Chris Hoy vs Mark Cavendish

Trickyupnorth · August 2008

Apologies in advance if this is a dumb question............but I just have to ask.

Listening to the TdF commentators whistling on about Mark Cavendish, they say he's the world's fastest sprinter over 200 metres.

Now, I know Chris Hoy races on the track and Mark Cavendish on the road, but have the two ever competed against each other, and who won?

If they haven't, then who would win? If it were say the keirin or just a sprint, like Hoy against Cavendish in the olympic sprint final instead of Jason Kenny?

Just curious because, from what I've seen so far, it looks like Hoy'll take some beating.

Richie

Kléber · August 2008

Of course Hoy would win, he trains to be the world's best over just a few hundred metres. As much as everyone labels Cavendish a "sprinter" think of him more like a marathon runner, but with a very quick finish. So invite Hoy to ride a stage of the Tour de France and he'd crack early on during the stage.

Noodley · August 2008

Kléber wrote:

Of course Hoy would win, he trains to be the world's best over just a few hundred metres. As much as everyone labels Cavendish a "sprinter" think of him more like a marathon runner, but with a very quick finish. So invite Hoy to ride a stage of the Tour de France and he'd crack early on during the stage.

Hoy rode the Etape a few years ago IIRC and said something along the lines of "that was a bit hard"...

Old Tuggo · August 2008

Hoy wins easily for representing the sport, he interviews well, looks good and sells cycling whereas Cav looks miserable even when he is being kissed by two pretty girls. He gives poor interviews and before one stage in the Tour of Ireland he even told a journalist to F- off.

chatman · August 2008

Hoy every time...The guy's a legend.. He trains for the track and has the power..Cav has the long lasting stamina and finish but is more geared towards long races...Hoy is like a spring...put him on the track and off he goes...The three golds he got where outstanding. Seing the one to one race and Hoy just leave the other guy's for dead was brilliant....

On another note.. Cav can compete with the best in the Tour... even scare a few of them along the way....

Just my 2p worth to the debate......

gavintc · August 2008

Hoy would only win if the stage was 200m long. The difference is that Cav has already cycled over 100 miles to get there. So, IMO, Cav on a road stage, Hoy on the track. They are both specialists in their chosen events.

afx237vi · August 2008

Hoy = Usain Bolt
Cav = Kenenisa Bekele

What Hoy does and what Cavendish does are virtually two different sports.

biondino · August 2008

So if we could design the perfect race where, in theory, they'd finish neck and neck - or at least have an equal chance of making the correct tactical decision - what would the distance etc. be?

gavintc · August 2008

And Bolt racing against Paula Radclife or if you want to be more surreal Addlington. They do different events - not comparable, Hoy, Cav are winners - end.

richa · August 2008

gavintc wrote:

And Bolt racing against Paula Radclife or if you want to be more surreal Addlington. They do different events - not comparable, Hoy, Cav are winners - end.

Agree that they do different distances. But not different sports. I don't know if Hoy or Cav can swim, but I do know they can both ride a bike.

Reckon it would be an interesting race at 2,000m.

wicked · August 2008

This must be the only country in the world where a rider is judged more on how he conducts himself in the media than his results in races!

I find this astounding. For years people bemoaned the fact that we had no successful british riders to cheer on as our own. Well now we have one, a bloody good one, in fact the fastest sprinter in the peloton. Are we happy? No. Some people really do seem to get a kick out of complaining and running people down. Get a life! We Should be appreciative of cavs talent ,get behind him and stop bloody moaning FFS.

In the tour cadel evans was not exactly media friendly, do you think the ozzies are wringing their hands and criticising him all the time? No! Strikes me there are an awful lot of armchair experts on forums like this who seem to think that life in the pro peloton is all roses. When you have a terrible day at work and get home exhausted lets see how you react when someone sticks a camera in your face. Cav is not paid to be charming to journos, he is paid to win races, something he does very very well. If only more sportsmen and women in this country could follow his example.

If I was cav I would take out belgian citizenship and go race for them. They realise what we have. We sadly do not it would seem.

RichN95. · August 2008

Totally agree wicked

In this country always seem to have a pop at our winners unless they're really media friendly.

A prime example of this is Nick Faldo. He won six majors in golf and was widely dismissed and disliked because he was boring. In the 12 years since we've had one freak win and people are slowly starting to give him some credit. Colin Montgomerie's lauded for coming close but failing.

