Cavendish v. Greipel

[ImmaculateKadence]

Anybody else read this article?

I think Cav has the favor of his team and the edge in the sprints, but Greipel may want to challenge that at the Tour, the vuelta, and/or the worlds. You think we might see some internal struggles in the Columbia camp?

 

[iliveonnitro]

Anybody else read this article?

I think Cav has the favor of his team and the edge in the sprints, but Greipel may want to challenge that at the Tour, the vuelta, and/or the worlds. You think we might see some internal struggles in the Columbia camp?

Probably not. Greipel and Cav don't get along, which is why they almost never race together.

But, I think Greipel is realistic and knows that Cav is the world's best sprinter right now, even if he wants to deny it. What Cav wants to win, Columbia will support. I'm willing to bet that Cav gets the Tour, Griepel the Vuelta, and it will be a murder-fest for the worlds.

 

[mainframe]

Greipel is a very canny rider, in 90% of teams he would be the no1 sprinter.
Cav just has something extra, I would be very suprised to see both of them in Columbia's tour squad...just wouldn't work imo.

 

[cyclegeek]

It would be interesting to see if MC and AG compete against each other. I do, however, think that MC would get the team support.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

Cav would definately get the team's support. I think Greipel may be on the wrong team. Sure the team is geared toward winning stages, but if he wants more wins he may have to go elsewhere.

 

[BYOP88]

Well it could work if for example Greipel went in the breaks, that way the presure wouldn't be on Columbia to chase all the time like last year. But 2 good sprinters on the same team doing the same races just look at Lampre a few years back.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Anybody else read this article?

I think Cav has the favor of his team and the edge in the sprints, but Greipel may want to challenge that at the Tour, the vuelta, and/or the worlds. You think we might see some internal struggles in the Columbia camp?

Greipel seems to get the left over events that Cav doesn't race, personally I think he is good as Farrar and maybe as good as Cav. he should move teams as it is pretty much the cav show. SO should rogers, if he has aspirations for GC in big races.

 

[42x16ss]

If Renshaw, Griepel and Cavendish are focusing on the back end of the season then could it be possible that Columbia aren't taking a sprinter to the Giro?

If that is the case then Rogers should grab this opportunity with both hands to show what he can do in a GT without having to tow around a sprinter too or surrender his GC position for another rider (eg. Kloden in the '06 TdF).

Could be interesting...

 

[blackcat]

Greipel seems to get the left over events that Cav doesn't race, personally I think he is good as Farrar and maybe as good as Cav. he should move teams as it is pretty much the cav show. SO should rogers, if he has aspirations for GC in big races.

Greipel is the best sprinter in the world besides Cav. He is about the only one who can beat Cav mano a mano now. Farrar has to get lucky and hope Cav misreads the sprint and his nose is in the wind too long. Greipel can take him. But not everyday. Cav would beat AG more times than AG beats Cav.

 

[icefire]

They will target for the Worlds next year, but they will be in different teams there. It will be interesting to see if they ride together the Vuelta to prepare for the Worlds. Whatever the article says, I have to see to believe.

 

[Kingsley A]

It's an interesting situation for both riders and the team. The Vuelta seems to have a better parcours for a pure sprinter to win the points jersey next year than the Tour so it is not surprising both Cav and Greipel want to ride it. It is also preparation for the worlds although many think a select group getting of the front is more likely than a bunch sprint.

From the team perspective, do Columbia want their No.1 sprinter their or their defending champion there?

It gets even more interesting when one considers the long-standing sporting rivalry between Germany and Britain, the fact that Greipel is one of the few sprinters with a realistic chance of beating Cav and that Germany is one of the few nations who's best interests may be served by helping GB try to chase down breaks and set up a bunch sprint, even if it only results in silver or bronze.

This could well result in an intriguing mini-saga as 2010 unfolds and i am glad i am not part of Columbia's management having to resolve it.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

I have to think that come August, AG's time with Columbia will be almost up, whereas Cav is increasingly what the team is all about, so if there's any compromising to be made, it won't be on Cav's part.

 

[badboyberty]

I'm secretly hoping for an ugly falling out that leaves Andre defecting to another team, it's a bit stupid having the two best sprinters in the world on the same team.

Will also be interesting to see how long Mark Renshaw can stay satiated as the third ranked sprinter in his team, between Cavendish and Greipel he doesn't get as many chances for individual glory s he would with any other squad.

 

[qwerty16]

Does this mean Cavendish will ride all three Grand Tours next year, or will he drop the Giro?

 

[A.Rabadan]

Does this mean Cavendish will ride all three Grand Tours next year, or will he drop the Giro?

I don't think that Cav will ride all three Grand Tours.
I have to say that I've been really surprised when I read that the Man's rider want to ride the Vuelta, so personally I think that, if he wants to drop one of the GT's, the Giro will be his take.

