Cavendish 'Abused' by HTC

[The Hitch]

I'd argue that *with* Cav's and Greipel's wins, HTC have been about the 5th best team. Wins at Britain, TDU and TOC are really just jokes - its the 1 day classics/semi clsssics, the week long tours that people actually regard as being top quality (P-N, DL, Suisse, Romandie, Pais Vasco, settimana lombarda, castilla leon, trentino, T-A, burgos etc) and the GTs that a team really should be judged on - and yes, I am deliberately leaving off the PT as the majority of that is a joke and should be scrapped. And in *those* races, HTC won very little outside of Cav's 8 stages. Yes, Martin et al won a few TTs - but thats not exactly the same as, say, Samu Sanchez winning Burgos. Having a think back, the only races of note that they won were eneco (Martin) and GW (Eisel), and eneco was so close to vuelta not many really turned up.

Without them, the results put them below katyusha definitely, below garmin, euskaltel, rabo, ciasee, OPL, Vacansoleil (in the races they entered), and maybe cervelo. Velits was a shock, and was their 1 good non-Cav result - but if we were to judge a team with 1 podium place, rabo had a more successful season by viurtue of their podium coming in the TDF, Caisse's Arroyo podium leapfrogs HTC. Katyusha defintiely had a better year - Rodriguez *alone* had a better year the HTC minus Cav/Greipel

HTC Colombia season

Gts.

2 stages in the Giro
5 stages in the Tour - the most of anyone
5 stages in the Vuelta- the most of anyone + Green Jersey.

Resulting in 12 GT stages - the most of anyone.


Even without any GC placing this would be amazing. But no they didnt stop there, they got a Vuelta 2nd/3rd place with Velits.

PT stage races.

Tour Down Under - Greipel wins. Greipel 3 stages. Held Yellow jersey for whole race.
Romandie - Rogers 3rd. Rogers + Pinotti held yellow jersey for few days. Pinotti + Cav stage wins
Catalunia - Cav 1 stage
Criterium de Dauphine - TJVG 3rd
Tour de SUisse - Tony Martin 3 days in Yellow. Tony Martin 1 stage.
Tour de Pologne - Greipel 2 stages
Eneco Tour - TOny MArtin Wins. Greipel 2 stages. Tony Martin 1 stage. Yellow for 3 days.

Semi classics - Eissel GW

And California is good too and there they won and got 3 stages as well.


Outside GTs HTC featured in almost every pro tour stage race. 2 wins. 12 stages.

So what if they didnt feature in the classics. Their GT + stage races record crushes everyone else. 5th best team? your having a laugh.

______________________________________________________________
I notice your summary of who was the best teams you use the conditional a lot eg:

1 If the races they won dont count and the races they lost do count. - In that case yes they are without doubt the worst team. But sorry, the PT does exist and teams do send better riders towards race. You cant just conveniently label "joke" any race they do win.

2 If we count Burgos but not the TOC. Again yes that does diminish their achievements. But the TOc does count. So no dice.

3 "Velits was a shock"- SO what. Still counts.

4 "if we were to judge a team with 1 podium place, rabo had a more successful season by viurtue of their podium coming in the TDF, Caisse's Arroyo podium leapfrogs HTC" - But we are not judging it by 1 podium place. We are judging them on their whole season.

Rabo= Menchov tdf 3rd + Freire MSR and Gesink semi classic. No GT stage wins. No PT wins. 1 or 2 stages in stage races. Versus HTCs above mentioned GT podium. 12 gt stage wins. Gt green jersey. 2 Pt stage races.

Caisse = Arroyo podium. 2 gt stage wins. 1 stage race podium. A semi classic.

Here is what their main Challengers did.

Liquigas
Gts. 2 GT victories 1 podium. 3 gt stages Combined jersey.
SR 1 podium, 5 stages
Classics Absolute nada

Astana

Gts - 1 win. COntdor the big one. 1 stage Vino
Stage races. - Contador Paris Nice. (he won a few others but if you want to start counting Algarve or Trentino, then bring on Turkey and TOB) 3 stages/
Classics - Vino LBL. Contador FW podium.

Saxo
Gts - 1 TDF podium. 5 stages
STage races - Schleck Tour de Suisse. 5 stages
Classics - Cancellara super double.

No other team comes close.

But tbh, my post has kind of been a waste of time, because all i had to do was post this.




