Cavendish should go!

ginsterdrz
ginsterdrz Posts: 128
edited September 2012 in Pro race
Omega-Pharma-Lotto-Quick Step are a knocking. Brailsford said he could go. Frustration and bad blood awaits if he stays at Team Wiggins-Froome-Sky.
Go for it Markus!
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Comments

  • bockers
    bockers Posts: 146
    Not sure it is that clear cut. Cav did well in this years TDF and arguably with a lead out team he may only have got one more win.

    On the other hand his profile has been raised greatly. He like the way Sky are run, but admits he is frustrated by their focus on GC. They do pay well and are UK based though.

    It will be an interesting decision and i would not be suprised if he stays put, now he is a family man it changes your outlook somewhat.
  • Team lotto would be good for Cav in terms of lead out trains, he'd probably get more wins with Lotto than with Sky, but as said above, location is a pretty big player; I guess it depends how much cash they are offering because everyone has a price.
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,786
    Tricky one. I always thought it would be difficult at a team with GC goals and now they've done it once they'll be targetting GC in all the big Tours. They'd also love a classics winner, so if Cav could transform himself it'd work for them and I'm sure he'd love to after doing all there is to do (for a sprinter) in the GTs.
  • I don't understand why he'd leave a set up that he grew up in, won him a World Championship, put an entire team at his disposal for a home Olympics, supported him for the Giro, got him 3 stage wins at the Tour, pays him handsomely and is the most professional and perfectionist in the sport.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • Family man or not, the guy's ambitious, if he thinks he'll be best served by a dedicated team in order to win as many races as possible, he'll go elsewhere! He's already a legend in the sport, but have no doubts, he won't let sentimentality scupper his chances of furthering his legacy. He won't be at sky for much longer!!!
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,786
    Omega-Pharma-Lotto-Quick Step are a knocking

    ?? :D
  • bockers
    bockers Posts: 146
    Family man or not, the guy's ambitious, if he thinks he'll be best served by a dedicated team in order to win as many races as possible, he'll go elsewhere! He's already a legend in the sport, but have no doubts, he won't let sentimentality scupper his chances of furthering his legacy. He won't be at sky for much longer!!!

    Never under estimate the power of a young family, he will soon start to crave stability :D
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    bockers wrote:

    Never under estimate the power of a young family, he will soon start to crave stability :D

    He's got a limited career span and wants to win. In his position it's going to all be about the benjamins and who will give him the most chances to win. He's not someone earning £40k per year hoping he doesn't get sacked.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • pb21
    pb21 Posts: 2,170
    Also he seemed to be liking the track at the Olympics, Sky would be better if he wanted that...
    Mañana
  • pb21 wrote:
    Also he seemed to be liking the track at the Olympics, Sky would be better if he wanted that...


    Personally I think that was just Cav caught up in the moment. G wrote a blog for the BBC a few days ago rightly pointing out that no one just arrives and slots into the TP squad. Cav would have to give up a good chunk of his 2015 season as well as 2016 to train and try to make it into World Cup squads, and then make the final Olympic selection - with no guarantee of making it. Can't see it happening.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,243
    iainf72 wrote:
    bockers wrote:

    Never under estimate the power of a young family, he will soon start to crave stability :D

    He's got a limited career span and wants to win. In his position it's going to all be about the benjamins and who will give him the most chances to win. He's not someone earning £40k per year hoping he doesn't get sacked.

    Quite.

    Quick Step is a very good fit.

    The only interesting/difficult race would be M-SR and G-W with Boonen.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    Yep - agree with the above. Clearly he has a hankering for an Olympic Gold and it's very unlikely that he ll be getting one at Rio on the road so track is his only option. However a think a few green/red jerseys and some big classics wins might be a salve to that wound.

