Will Cav Win A Stage ?

DeVlaeminck

or is he finished ?

DeVlaeminck

Ok ignore the fact I seem to have typed the "is he finished" (tongue in cheek) above the question.

Yes or no - are we going to see him take the record. I've gone no - simply because I think he's not got the leadout so he's going to get limited opportunities to really sprint for the win on equal terms and these days he probably doesn't have that extra kick to win unless everything else goes perfectly.

Love to be wrong.

mididoctors

Come on cav

Lanterne_Rogue

Oh god, everyone can see how you voted, can't they?

Why isn't there an option to do the funny noise the Sporza commentator does in the MSR footage of Cavendish's last gasp win?

seanoconn

Win ‘a’ stage singular no. Win more that one? yes 👍 He’s warming up nicely. 😃

rick_chasey

Going long Astana has not historically yielded results....

MidlandsGrimpeur2

As someone who has never written Cavendish off, I hate to admit it but I do struggle to see it this time around. It is more a belief that the other teams just have stronger squads than him so he is going to be on his own I fear.

I fully expect now I have voted 'No' that he will end up winning 3 stages!

MidlandsGrimpeur2

I remember when he was a stagiaire at T Mobile, he finished 2nd on a ToB stage to Birmingham. Van Summeren got the jump on the peloton through a roundabout and Cav won the bunch sprint behind. All the team buses were on a car park and spectators could just freely mill around and see what was going on. Cavendish was effing livid that he had lost, I knew then that he was going to be something pretty special. I had never seen anyone who was just consumed by the need to win.

No_Ta_Doctor

I hope so, I really do.

I think he's got good speed still, lacks a bit with his train, but has both the brains and the will to make it happen

daniel_b

He definitely has the desire/hunger.
I believe he showed recently he still has the speed/timing.

There are a lot of other good sprinters in the race of course, a stronger field than 2021, and he has no real lead out train, so many more variables, and the need to fight for position.

I think it will happen, maybe even more than one (Once he gets the uber confidence from the first one), but it will require everything aligning just right, where his competitors are, his positioning in the bunch, a clear path through, and the time he launches.

When I read it like that, it makes it seem even less likely, but I am keeping the faith.

I too have assumed he has won his last stage at least once before, probably even the 2016 opening stage, that I was fortunate enough to be at, was a pleasant surprise to me.
I even said to myself, not expecting him to win, that I would buy the Synapse I had my eye on only if he won, and of course he did

shinyhelmut

Heart says yes, head says no…

Pross

I've gone 'no' partly as I don't want to tempt fate but mainly as there is such a strong sprint field this year. If he does get one I think it will be late in the race. I'm hoping that by tea time today my credentials as a pundit will be destroyed!

kingstongraham

Only if he accepts that his team will be no help in the last 2km.

He was in a good position yesterday with 3km to go - just behind the Uno X train but with only one teammate in front of him. By 1km to go he had been guided into the middle of the bunch with everyone in front and no real chance of winning.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

I hope he does, but I don't follow races enough to rate his chances, I suspect if it happens then it will be Cav going wheel surfing rather than Astana sorting out a lead-out train.

focuszing723

I wouldn't bank against the greatest TDF rider of all time winning another stage. Infact, I bet he's the greatest intergalactic rider of all time in the main GT race.

bobmcstuff

Possible, but, perhaps unlikely... I really hope so though!

me-109

On your average controlled finish sprint stage I can't see it happening. If he's the right side of a late split that cuts the numbers and sheds a few sprinters or other trains, he has every chance. Tactically he's generally good so may well be well placed if that split comes from crosswind echelons.

kingstongraham

You need an awful lot to go right to win from here - but he was definitely fast enough in the finish.

focuszing723

He was the fastest rider yesterday at 45mph! I'd be happy doing that down hill.

JimD666

I wouldn't bet the house on it but...yeah I think he can win one.

Really want him to leave it to the final stage but that would probably but a bit too "Hollywood". Would be fantastic though 😎

secretsqirrel

On the strength of the last 2 stages, yes I think he can as he has the speed and the head for it.
May need a bit of luck tho’.

pangolin

I hope so but I'd be surprised

rick_chasey

secretsqirrel said:

On the strength of the last 2 stages, yes I think he can as he has the speed and the head for it.
May need a bit of luck tho’.

I didn't get that impression today tbf. Went backwards when it got going.

Flasher2

He followed the wrong wheel/Pederson, and was waiting for him to launch when he didn't Cav had no where to go!

MvP did an amazing job for Philipsen, I'm not sure how Ewan got so close.

Lanterne_Rogue

On balance, I just don't think the cookie's going to crumble for him even though he's clearly got the potential to do it.

Plus literally everything else in sport has gone against me for the last six months, so I'm kind of resigned to it by now...

takethehighroad

I'm a Cav fanboy so of course I think he will.

In Paris.

With a solo break 😂

m.r.m.

I want him to, so voted yes, but it really doesn't look likely.

takethehighroad

Didn't look likely in the Giro tbf

Edvald Boassen Hagen will lead him out on the Champs

rick_chasey

Have been consistently wrong on him with my forum predictions, so why break a habit of a lifetime.

JimD666

Not going to help Cav, LLS is a non starter for stage 5.

focuszing723

I can't believe the 56% agnosticism towards greatness being shown here.

Heathens!