CQ Team Ranking 2010
1. [Usa] Team HTC - Columbia 11059
2. [Ita] Liquigas - Doimo 9740
3. [Den] Team Saxo Bank 9719
4. [Rus] Team Katusha 8650
5. [Ned] Rabobank 8268

I suppose you could say, " the Cq ranking isnt neccesarily exactly right" if it was close. But look at this. HTC crush Liqui and Saxo by over 400 points. Total domination. The best team of 2010. UNless you decide that all the races they won dont count


Check mate

 

[ferryman]

The Chav from Man is quite rightly setting out his stall for a pay rise, simple.

Forget Sky, they have already wasted their top dollars on the great british pretender. However if they want to renege on their goal of a GB TDF winner in the next 5 years Chav is their man to give them that out.

Sorry folks but I have no time or respect for said rider or said team.

 

[El Pistolero]

HTC Colombia season

Gts.

2 stages in the Giro
5 stages in the Tour - the most of anyone
5 stages in the Vuelta- the most of anyone + Green Jersey.

Resulting in 12 GT stages - the most of anyone.


Even without any GC placing this would be amazing. But no they didnt stop there, they got a Vuelta 2nd/3rd place with Velits.

PT stage races.

Tour Down Under - Greipel wins. Greipel 3 stages. Held Yellow jersey for whole race.
Romandie - Rogers 3rd. Rogers + Pinotti held yellow jersey for few days. Pinotti + Cav stage wins
Catalunia - Cav 1 stage
Criterium de Dauphine - TJVG 3rd
Tour de SUisse - Tony Martin 3 days in Yellow. Tony Martin 1 stage.
Tour de Pologne - Greipel 2 stages
Eneco Tour - TOny MArtin Wins. Greipel 2 stages. Tony Martin 1 stage. Yellow for 3 days.

Semi classics - Eissel GW

And California is good too and there they won and got 3 stages as well.


Outside GTs HTC featured in almost every pro tour stage race. 2 wins. 12 stages.

So what if they didnt feature in the classics. Their GT + stage races record crushes everyone else. 5th best team? your having a laugh.

______________________________________________________________
I notice your summary of who was the best teams you use the conditional a lot eg:

1 If the races they won dont count and the races they lost do count. - In that case yes they are without doubt the worst team. But sorry, the PT does exist and teams do send better riders towards race. You cant just conveniently label "joke" any race they do win.

2 If we count Burgos but not the TOC. Again yes that does diminish their achievements. But the TOc does count. So no dice.

3 "Velits was a shock"- SO what. Still counts.

4 "if we were to judge a team with 1 podium place, rabo had a more successful season by viurtue of their podium coming in the TDF, Caisse's Arroyo podium leapfrogs HTC" - But we are not judging it by 1 podium place. We are judging them on their whole season.

Rabo= Menchov tdf 3rd + Freire MSR and Gesink semi classic. No GT stage wins. No PT wins. 1 or 2 stages in stage races. Versus HTCs above mentioned GT podium. 12 gt stage wins. Gt green jersey. 2 Pt stage races.

Caisse = Arroyo podium. 2 gt stage wins. 1 stage race podium. A semi classic.

Here is what their main Challengers did.

Liquigas
Gts. 2 GT victories 1 podium. 3 gt stages Combined jersey.
SR 1 podium, 5 stages
Classics Absolute nada

Astana

Gts - 1 win. COntdor the big one. 1 stage Vino
Stage races. - Contador Paris Nice. (he won a few others but if you want to start counting Algarve or Trentino, then bring on Turkey and TOB) 3 stages/
Classics - Vino LBL. Contador FW podium.

Saxo
Gts - 1 TDF podium. 5 stages
STage races - Schleck Tour de Suisse. 5 stages
Classics - Cancellara super double.

No other team comes close.

But tbh, my post has kind of been a waste of time, because all i had to do was post this.




CQ Team Ranking 2010
1. [Usa] Team HTC - Columbia 11059
2. [Ita] Liquigas - Doimo 9740
3. [Den] Team Saxo Bank 9719
4. [Rus] Team Katusha 8650
5. [Ned] Rabobank 8268

I suppose you could say, " the Cq ranking isnt neccesarily exactly right" if it was close. But look at this. HTC crush Liqui and Saxo by over 400 points. Total domination. The best team of 2010. UNless you decide that all the races they won dont count


Check mate

Those rankings are meaningless. Take Cav and Greipel out of HTC and they had a very mediocre season.

