Bench Cav, bring Greipel next year.

[Waterloo Sunrise]

But seriously, Columbia are all about the train, Cav's just an ordinary sprinter with a great set up, he couldn't free lance himself if he had to.


On another note, anyone not named Mark must feel seriously embarassed to call themselves a sprinter after that.

Pleased to see this mountain raiding schtick is not going to fly for Thor this year, go Pettacchi (until his exploits are in the clinic...)

 

[roundabout]

Look at the competition, not a top sprinter in sight.

 

[Ryaguas]

But seriously, Columbia are all about the train, Cav's just an ordinary sprinter with a great set up, he couldn't free lance himself if he had to.

What??? Do you even bother to see today's stage??? after the 4 o 3km when Sky take the lead with his train Manxman was totally alone... in the last Km he was behind Thor, then Ale-jet jump with his sprint (too soon ) and Manxman take Ale-jet's wheel and in the final 200m he explode his sprint and kill everybody... was really awesome... Chapeau Cavendish...

I like Manxman but I'm a bigger fan of Ale-jet so... GO ALE-JET!!!!!

 

[Faserr]

Cavendish was a class above every other sprinter today.

 

[nia O'Malley]

Anybody who thinks Cavendish is ordinary need their eyes examined. Or brain.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

What??? Do you even bother to see today's stage??? after the 4 o 3km when Sky take the lead with his train Manxman was totally alone... in the last Km he was behind Thor, then Ale-jet jump with his sprint (too soon ) and Manxman take Ale-jet's wheel and in the final 200m he explode his sprint and kill everybody... was really awesome... Chapeau Cavendish...

I like Manxman but I'm a bigger fan of Ale-jet so... GO ALE-JET!!!!!

Apologies, when I said But seriously, I was not being entirely serious...

 

[WinterRider]

But seriously, Columbia are all about the train, Cav's just an ordinary sprinter with a great set up, he couldn't free lance himself if he had to.

Obviously trying to bait people with this given how today's stage ended.

On another note, anyone not named Mark must feel seriously embarassed to call themselves a sprinter after that.

Pleased to see this mountain raiding schtick is not going to fly for Thor this year, go Pettacchi (until his exploits are in the clinic...)

The mountain schtick would have had a great chance to work if they hadn't nullified the sprint on stage 3 and Thor got another 20 points there.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

The mountain schtick would have had a great chance to work if they hadn't nullified the sprint on stage 3 and Thor got another 20 points there.

50/50 at best, the guy can't get a proper placing in a sprint, so a 10 point lead going in to the last day would be very iffy.

 

[nia O'Malley]

This is silly, if this was a best sprinter's jersey, they'd count how many stage wins everyone had and give the thing accordingly (or they'd run them 3 times over a furlong and be done with it), they wouldn't bother with intermediate prizes, and especially not in hilly areas.

Hushovd might not be the best sprinter, but he's the best all-rounder of all the fast ones, and that's what counts.

 

[IndyJoe]

But seriously, Columbia are all about the train, Cav's just an ordinary sprinter with a great set up, he couldn't free lance himself if he had to.


On another note, anyone not named Mark must feel seriously embarassed to call themselves a sprinter after that.

Pleased to see this mountain raiding schtick is not going to fly for Thor this year, go Pettacchi (until his exploits are in the clinic...)

Lol, I couldn't agree more. Cav's terrible. He's just lucky.




Seriously though, I think it's a shame that they include sprint points in mountain stages. It's ridiculous that the green jersey can be won because you can climb better than the others.

 

[RedheadDane]

Well... with all the arguing stuff between Cav and Greipel this year it's not even sure Greipel is on Columbia next year...
Now... that could be interesting... a showdown between those two!

 

[Superbagneres]

Look at the competition, not a top sprinter in sight.

Agreed, in fact I think that's now the 19th GT stage he's only won because rider x wasn't there.

 

[Faserr]

Well, at least another team should bring Greipel next year. Cav needs some competition.
He did the same to Dean in the Giro
The funny thing is that people then claimed that Dean isn't a good sprinter.

