Cavendish - In it to win it!

[180mmCrank]

Don't know if anyone has read a really cool article in May issue of Cycle Sport Magazine. It's about Cavendish and the planning that went into his MSR win.

It's particularly interesting to read how he deliberatley created the impression that he was riding the race for experience. He talks about deliberately getting dropped in Eroica ('I made sure it was in TV...') -to fool folks into thinking he wasn't in top shape...couldn't get over the climbs etc

He also talks about his relationship with Erik Zabel and how they together identified La Manie as the key point in the race. I had read previously about his attention to detail but this article gives great insight into his approach. It's not just his sprinting ability that gets him over the line in front.

I think there are a few professional cyclists (and athletes) that could learn a lot from his approach.

 

[palmerq]

I think he will win a huge amount of giro stages this year, maybe even 8 :S altough i drank wine, I think it is possible looking at the stage profiles. I drank wine though...... But for the cycling news giro game i will certainly have him on my team, because i really believe there is no one who can compete with him rght now.


ps
what is this thread about ?

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Stages 2, 3, 6, 8 and 9 all have his name written on it. With Thor and Boonen not riding the Giro, the main rival may be Petacchi for the sprints.

 

[ingsve]

Deliberately being deceptive by trying to fool people that hes' not in shape doesn't really make me like him more...Fail!!!

 

[BroDeal]

Deliberately being deceptive by trying to fool people that hes' not in shape doesn't really make me like him more...Fail!!!

Say what? This sort of thing has a history as old as cycling itself. How many times before a ride or race have I had to listen to a bro tell me a sob story about how he has not been training very much or needs to ride slow because he is tired from yesterday only to have him make me suffer like a dog?

 

[ingsve]

Say what? This sort of thing has a history as old as cycling itself. How many times before a ride or race have I had to listen to a bro tell me a sob story about how he has not been training very much or needs to ride slow because he is tired from yesterday only to have him make me suffer like a dog?

Perhaps it's more common than I thought. Having never competed in bike races myself this is something I've never heard about.

I still think it's a very cheap and insincere thing to do especially when you go out of your way to do it like Cavendish says he did. And I stand by my opinion that it doesn't make him more popular in my book in the same way as Armstrong playing possum on the Alpe D'huez stage in 2001 didn't make me like him more either...

 

[Animal]

Perhaps it's more common than I thought. Having never competed in bike races myself this is something I've never heard about.

Never heard the term "sandbagging"?

 

[ingsve]

Never heard the term "sandbagging"?

Only as a pokerterm...

Of course I know about the concept of downplaying yourself etc but what I didn't know was that it apparently was common in cycling, if it in fact is common in pro cycling?