 

[Moondance]

Those rankings are meaningless. Take Cav and Greipel out of HTC and they had a very mediocre season.

Ummmm.... Why would refuse to consider the performances of the best two riders of every team? Doesn't every team rely on their top 2 guys to get them the biggest results?

 

[The Hitch]

Those rankings are meaningless. Take Cav and Greipel out of HTC and they had a very mediocre season.

Take Contador and Vino out and Astana had a awful season. Take Gilbert and VDB out and OPL sponsors should withdraw. Take Andy and Canc out and what have Saxo done.

if you took the top 2 away from every team, HTC would have 3 times as many points as anyone else.

Without Cav and Greipel HTC had 3 gt stage wins. Saxo with Schleck and Canc got 5. Quick step got 4. Garmin got 4. Liqui got 3. Without their top 2 HTC still come top 4 in stage wins. Also bare in mind Goss cruised to the line behind Cav in that 1 vuelta stage. So thats 4 gt stage wins. without Cav or Greipel.

With Velits HTC got a GT podium. About half of teams would trade their entire seasons for this.

Then theres the wins in Eneco, and Cali. The various stage wins by Rogers, Pinotti, Martin, Goss etc.


So without Cav and Greipel HTC had an awesome season actually. Only a handful of teams - Rabo, Astana, Liqui, Saxo, (maybe Katusha and Garmin) did better.

And its a stupid comment anyway, because you cant just take the 2 riders on which a team is based away from their results. If you do that to 1 do it to all, and in this case, HTC had the best season ever.

 

[El Pistolero]

Ummmm.... Why would refuse to consider the performances of the best two riders of every team? Doesn't every team rely on their top 2 guys to get them the biggest results?

At least read some part of the thread. The discussion started that HTC should pay Cav more because of how important he is to the team. If you take Cav and Greipel out then they would've had a very mediocre season.

 

[hfer07]

well, seems to me that Cav has finally opened his eyes & realized he's worth a lot more than Bill is currently paying him--which in small circles-he's touted as greedy as they come......
so if negotiations go wrong between them, he'll buy his way out the contract to gladly join Sky...

 

[El Pistolero]

Take Contador and Vino out and Astana had a awful season. Take Gilbert and VDB out and OPL sponsors should withdraw. Take Andy and Canc out and what have Saxo done.

if you took the top 2 away from every team, HTC would have 3 times as many points as anyone else.

Without Cav and Greipel HTC had 3 gt stage wins. Saxo with Schleck and Canc got 5. Quick step got 4. Garmin got 4. Liqui got 3. Without their top 2 HTC still come top 4 in stage wins. Also bare in mind Goss cruised to the line behind Cav in that 1 vuelta stage. So thats 4 gt stage wins. without Cav.

With Velits HTC got a GT podium. About half of teams would trade their entire seasons for this.

Then theres the wins in Eneco, and Cali. The various stage wins by Rogers, Pinotti, Martin, Goss etc.


So without Cav and Greipel HTC had an awesome season actually. Only a handful of teams - Rabo, Astana, Liqui, Saxo, did better.

And its a stupid comment anyway, because you cant just take the 2 riders on which a team is based away from their results. If you do that to 1 do it to all, and in this case, HTC had the best season ever.

None of those teams are underpaying their star cyclists. HTC is, at least according to Cav him self.

Not a single team would want a second place at the Vuelta with someone who was only in the picture for one stage. Can't remember him outside the time trial.

 

[The Hitch]

At least read some part of the thread. The discussion started that HTC should pay Cav more because of how important he is to the team. If you take Cav and Greipel out then they would've had a very mediocre season.

In 1 sentence:

No they wouldnt because all those people that were working for Cav would turn their energies to working for someone else, AND they had a GT podium anyway which automatically means a season is better than mediocre.

 

[The Hitch]

None of those teams are underpaying their star cyclists. HTC is, at least according to Cav him self.

Not a single team would want a second place at the Vuelta with someone who was only in the picture for one stage. Can't remember him outside the time trial.

lol.

the "i am ignorant about this " defence. Always welcome

Velits was up there from the very very start. He won the first stage with his team on the ttt. Was up there in stages 2 and 3 - Gilbert and Anton, coming 3rd in the latter. Was with the GC contenders on the Xorat and most of the other climbs. Was in the top 10 throughout, and exelled in the time trial. Held his own on Bola as well.