According to the Greipel's issue: It's like Gerald Ciolek's case. When somebody leaves Columbia, his performances came down. This year, Stapleton team have been absolutely perfect: Eisel, Rogers, Hincapie, Monfort, Martin, Renshaw, Boasson Hagen... Too much quality working for the sprinters.
However, I think that the German have got the higher power in the peloton beside the Norwegians (Hushovd and Boasson Hagen), but in flat sprints Cavendish is unrivaled.

Finally, it seems to me that Columbia have decreased his potential: Boasson Hagen, Burghardt, Hincapie and Lökvist have leaved the team. Do you think that Lars Ytting Bak will counteract the drops? Or the Velits' brother, Goss and the neoprofessionals (Guldhammer and Van Garderen) will work too?

 

[Sum_of_Marc]

I'm secretly hoping for an ugly falling out that leaves Andre defecting to another team, it's a bit stupid having the two best sprinters in the world on the same team.

Will also be interesting to see how long Mark Renshaw can stay satiated as the third ranked sprinter in his team, between Cavendish and Greipel he doesn't get as many chances for individual glory s he would with any other squad.

Renshaw seems contempt enough as Cavendish's main lead out.

And also - is Greipel actually the 2nd best sprinter, behind Cav? He wins a lot, but generally in 'smaller' races. For me, Hushovd is the next best behind Cavendish, and Im not sure that Greipel has ever really beaten Hushovd in a sprint. Hushovd did after all win this years Green jersey, even if it was thanks to sprint points in the mountains and a disqualification. There is also an argument too that Petacchi is a stronger sprinter than Greipel.

 

[maltiv]

In my opinion for a flat sprint it's 1. Mark Cavendish 2. Petacchi 3. Hushovd 4. Greipel

I think Greipel's performances are kinda overrated. In Vuelta he was mostly sprinting against exhausted sprinters who had raced all year (including tour de france) and probably weren't in particularly good shape, while he himself was in top shape. Adding the fact that he had by far the strongest team and the fact that some of the victories in the vuelta were quite free (such as the one with the mass crash where he was basically the only sprinter who didn't go down, and the last stages where afaik the only "real" sprinters left were Bennati and Ciolek), his performances aren't really that impressive.

But please, before talking about worlds, look at the course. The finish is 5% gradient. That means it's exactly as steep as stage 6 in Tour de France this year, where Thor Hushovd won and Cav got 16th. I still think Cavendish got a good chance as he'll probably improve his uphill skills massively next year, but come on, there are tons of sprinters who got a far better chance of winning than Greipel on such a course.

 

[qwerty16]

I don't think that Cav will ride all three Grand Tours.
I have to say that I've been really surprised when I read that the Man's rider want to ride the Vuelta, so personally I think that, if he wants to drop one of the GT's, the Giro will be his take.

Don't you think he will ride all three and drop out of the Giro early (mostly mountain stages in second half of the Giro) and Vuelta (to prepare for the Worlds and giving Greipel some chances?

Obviously he is riding the Tour and has the intention to finish is. But he also stated he was going for stage wins at the Giro and now he says he will ride the Vuelta to prepare for the worlds. I guess the alternative for not riding the Giro will be to ride California. Important for the sponsors probably, but the Giro is the bigger race off course and he can drop out when he wants. Is their any source that can confirm his schedule or something.

 

[A.Rabadan]

The Cav's planning is a really interesting case. In my opinion, he have to try to win the green jersey in the 2010 Tour de France. If I remember well, he had achieved the record of sprints winned in a TdF last year (six), so this is an "easy" objective for himself. He is faster than Hushovd, so he only have to be regular.
And the experiences say that ride the Vuelta is essential to be alright for the World Championships, so Cavendish have to ride in Spain and -the most important thing for me- fight so much. In my opinion (depending the days wich separed Vuelta and Worlds, obviously), finish Vuelta a España isn't a bad way to be in perfect conditions in Worlds. For example, Evans (winner last year) had finished the Vuelta, Kolobnev (2nd), Purito (3rd), Samu (4th), Gilbert (6th), Breschel (7th), Valverde (9th) too...

Viewing this, Vuelta and Tour are "obligatory". Then, if he rides the Giro, he will be exhausted in September? I don't know.
There's a example in Tyler Farrar (a pure sprinter like Cav). The American had ridden the three GT's and had won a stage in the Vuelta.

 

[Anonymous]

In my opinion for a flat sprint it's 1. Mark Cavendish 2. Petacchi 3. Hushovd 4. Greipel

I think Greipel's performances are kinda overrated. In Vuelta he was mostly sprinting against exhausted sprinters who had raced all year (including tour de france) and probably weren't in particularly good shape, while he himself was in top shape. Adding the fact that he had by far the strongest team and the fact that some of the victories in the vuelta were quite free (such as the one with the mass crash where he was basically the only sprinter who didn't go down, and the last stages where afaik the only "real" sprinters left were Bennati and Ciolek), his performances aren't really that impressive.

