Cavendish - Where Next?

[Anonymous]

May as well have a thread for this one as no doubt it is going to run and run with his contract due to end at the end of the season..

I was excecting it to be at least may or june before the rumours started.. but no..!

The norwegian press are already saying Sky want him
LINK HERE

 

[issoisso]

A contract extension clause in the contract allows Columbia to extend the contract unilaterally with a certain pre-set wage rise, irrespective of whether he wants to stay or not. He's already urged them to activate the clause and Stapleton has already confirmed they will as soon as the window of dates in which they can do so (set in the contract) opens.

 

[Anonymous]

Personally, i dont think he will join sky, and unless columbias lead out train gets savaged by other teams, or renshaw going i cant see him leaving Columbia.. However we have already seen the Sky machine at work over Wiggins, and Swift... How many other teams will be prepared to make Mark that unrefusable offer..

But, this one will run and run.. the norwegians have started it.. how many more rumours before he puts pen to paper..

 

[Moondance]

I doubt Cavendish is going anywhere else, and he would be a stupid man if he left Columbia.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

Of course Sky wants him. You're right though, the rumors will fly, but I don't think Cav cares about anything but the next finish line.

 

[Anonymous]

I wonder actually.. Sky are obviously after sprint wins, but have been whupped by Greipel so far.. BUt are they trying to send the message.. We have the best lead out train...

Frankly im just flabbergasted that the first rumour has appeared in January..

 

[doddy13]

Do Sky want Cav?: uhh Yeah!

But can sky compete with HTC in the sprints? Thats a big question, and one that we can only assume right now, NO. Until Sky can provide exactly what Cavendish wants, he's going nowhere.

I think one day he'll end up at Sky, but next season. Nope.

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

Frankly im just flabbergasted that the first rumour has appeared in January..

Agreed. It hasn't even crossed my mind. I mean we're not even a complete race into the season yet.

 

[ingsve]

Does Cav have any previous ties to Brailsford through Track racing or otherwise like Swift and Wiggins had?

 

[Anonymous]

Agreed. It hasn't even crossed my mind. I mean we're not even a complete race into the season yet.

wont even mention then that the article is from the 15th before the first race even started..

gotta hand it to the norwegians..

Hello geoff by the way..

 

[flyor64]

Gads...you gotta love google translator!

 

[craig1985]

Call me crazy but IIRc Cav was already under contract to 2011 anyway (before the contract extension)?

 

[El Imbatido]

SKY should buy Greipel, atleast then we will see some decent sprints.

 

[issoisso]

Call me crazy but IIRc Cav was already under contract to 2011 anyway (before the contract extension)?

Sssshhhhh. Facts get in the way of the oh-so-fun ridiculous speculation.

 

[Bike Boy]

Cavendish will go to Sky it's just a matter of time I think.
It's what we all want. The big showdown: Cavendish vs. Greipel.
Might as well ad Farrar to that battle.

 

[Cerberus]

Call me crazy but IIRc Cav was already under contract to 2011 anyway (before the contract extension)?

IIRC Wiggins was already under contract for 2010.

 

[Bike Boy]

IIRC Wiggins was already under contract for 2010.

Never seen JV so thrilled

 

[Anonymous]

Where did this come from? Norway? Now I wonder why Norwegians might want to destabilise The Cav...

We will hear this endlessly until Paris. And none of it will have any foundation whatsoever.

FWIW I can't see Cav preferring Sky to HTC any time soon - a team built around winning the tour (eventually) where he could not expect 100% support against a team built around him? Why would he?

And another thing, those thinking a Cav v Greipel showdown would be the height of sprinting are hugely underestimating Ed B-H. My tip of the year - Ed B-H for the Worlds. He'll be the nearest thing to Sean Kelly since.. well, Sean Kelly (not that that comparison will help my prediction for him winning the Worlds! )

 

[Bike Boy]

And another thing, those thinking a Cav v Greipel showdown would be the height of sprinting are hugely underestimating Ed B-H. My tip of the year - Ed B-H for the Worlds. He'll be the nearest thing to Sean Kelly since.. well, Sean Kelly (not that that comparison will help my prediction for him winning the Worlds! )

I will admit that my knowledge regarding EBH is limited, but I think he is much more than a sprinter. I suspect He will be competing in races where Cavendish will have no chance

 

[Anonymous]

Does Cav have any previous ties to Brailsford through Track racing or otherwise like Swift and Wiggins had?

just a few..

 

[maltiv]

Norwegian media are only writing this because the general cycling fan in Norway fear that Cavendish will come to Sky, because we really don't wan't to see EBH being turned into a lead-out slave (like Columbia is doing to Tony Martin).

To the person talking about EBH challenging Cav/Greipel: EBH is not a pure sprinter, and unless he decides to focus solely on sprinting, he won't beat them (unless it's an uphill sprint). EBH has a lot more qualities than only sprinting, and with his amazing VO2 max etc it would, in my opinion, be a shame to see him becoming a pure sprinter.

 

[Anonymous]

And with his amazing VO2 max etc it would, in my opinion, be a shame to see him becoming a pure sprinter.

yeh.. his 02 figures had me a bit

 

[Anonymous]

To the person talking about EBH challenging Cav/Greipel: EBH is not a pure sprinter, and unless he decides to focus solely on sprinting, he won't beat them (unless it's an uphill sprint). EBH has a lot more qualities than only sprinting, and with his amazing VO2 max etc it would, in my opinion, be a shame to see him becoming a pure sprinter.

Yeah, EBH is much more than only sprinting, but the noises coming out of Sky suggest he has the power to challenge anyone in a sprint if he just alters one or two things. As he's already good, any slight improvement, and with a Sky train to follow, will take him into the Cav/Greipel realm. I could easily see him challenging for Green if he wants to this season. But yeah, I agree that he'd be wasted as a sprinter. As I said before, I'm hoping for the next Sean Kelly!

 

[issoisso]

yeh.. his 02 figures had me a bit

What are they exactly?

 

[Anonymous]

What are they exactly?

His last oxygen level reading in '08 was just above 86, higher than LA and closing in on Indurain..

Wonder what it is now..