 

[El Pistolero]

lol.

the "i am ignorant about this " defence. Always welcome

Velits was up there from the very very start. He won the first stage with his team on the ttt. Was up there in stages 2 and 3 - Gilbert and Anton, coming 3rd in the latter. Was with the GC contenders on the Xorat and most of the other climbs. Was in the top 10 throughout, and exelled in the time trial. Held his own on Bola as well.

Of course he was up there, otherwise he wouldn't be second, but no one ever talked about him(at least not Sporza) and he just wasn't a lot in the picture besides the time trial.

At Bola they pretty much only showed Mosquera and Nibali. I'm talking about sponsor attention here mind you. Not about the talented rider him self. I watched every stage besides the one Barredo won, he just didn't make a lot of screen time besides the time trial.

 

[thehog]

None of those teams are underpaying their star cyclists. HTC is, at least according to Cav him self.

Not a single team would want a second place at the Vuelta with someone who was only in the picture for one stage. Can't remember him outside the time trial.

All class Cav. Wait to HTC sell Griepel to Lotto then complain you're not the star. Christ what does this guy want? I cant see anyone else hiring him. Me thinks Italian model friend told him to get his teeth done and now telling him he's worth more money.

We should remember guy was out the first half of the season because he was having cometic surgery. He's fault. He also crashed into, beat up and spat on other cyclists. All this time HTC stood by him.

Abused?

 

[ScottyMuser]

All class Cav. Wait to HTC sell Griepel to Lotto then complain you're not the star. Christ what does this guy want? I cant see anyone else hiring him. Me thinks Italian model friend told him to get his teeth done and now telling him he's worth more money.

We should remember guy was out the first half of the season because he was having cometic surgery. He's fault. He also crashed into, beat up and spat on other cyclists. All this time HTC stood by him.

Abused?

I'm sorry, but no-oine else wants to hire him? What are you on mate? yes, he missed the first half of the season, caused a crash and spat on people. That doesn't make him any less marketable, or any less successful - it just means that the PR guys need to work more - which they can if they are winning the most GT stages solely because of him. Heck, substitue spat at with punched others and that sounds like a pretty damn good description of Cadel Evans most year, maybe not hte injuries first half this year (but certainly in the tdf, and according to him in the giro illness) - yet he is (now) universally admired for the way he has defended the rainbows this year. (yes I know he hasn't caused a crash in a sprint, but thats mainly because he is not a sprinter)

Any other team who hasn't a major sprinter or GT contender, and wants to get some easy wins would like him, to a certain price. Why? Because he is, bar none, the best sprinter out there. By a mile frankly. And yes, he does need a team built around him to the extent that such a team can't support a GT contender as easily - but the TDF did show he can rough it up without a perfect leadout and win by miles, and Velits' 3rd in the vuelta shows its mnot impossible to get a placing in the GTs.

 

[ScottyMuser]

All class Cav. Wait to HTC sell Griepel to Lotto then complain you're not the star. Christ what does this guy want? I cant see anyone else hiring him. Me thinks Italian model friend told him to get his teeth done and now telling him he's worth more money.

We should remember guy was out the first half of the season because he was having cometic surgery. He's fault. He also crashed into, beat up and spat on other cyclists. All this time HTC stood by him.

Abused?

also, he isn't complaining he isn't a star; what he is complaining about is the reluctance HTC seem to have at getting a contract extension to him before he starts the next season. Which is fair enough in part because
a) Eisel and Renshaw have already had theirs, and therefore it seems like HTC still want to coimmit to a pure sprinter team, but are trying to avoid paying Cav market rates for another year
and b) as many here have commented, he is *not* paid that much money at the moment, as he is still on the same amount as he was before he had won a GT stage - thats less then the likes of McEwen who, as great as he is/was, isnt ever going to win anything major for Katusha again. If you were in a professional role, was hired very cheaply 3 years ago with potential, shown that you can do your job better then *anyone* else at your firm, yet see other people, both from inside your company and out, be paid consideraly more for not doing as good a job you would want to start asking for more money. The problem is *how* he has done it - using the press as a way of putting a little more pressure on HTC a little earlier.