But please, before talking about worlds, look at the course. The finish is 5% gradient. That means it's exactly as steep as stage 6 in Tour de France this year, where Thor Hushovd won and Cav got 16th. I still think Cavendish got a good chance as he'll probably improve his uphill skills massively next year, but come on, there are tons of sprinters who got a far better chance of winning than Greipel on such a course.

Say what you want, but I believe Farrar slots in 2nd/3rd with Greipel the same depending on the day. Petacchi is just a bit past his time, and Hushovd was a wheel back to Farrar at times in this year's Tour. I know Farrar hasn't shown to be completely dominating, but I would think that because of his age, he will only improve next year where Petacchi and Hushovd are just getting older.

 

[qwerty16]

The Cav's planning is a really interesting case. In my opinion, he have to try to win the green jersey in the 2010 Tour de France. If I remember well, he had achieved the record of sprints winned in a TdF last year (six), so this is an "easy" objective for himself. He is faster than Hushovd, so he only have to be regular.
And the experiences say that ride the Vuelta is essential to be alright for the World Championships, so Cavendish have to ride in Spain and -the most important thing for me- fight so much. In my opinion (depending the days wich separed Vuelta and Worlds, obviously), finish Vuelta a España isn't a bad way to be in perfect conditions in Worlds. For example, Evans (winner last year) had finished the Vuelta, Kolobnev (2nd), Purito (3rd), Samu (4th), Gilbert (6th), Breschel (7th), Valverde (9th) too...

Viewing this, Vuelta and Tour are "obligatory". Then, if he rides the Giro, he will be exhausted in September? I don't know.
There's a example in Tyler Farrar (a pure sprinter like Cav). The American had ridden the three GT's and had won a stage in the Vuelta.

It's indeed an interesting case. He will go for green in next years Tour de France, but if Hushovd shows the same class like he did last year in semi-mountain-stages he will me difficult to beat, since there appear to be fewer opportunities for real bunch sprints. Nevertheless, the green jersey has to be a goal for Cavendish in 2010. But having said that, he will get one of few chances in his career to really challenge for the rainbow jersey this year, therefore he will ride the Vuelta as a preparation. So, Tour and Vuelta (+Worlds) are certainties. I guess he would also like to defend his victory in Milan-San Remo, although having won there last year it wouldn't be a disaster if he lets that slip for this year because of the Worlds. Obviously he will ride some course in preparation for the Tour de France, most likely Switzerland again. Leaves a question mark for the period between Milan-San Remo and Switzerland. Earlier he announced he was aiming for victories at the Giro, but that was before the Vuelta-thing came out. An alternative would be riding California, but that will be nearly a similar effort as riding a half Giro. If he opts for the Giro he will be odds on to add himself to the list of Poblet, Baffi and Petacchi if you know what I mean.

 

[Galic Ho]

If Renshaw, Griepel and Cavendish are focusing on the back end of the season then could it be possible that Columbia aren't taking a sprinter to the Giro?

If that is the case then Rogers should grab this opportunity with both hands to show what he can do in a GT without having to tow around a sprinter too or surrender his GC position for another rider (eg. Kloden in the '06 TdF).

Could be interesting...

Remember the Giro this year. Rogers played his hand. Talked the talk and so did his benefactors (fanboys). I remember a good portion of gobbledigook and whoha spun before the 60km ITT. Rogers performed on par with what the realists thought. He even did a little less than they thought. He is not a solid top 5 GC rider. He also did a nice job coming into Barcelona in the Tour knocking out his fellow countrymen. Him and Menchov had great difficulty staying upright.

 

[Galic Ho]

But please, before talking about worlds, look at the course. The finish is 5% gradient. That means it's exactly as steep as stage 6 in Tour de France this year, where Thor Hushovd won and Cav got 16th. I still think Cavendish got a good chance as he'll probably improve his uphill skills massively next year, but come on, there are tons of sprinters who got a far better chance of winning than Greipel on such a course.

A month before the Tour this year we had Cav opening his flapper proclaiming his new mountains legs he'd acquired with all the training he'd undertaken. He was still poor. Only a year before he missed elimination by four seconds on a mountain stage. He is not very good when the incline increases. But he is improving, just in small micro doses.

 

[Sum_of_Marc]

In terms of Cavendish's race schedule, I expect him to do the Tour and Vuelta. No Giro, 3 GTs in a year would be a bad move for a sprinter hoping for a good Worlds - and Im sure the American sponsors of the team will be hoping Cav rides in California anyway, particularly if riding the Vuelta will mean he misses Missouri.

 

[The Hitch]

Seems like a good day to bring this one back