    I think OPQS would be a good fit, but I don't think they have anything like the set up that Sky do
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
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  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    Personally I think that was just Cav caught up in the moment. G wrote a blog for the BBC a few days ago rightly pointing out that no one just arrives and slots into the TP squad. Cav would have to give up a good chunk of his 2015 season as well as 2016 to train and try to make it into World Cup squads, and then make the final Olympic selection - with no guarantee of making it. Can't see it happening.
    That's exactly what I think. I think he meant it when he was saying it, but it's a very different prospect in a couple of years when he has to start making serious sacrifices on the road to ride round a wooden oval in Rio for 6 days.
  • Vino'sGhost
    Vino'sGhost Posts: 4,129
    bockers wrote:
    Family man or not, the guy's ambitious, if he thinks he'll be best served by a dedicated team in order to win as many races as possible, he'll go elsewhere! He's already a legend in the sport, but have no doubts, he won't let sentimentality scupper his chances of furthering his legacy. He won't be at sky for much longer!!!

    Never under estimate the power of a young family, he will soon start to crave stability :D

    Never under estimate the power of a young family, he will soon start to crave hotel rooms :)

    Ave 2012 calves
  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    Sky didn't give him the worlds and olympic rides - he was riding for GB - he wasn't even a Sky rider when he won the worlds. He can sign for a team that will support him fully and still ride for and lead the GB team.

    I think he should go - what's more I think Sky probably hope he will go.

    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • Sky didn't give him the worlds and olympic rides - he was riding for GB - he wasn't even a Sky rider when he won the worlds. He can sign for a team that will support him fully and still ride for and lead the GB team.

    I think he should go - what's more I think Sky probably hope he will go.

    Same team principle and 90% of the same riders, who's been training him for the Olympics too?
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • rebs
    rebs Posts: 891
    I think he'll stay. Unless another team offers him 100% pure support. which I think will be rare. Or should I say rare with a well funded team. He'll get sucess with Sky.

    Unless Sky do turn round and say "you ain't coming to the Tour next year" He'll stay. He won't help out the GC guys as much as he did this year. I think Eisels says are more numbered. He'll be replaced with Thomas to do leadouts next year. Weird that next's years Tour team could possibly be stronger next year. Just depends who has earnt the chance to lead them next year. Wiggins is likely to run the program similar as he did this year. Froome will need to be on a flier to prove he should be #1 man (Froome's main question mark is. Will he be able to handle leadership of the team well?.. It took Wiggins awhile.)

    Also Stannard will be making his point for the tour. Stannard, G, EBH + Cav is damn strong for both Cav + early pacing for the mountain goats (can we call Wiggins a mountain goat yet?).
  • EBH could have probably done more Cav-Work is KS hadn't gone home early too.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    Sky didn't give him the worlds and olympic rides - he was riding for GB - he wasn't even a Sky rider when he won the worlds. He can sign for a team that will support him fully and still ride for and lead the GB team.

    I think he should go - what's more I think Sky probably hope he will go.

    Same team principle and 90% of the same riders, who's been training him for the Olympics too?

    Makes no odds - he won the Worlds before he was a Sky rider - the GB thing is a red herring.

    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • I disagree... he'd already signed for Sky, the World's team was built around riders from Sky, in exchange for him sacrificing his traditional help at the Tour. Both the GB team and Sky are managed by Brailsford, 3 of his 4 helpers for the Olympics were from Sky, I'm willin gto bet most of the mechanics and soigneurs at GB will from Sky too.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • LeicesterLad
    LeicesterLad Posts: 3,908
    I disagree... he'd already signed for Sky, the World's team was built around riders from Sky, in exchange for him sacrificing his traditional help at the Tour. Both the GB team and Sky are managed by Brailsford, 3 of his 4 helpers for the Olympics were from Sky, I'm willin gto bet most of the mechanics and soigneurs at GB will from Sky too.

    Sky only has 3 direct employees. The rest are contractors, but probably still the same folk over at teamGB.
  • I think he might go; he's meant to be very close to Brian Holm, and I'd not be surprised if Specialized chucked in a big wedge to get him back on their bikes.