 

[thehog]

I'm sorry, but no-oine else wants to hire him? What are you on mate? yes, he missed the first half of the season, caused a crash and spat on people. That doesn't make him any less marketable, or any less successful - it just means that the PR guys need to work more - which they can if they are winning the most GT stages solely because of him. Heck, substitue spat at with punched others and that sounds like a pretty damn good description of Cadel Evans most year, maybe not hte injuries first half this year (but certainly in the tdf, and according to him in the giro illness) - yet he is (now) universally admired for the way he has defended the rainbows this year. (yes I know he hasn't caused a crash in a sprint, but thats mainly because he is not a sprinter)

Any other team who hasn't a major sprinter or GT contender, and wants to get some easy wins would like him, to a certain price. Why? Because he is, bar none, the best sprinter out there. By a mile frankly. And yes, he does need a team built around him to the extent that such a team can't support a GT contender as easily - but the TDF did show he can rough it up without a perfect leadout and win by miles, and Velits' 3rd in the vuelta shows its mnot impossible to get a placing in the GTs.

Go on then. Name said teams who would hire him? I cannot think of one.

And before you start QuickStep & Radioshack only have one year so there's no way in h3ll they will buy him out and pay his new salary.

Waste of money. Poor investment.

 

[The Hitch]

Of course he was up there, otherwise he wouldn't be second, but no one ever talked about him(at least not Sporza) and he just wasn't a lot in the picture besides the time trial.

At Bola they pretty much only showed Mosquera and Nibali. I'm talking about sponsor attention here mind you. Not about the talented rider him self. I watched every stage besides the one Barredo won, he just didn't make a lot of screen time besides the time trial.

Well anyway your previous comment was this

Not a single team would want a second place at the Vuelta with someone who was only in the picture for one stage. .

Here is a list of teams who would gladly destroy their entire palmares in return for just 1 "second place at the Vuelta with someone who was only in the picture for one stage."

