The team had the horsepower, but without a tow rope, that wasn't any use for Cav going uphill.

    This might be disrespecting Vino. Whilst he was a cheating ****, he was also a very canny bike racer.

    I think it was probably more the smaller teams allowed for the OG. From memory it was 8 in the Worlds and only 5 at the Olympics.
    Correct.

    I was there on the final corner on box hill and Cav was blowing hard on the 9th time up.

    Still can't get over the speed at which Phil Gil went up box for the final time.
    _
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,698
    edited May 2023
    Aus rode for a GB loss more than a potential Aus win too.

    (No, Matt Goss wasn't as good, but on his day you wouldn't have bet against him. Watching the Worlds again there's so little in it.)
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • bm5
    bm5 Posts: 586
    Lanterne_Rogue said:

    The wins where he had to break out of the bunch to catch and overtake riders ahead are the best demonstration of how fast he was back then - you just felt nobody else in the peloton could try that, let alone manage it. MSR was the first time we really saw it, I think?

    My favourite though was that Tour stage where it split in the wind, because of the interview afterwards. He was absolutely buzzing about sprinting full bore to make the selection - one of those rare times you see a rider totally unable to play it cool for the cameras.

    That interview was incredible. Thanks for reminding me of it.
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,822
    Need to break out the DVD of Chasing Legends
  • twotoebenny
    twotoebenny Posts: 1,542
    takethehighroad said:

    Need to break out the DVD of Chasing Legends

    saw this at the cinema but was never able toget my hands on the DVD... I remember it being a great watch, cracking interviews and amazing photography!
  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 2,293
    twotoebenny said:

    takethehighroad said:

    Need to break out the DVD of Chasing Legends

    saw this at the cinema but was never able toget my hands on the DVD... I remember it being a great watch, cracking interviews and amazing photography!
    It's available on Amazon for around £23.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,438
    No. He should retire with pride
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • amrushton
    amrushton Posts: 1,312
    After today he could put a lid on it but hopefully has one like that left in him.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,438
    Think my favourite Cav win was 2009 Stage 21 TDF Paris

    Hincapie grabing control of the race at 1km, leaving Garmin stranded on the other side of the road, Renshaw leading him out and no one else in the picture

    https://youtu.be/KlY3eR9sRyw





    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • orraloon
    orraloon Posts: 13,235
    ^ that's the side shot video I remember, 2009! Jings, was that long ago!
  • juggler
    juggler Posts: 262
    edited May 2023
    .
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    A win is a win
    "If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 21,927
    Interesting how he has gone from the enemy of the peloton (Hausler protest) to being one of the most popular.
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 19,438
    Amazing how far Ligget is behind the action in his commentary
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!

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