Tim Henman is widely considered a failure, but he was our only male decent tennis player since the war and won lots of tournaments. He just wasn't as good as Sampras and Federer, possibly the two best of all time.

Cav should be treasured. I've been waiting for a Brit like him for 20 years. However, I've seen him denounced on the BBC messageboards by cycling come-latelys as a disrespectful quitter for not finishing the Tour.

We're a funny country.

Old Tuggo · August 2008

wicked wrote:

This must be the only country in the world where a rider is judged more on how he conducts himself in the media than his results in races!

I find this astounding. For years people bemoaned the fact that we had no successful british riders to cheer on as our own. Well now we have one, a bloody good one, in fact the fastest sprinter in the peloton. Are we happy? No. Some people really do seem to get a kick out of complaining and running people down. Get a life! We Should be appreciative of cavs talent ,get behind him and stop bloody moaning FFS.

In the tour cadel evans was not exactly media friendly, do you think the ozzies are wringing their hands and criticising him all the time? No! Strikes me there are an awful lot of armchair experts on forums like this who seem to think that life in the pro peloton is all roses. When you have a terrible day at work and get home exhausted lets see how you react when someone sticks a camera in your face. Cav is not paid to be charming to journos, he is paid to win races, something he does very very well. If only more sportsmen and women in this country could follow his example.

If I was cav I would take out belgian citizenship and go race for them. They realise what we have. We sadly do not it would seem.

There is more to being a professional than winning races, he is an ambassador for his team and country. So even when he his tired out and journalists ask silly questions he should at least try be polite and look happy . It is a pity he cannot take a leaf out of Chippolini's book for showmanship.

Old Tuggo · August 2008

wicked wrote:

This must be the only country in the world where a rider is judged more on how he conducts himself in the media than his results in races!

I find this astounding. For years people bemoaned the fact that we had no successful british riders to cheer on as our own. Well now we have one, a bloody good one, in fact the fastest sprinter in the peloton. Are we happy? No. Some people really do seem to get a kick out of complaining and running people down. Get a life! We Should be appreciative of cavs talent ,get behind him and stop bloody moaning FFS.

In the tour cadel evans was not exactly media friendly, do you think the ozzies are wringing their hands and criticising him all the time? No! Strikes me there are an awful lot of armchair experts on forums like this who seem to think that life in the pro peloton is all roses. When you have a terrible day at work and get home exhausted lets see how you react when someone sticks a camera in your face. Cav is not paid to be charming to journos, he is paid to win races, something he does very very well. If only more sportsmen and women in this country could follow his example.

If I was cav I would take out belgian citizenship and go race for them. They realise what we have. We sadly do not it would seem.

There is more to being a professional than winning races, he is an ambassador for his team and country. So even when he his tired out and journalists ask silly questions he should at least try be polite and look happy . It is a pity he cannot take a leaf out of Chippolini's book for showmanship.

Jez mon · August 2008

Old Tuggo wrote:

wicked wrote:

This must be the only country in the world where a rider is judged more on how he conducts himself in the media than his results in races!

I find this astounding. For years people bemoaned the fact that we had no successful british riders to cheer on as our own. Well now we have one, a bloody good one, in fact the fastest sprinter in the peloton. Are we happy? No. Some people really do seem to get a kick out of complaining and running people down. Get a life! We Should be appreciative of cavs talent ,get behind him and stop bloody moaning FFS.

In the tour cadel evans was not exactly media friendly, do you think the ozzies are wringing their hands and criticising him all the time? No! Strikes me there are an awful lot of armchair experts on forums like this who seem to think that life in the pro peloton is all roses. When you have a terrible day at work and get home exhausted lets see how you react when someone sticks a camera in your face. Cav is not paid to be charming to journos, he is paid to win races, something he does very very well. If only more sportsmen and women in this country could follow his example.

If I was cav I would take out belgian citizenship and go race for them. They realise what we have. We sadly do not it would seem.

There is more to being a professional than winning races, he is an ambassador for his team and country. So even when he his tired out and journalists ask silly questions he should at least try be polite and look happy . It is a pity he cannot take a leaf out of Chippolini's book for showmanship.

ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I like his attitude, it's nice to see sportsman who don't just give boring interviews besides he's young he may yet develop Cippolini's style.

richa · August 2008

Jez mon wrote:

I like his attitude, it's nice to see sportsman who don't just give boring interviews

I think he does give boring interviews. If he wins. He always says... my team set me up. They're so good. blah blah blah.

But if he loses he sulks off.

Kléber · August 2008

I miss the days when riders would cross the finish line and immediately mix quotations from the likes of Cicero, Shakespeare and Dostoyevsky to describe the emotions they experienced during the race.

cougie · August 2008

Some cyclists are such miserable gits. Yeah ok he won all those stages in the tour - but the important bit are the interviews ? Ffs !
At this rate some of you lot would be picking lorraine kelly for your pro teams !

Jez mon · August 2008

cougie wrote:

Some cyclists are such miserable gits. Yeah ok he won all those stages in the tour - but the important bit are the interviews ? Ffs !
At this rate some of you lot would be picking lorraine kelly for your pro teams !

Hey, would make for some interesting pics in the Girls in Lycra shorts thread

oldwelshman · August 2008

With repect to the original post, Hoy on the track for sure, otherwise Cav would have been picked !! There are many track sprinters faster than him.
He is still qucik in other track events where sprints required though.
I am also pretty sure Hoy would be effective in a crit if he could get to the end

As for comments about Vav in interview, utter bollocks. The guy wins all those stages in TDF and all some of the posters here worry about is his interview technique.
He is still young and will nature I am sure but remember how much adrenalin is flowing after a race.
He is sulky when loosing but that is part of the nature that makes him a winner, he hates loosing, rightly so. How many nice loosers do you know? Some of the most talented and succesful sportspersons have been difficult to interview, they are not all like Muhammad Ali!!
get over it and enjoy his performances on the bike, not in front of the mic !!

cougie · August 2008

Craig mclean rode the salford nocturne on saturday - and its clearly not his event - he was off the back pretty early on (not that i could do better) and i doubt hoy would have fared any better.

fnb1 · September 2008

Track sprinters simply do not have the ednurance for longer events (even on the track such as points races etc) Also on the road they suffer greatly on the hills due to their bulk.

That said Sprinters like Cav do not achive anything like the acceleration or peak speed a track sprinter reaches.

So in direct answer to the Keirin type event, Hoy (can ride a kilometre without a lead out in under a minute from a standing start) would easily beat Cavendish (who probably does not average 60kmh for the last kilo from a rolling start with multiple wheels to follow),
If it were at the end of a 100 mile RR then Hoy would be come in with the Autobus so his Sprinting speed would only be useful for avoiding the lantern rouge.
If Cav waited for him near the finish, I think I would then give it to Hoy for his sheer speed (even with tired legs)

redddraggon · September 2008

Cav may be a "Sprinter" and Hoy may be a "Sprinter"...... but if Cav had done an individual event at the olympics it would have been the INDIVIDUAL PURSUIT

Michuel · September 2008

(from HVV) In 1997 WorldCup at Milan Hoy sub'd for 4k TeamPursuit with Illingworth, Clay, Steel replacing Hayles. They got 4th and Hoy lasted the planned3km. Isn't that about 50% aerobic 50% anaerobic overall or 30%An, 70%Ae for final 30sec?

At a lower level he rode 1h25m on Alped'Huez after 100km of Etape riding -with his 15st. HVV also quotes him as saying he enjoyed cross-country and rowing and felt comfortable at endurance but felt his weight a penalty cycfling on hills.

Cavendish didn't do too well when he contested his sprints in the 120 lap points. Maybe he didn't have optimal preparation in the 2 or 3 weeks he had.

cougie · September 2008

Hoy ? In a team pursuit ? I never knew that !

Michuel · September 2008

And Cavendish/Clancy set 1k record at Revolution in 2004 with 57.547 which lasted 2 or 3 years until Mulder?/ broke with a 55 then McClean/Tournant in 2007 with a 55.1. Cavendish/Clancy must have each been 19years then. They say Clancy has sprint power and endurance to be pursuit or kilo rider and at Olympics they said he's fastest first lap for pursuit.

From BritishCycling

1. Maclean & Tournant 55.164
2. Mulder & Veldt 55.633
3. Cavendish & Clancy 56.646

Chris Hoy vs Mark Cavendish

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