    Andy
  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    I disagree... he'd already signed for Sky, the World's team was built around riders from Sky, in exchange for him sacrificing his traditional help at the Tour. Both the GB team and Sky are managed by Brailsford, 3 of his 4 helpers for the Olympics were from Sky, I'm willin gto bet most of the mechanics and soigneurs at GB will from Sky too.

    The point I'm making is whether he'd signed for Sky or not during the worlds he hadn't yet ridden for them - so he wasn't any more familiar with the rest of the team, the mechanics, management etc etc than he would be if he rode for someone else in future - but it didn't seem to do him any harm.

    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • I disagree... he'd already signed for Sky, the World's team was built around riders from Sky, in exchange for him sacrificing his traditional help at the Tour. Both the GB team and Sky are managed by Brailsford, 3 of his 4 helpers for the Olympics were from Sky, I'm willin gto bet most of the mechanics and soigneurs at GB will from Sky too.

    The point I'm making is whether he'd signed for Sky or not during the worlds he hadn't yet ridden for them - so he wasn't any more familiar with the rest of the team, the mechanics, management etc etc than he would be if he rode for someone else in future - but it didn't seem to do him any harm.

    Apart from the ears he spent working for Brailsfod on the GB team, their endurance coach also being his personal coach etc etc.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • Tom Butcher
    Tom Butcher Posts: 3,830
    And ? That's exactly the point. Riding for another team now is not going to change anything re. riding for GB. He's still going to get exactly the same support, have exactly the same chances for GB.

    it's a hard life if you don't weaken.
  • cal_stewart
    cal_stewart Posts: 1,840
    It all come's down to what he wants? None of us now this.

    Cav has said this year he's started to enjoy racing again, He still needs the Giro points jersey and everyone seems to be missing the point that to beat sagan for green it will take more than a leadout train.

    He can stay at sky fend for himself and still take the most stage wins record for the tour within 5 years. If he wants Green Jersey's he needs to become a better classic's rider and not relies on sprints to beat sagan.

    Would Quick Step have the time to develop him or even what him to?
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  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,243
    It all come's down to what he wants? None of us now this.

    Cav has said this year he's started to enjoy racing again, He still needs the Giro points jersey and everyone seems to be missing the point that to beat sagan for green it will take more than a leadout train.

    He can stay at sky fend for himself and still take the most stage wins record for the tour within 5 years. If he wants Green Jersey's he needs to become a better classic's rider and not relies on sprints to beat sagan.

    Would Quick Step have the time to develop him or even what him to?

    Any team wants their riders to be successful.

    Cav would pretty much have a dedicated team in any race he's suitable for bar perhaps M-SR and G-W.
  • Daniel Friebe's article on Cav in this month's Procycling is pretty interesting - I always give more credence to Friebe re Cav than any other journalist, given their history. He says that Cav's agent was contacting other teams during the Tour, that Cav wasnt particularly happy, and interestingly that texts were going flying between various ex-HTC riders riding the Tour, saying that they didnt realise how lucky they'd been riding the Tour as HTC. Sure that group would include Renshaw and Goss.

    I think the crash on Stage 4 was also a big factor. Not saying that Cav wasnt in crashes with HTC, we all know he was - but a decent sprint train provides safety as much as anything else, and since the demise of HTC, the peloton's just not getting strung out enough in the run in to the finishes with sprint finishes becoming more crash-prone this year.
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 20,511
    Is there any talk of another British team?
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,892
    This may well be a silly question, but what is to stop Cavendish simply sitting on Greipels wheel all stage?

    Seems like he needed such a strong team to help him at Highroad was because due to their strength no one else would work to bring a break back. We've seen how that works against you at the Olympics.

    If other teams take the responsibility to bring breaks back though, what's to stop him jumping on the back of a train and nipping them on the line?