[Gbr] Sky Professional Cycling Team PRT 5775
[Fra] Ag2r - La Mondiale PRT 5649
[Esp] Euskaltel - Euskadi PRT 5513
[Sui] Cervélo Test Team PROF 5099
[Fra] Cofidis, le Credit en Ligne PROF 4833
[Fra] FDJ PRT 4797
[Fra] Bbox - Bouygues Telecom PROF 4659
[Bel] Quick Step PRT 4653
[Usa] BMC Racing Team PROF 4380
[Ger] Team Milram PRT 4173
[Ita] Androni Giocattoli - Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni 3332
[Fra] Saur - Sojasun PROF 3109
[Ned] Skil - Shimano PROF 2933
[Esp] Footon - Servetto PRT 2887
[Bel] Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator PROF 2874
[Ita] ISD - Neri PROF 2868
[Gbr] Carmiooro - NGC PROF 2426
[Irl] Colnago - CSF Inox PROF 2297
[Ita] Acqua & Sapone - D'Angelo & Antenucci PROF 2151
[Bel] Landbouwkrediet PROF 1873
[Irl] De Rosa - Stac Plastic PROF 1683
[Fra] Bretagne - Schuller CONT 1469
[Iri] Tabriz Petrochemical Cycling Team CONT 1414
[Irl] Ceramica Flaminia - Bossini Docce PROF 1376
[Bel] Verandas Willems CONT 1260
[Ita] Miche Pro Cycling Team CONT 1165
[Fra] Roubaix - Lille Metropole CONT 1131
[Esp] Andalucia - CajaSur PROF 861
[Pol] Mroz - Active Jet CONT 749
[Cze] PSK Whirlpool - Author CONT 735
[Por] Palmeiras Resort - Prio CONT 712
[Pol] CCC - Polsat - Polkowice PROF 700
[Ukr] ISD Continental Team CONT 678
[Ger] Team NetAPP CONT 674
[Esp] Caja Rural CONT 647
[Fra] BigMat - Auber 93 CONT 582
[Cro] Loborika CONT 579
[Ned] Rabobank CT CONT 564
[Slo] Adria Mobil CONT 564
[Ger] Team Nutrixxion - Sparkasse CONT 562
[Aus] Fly V Australia CONT 537
[Col] Café de Colombia - Colombia es Pasion CONT 534
[Can] SpiderTech Presented by Planet Energy CONT 507
[Por] Barbot - Siper CONT 503
[Tpe] Giant Asia Racing Team CONT 494
[Bel] An Post - Sean Kelly CONT 466
[Por] Centro Ciclismo de Loulé - Louletano CONT 447
[Ita] CDC - Cavaliere CONT 411
[Iri] Azad University Iran CONT 411
[Bel] Palmans - Cras CONT 403
[Esp] Burgos 2016 - Castilla y Leon CONT 386
[Ned] Van Vliet - EBH - Elshof CONT 375
[Den] Team Designa Køkken - Blue Water CONT 375
[Slo] Zheroquadro - Radenska CONT 373
[Lux] Continental Team Differdange CONT 372
[Usa] Jelly Belly presented by Kenda CONT 368
[Slo] Sava CONT 365
[Aus] Team Jayco - Skins CONT 361
[Sui] Price - Custom Bikes CONT 353
[Ukr] Amore & Vita - Conad CONT 339
[Ned] Cycling Team Jo Piels CONT 326
[Den] Glud & Marstrand - LRØ Radgivning CONT 314
[Bra] Scott - Marcondes Cesar - Sao Jose dos Campos PROF 291
[Aut] Vorarlberg - Corratec CONT 291
[Usa] Team Type 1 CONT 278
[Aus] Drapac - Porsche Cycling CONT 278
[Gre] Heraklion Kastro - Murcia CONT 271
[Bel] Jong Vlaanderen - Bauknecht CONT 257
[Usa] UnitedHealthcare presented by Maxxis CONT 248
[Bul] Hemus 1896 - Vivelo CONT 245
[Bra] Funvic - Pindamonhangaba CONT 239
[Usa] Kelly Benefit Strategies CONT 239
[Rus] Itera - Katusha CONT 237
[Ser] Partizan Srbija CONT 230
[Ger] Thüringer Energie Team CONT 227
[Usa] Trek - Livestrong u23 CONT 224
[Col] UNE - EPM CONT 221
[Nor] Sparebanken Vest - Ridley CONT 215
[Por] LA - Rota dos Moveis CONT 215
[Jpn] Nippo CONT 204
[Cro] Meridiana - Kamen Team CONT 203
[Rus] Katyusha Continental Team CONT 203
[Sui] Atlas Personal - BMC CONT 203
[Kor] Seoul Cycling CONT 190
[Gre] SP Tableware CONT 188
[Nor] Joker - Bianchi CONT 168
[Usa] Jamis - Sutter Home presented by Colavita CONT 168
[Por] Madeinox - Boavista CONT 166
[Svk] Dukla Trencin - Merida CONT 159
[Aut] Arbö - KTM - Gebrüder Weiss CONT 150
[Ger] Heizomat CONT 147
[Ger] LKT Team Brandenburg CONT 144
[Kor] Geumsan Ginseng Asia CONT 143
[Est] Kalev Chocolate Team CONT 139
[Gbr] Endura Racing CONT 137
[Jpn] Team Bridgestone - Anchor CONT 137
[Rsa] MTN Energade CONT 135
[Den] Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland CONT 128
[Esp] Orbea CONT 123
[Arm] CKT tmit - Champion System CONT 122
[Aut] Tyrol Team CONT 121
[Jpn] Aisan Racing Team CONT 110
[Gbr] Rapha Condor - Sharp CONT 100
[Rus] Moscow CONT 96
[Gbr] Motorpoint - Marshalls Pasta 90
[Bel] Lotto - Bodysol CONT 90
[Pol] Aktio Group - Mostostal Pulawy CONT 90





I love arguments this easy.

 

[Boardslide]

All class Cav. Wait to HTC sell Griepel to Lotto then complain you're not the star. Christ what does this guy want? I cant see anyone else hiring him. Me thinks Italian model friend told him to get his teeth done and now telling him he's worth more money.

We should remember guy was out the first half of the season because he was having cometic surgery. He's fault. He also crashed into, beat up and spat on other cyclists. All this time HTC stood by him.

Abused?

I think you're a bit behind the times with your info as said Italian girlfriend was shown the door last April and the abuse he's talking about is the number of corperate do's pressing palms he is expected to attend during the time when he isn't racing. for instance after the commi games he has 3 weeks of such events therefore reducing his off season rest before starting training again.