 

[hrotha]

I remember in the good ol' days you had a bunch of sprinters who were roughly equal and anyone could win. Steels, Zabel, Minali, Blijlevens, Svorada, Cipollini, Baldato, Moncassin, Abdoujaparov, all the way back to Baffi, Ludwig, Van Poppel... Those were the days.

 

[Ryaguas]

Apologies, when I said But seriously, I was not being entirely serious...

LOL... hahaha I'm non-native english speaker

Well... with all the arguing stuff between Cav and Greipel this year it's not even sure Greipel is on Columbia next year...
Now... that could be interesting... a showdown between those two!

OmegaPharma is pulling hard for Greipel for the next year... and Greipel wants to leave HTC cuz He wants to be the Top sprinter of the team... so is more likely to see Greipel in other team for the next year, maybe OmegaPharma Lotto...

 

[Michielveedeebee]

This is silly, if this was a best sprinter's jersey, they'd count how many stage wins everyone had and give the thing accordingly (or they'd run them 3 times over a furlong and be done with it), they wouldn't bother with intermediate prizes, and especially not in hilly areas.

Hushovd might not be the best sprinter, but he's the best all-rounder of all the fast ones, and that's what counts.

he not so fast this year, got a train this stage and set off almost perfect. And he still manages to get in 14th!

 

[Hawkwood]

Agreed, in fact I think that's now the 19th GT stage he's only won because rider x wasn't there.

Yes it's daft these top sprinters not turning up to races they could easily have won.

 

[IndyJoe]

They should start awarding KOTM points for those that finish highest in the bunch sprints.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

LOL... hahaha I'm non-native english speaker



OmegaPharma is pulling hard for Greipel for the next year... and Greipel wants to leave HTC cuz He wants to be the Top sprinter of the team... so is more likely to see Greipel in other team for the next year, maybe OmegaPharma Lotto...

but how will they do with jurgen VDB? it's hard to make a team with a sprint train and at the same time have 2-3 guys to help your GC guy

 

[Hawkwood]

he not so fast this year, got a train this stage and set off almost perfect. And he still manages to get in 14th!

Yes but he won the sprint for 14th place!

 

[SirLes]

I remember in the good ol' days you had a bunch of sprinters who were roughly equal and anyone could win. Steels, Zabel, Minali, Blijlevens, Svorada, Cipollini, Baldato, Moncassin, Abdoujaparov, all the way back to Baffi, Ludwig, Van Poppel... Those were the days.

I can see perfectly where you're coming from but having watched the TdF for over 20 years and the best riders in any category always coming from a different country it's nice to have someone to support who actually wins!

( I remember getting excited when Malcolm Elliott got 3rd at Bordeaux in 87!)

Actually I think we are witnessing something quite special in Cav so i intend to sit back and enjoy!

In years to come i can then moan that rider X is nowhere near as good as Cav was etc etc.

 

[Ryaguas]

but how will they do with jurgen VDB? it's hard to make a team with a sprint train and at the same time have 2-3 guys to help your GC guy

Well I think that Greipel doesn't need a lead-out train, he is like McEwen but younger and with more speed... Greipel wants the oportunity to be in The Tour and fight the sprints... also he can always follow Manxman's wheel and try to kill him in the final meters...

 

[Mambo95]

I remember in the good ol' days you had a bunch of sprinters who were roughly equal and anyone could win. Steels, Zabel, Minali, Blijlevens, Svorada, Cipollini, Baldato, Moncassin, Abdoujaparov, all the way back to Baffi, Ludwig, Van Poppel... Those were the days.

I also remember the good old days when Cipollini won four stages in a row.

 

[hrotha]

I also remember the good old days when Cipollini won four stages in a row.

Obviously my post had a high content of silly nostalgia and shouldn't be taken at face value, but even then, that year still had Tom Steels winning several sprints, and Kirsipuu and McEwen making it too. Cipollini was the best sprinter of that era, but he didn't win all goddamn sprints.

 

[Pharazon]

Well I think that Greipel doesn't need a lead-out train, he is like McEwen but younger and with more speed... Greipel wants the oportunity to be in The Tour and fight the sprints... also he can always follow Manxman's wheel and try to kill him in the final meters...

what?

Greipel is nothing at all like McEwen... he's a good sprinter, but he#s really nothing special at all without the Columbia train