 

[180mmCrank]

I know we like having fun and sparring with each other on here but no one really thinks that Cav would not get a job in the highly unlikely event that he wasn't resigned. Really?

My extremely safe prediction - he will be resigned by HTC.

He's the best sprinter, he wins races - that's what bike racing is about.

 

[thehog]

I think you're a bit behind the times with your info as said Italian girlfriend was shown the door last April and the abuse he's talking about is the number of corperate do's pressing palms he is expected to attend during the time when he isn't racing. for instance after the commi games he has 3 weeks of such events therefore reducing his off season rest before starting training again.

Geezs my heart bleeds for him. It's slave labour! You mean he has to go to parties and get paid for it? What cyclist doesn't have to do this work?

As per Miss. italy - he's still boning her. She's actually from Paraguay.

Love this article on old flame Missy: http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/new...m-with-beauty-queen-after-dumping-fiance.html

£80,000 Audi sports car? The guy is seriously being abused. He needs a jet I tell you.

 

[PCutter]

I'm a little over sportspeople (not just Cav, but all in general) who want to renegotiate their contracts mid-term because they're performing well - when was the last time a sportsman came out mid-contract and said 'I haven't really performed well the last two years, I should really take a pay cut'? Did Cunego give back some of his big pay check this year because he didn't win anything and signed his contract when he had a good year?

Teams take a risk when they sign riders for multiple year contracts - risk of form, risk of injury, risk of race invites - sportspeople seem to think all the risk should be priced in for them on the upside AND on the downside.

As for the "no one would want him" line, LOL! You are kidding right? Teams would be lining up (as would sponsors). And a team like Lampre (for example) could deliver a ready made train. Sky on the other hand - if they decided to abandon GC ambitions - could easily fill in a few lead out spots any year they signed Cav, there are always a few experienced former great sprinters around happy to take some cash to set up a new gun.

 

[El Pistolero]

Well anyway your previous comment was this



Here is a list of teams who would gladly destroy their entire palmares in return for just 1 "second place at the Vuelta with someone who was only in the picture for one stage."





I love arguments this easy.

Rabo already has someone at #2 in a way better GT, the TdF. And I bet Cervelo wants to give up their world champion to get a second place at la Vuelta. Lol. Let's keep the discussion about the top 17 teams only by the way. Euskaltel also got the podium at the Tour and would've won la Vuelta if Igor Anton had bike handling skills(so there's no reason for them to buy someone like Velits, they have better cyclists among their ranks)

And Katusha? Please, Rodriguez won the Worldrankings. He's been there on the TV all year.

 

[The Hitch]

Rabo already has someone at #2 in a way better GT, the TdF. And I bet Cervelo wants to give up their world champion to get a second place at la Vuelta. Lol. Let's keep the discussion about the top 17 teams only by the way.

Umm Rabobank werent on the list.

The Rabo you saw was their CT team which certainatly didnt get anything close to a GT podium.

And Hushovd didnt win the Worlds with Cervelo. He won it with Norway and will wear the jersey with Garmin. Cervelo would give up their season for a Vuelta podium, Tv time or no tv time.

 

[LugHugger]

Ha ha, you're right. I don't know how I forgot this, I now remember reading about it

Really? Even if it meant knowing your chances of winning a TdF Green Jersey would shrink significantly?

I would like to think that most top cyclists care enough about their Palmares to be willing to take a lesser salary in order to be at a team that'll give them better winning chances.

Maybe I'm wrong.

Steve

Steve, I'm sure that this is the beginning of a contract renewal negotiation and not a 'come and get me' plea. It's just that Cavendish is not very subtle - or bright - so starts bandying around words like 'abused' without thinking fully about the consequences. I would be very surprised if he is not riding for HTC in 2012.

 

[El Pistolero]

Umm Rabobank werent on the list.

The Rabo you saw was their CT team which certainatly didnt get anything close to a GT podium.

And Hushovd didnt win the Worlds with Cervelo. He won it with Norway and will wear the jersey with Garmin. Cervelo would give up their season for a Vuelta podium, Tv time or no tv time.

As far as I know the new team will be called Garmin-CERVELO.

And your delusional if you think more people noticed what Velits did at the Vuelta then what Hushovd tried at the Tour to win the green jersey.

 

[LugHugger]

Those rankings are meaningless. Take Cav and Greipel out of HTC and they had a very mediocre season.

Exactly the point that has been lost on some posters