Farrar's sprint

[excelerator]

I'm definitely no expert, but I couldn't help but notice Tyler Farrar's last few hundred meters. He looks to be second wheel coming into the sprint, right behind his lead out guy. To my eye, he looks to his right, directly at Cav who promplty steps on the gas and wins. Seems to me you'll never beat your faster competition straing at him. Cav looked at no one and simply started sprinting when he felt like it and walked away even using Farrar as his lead out at the very end. Wouldn't Farrar be better off just gunning it instead of waiting for Cav? I think you'll lose every time waiting around for him.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Don't disregard the fact that Farrar is riding with a broken wrist.

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

Don't disregard the fact that Farrar is riding with a broken wrist.

Which i find to be an amazing feat of heroism.

He seems to be going his namesake Hamilton route -- going through most of the Tour with an almost unbearable pain and still making a fight.

If he manages to finish at all (not even speaking of a stage win) -- i shall deem him as a true winner of this Tour.
________
Fix Ps3

 

[djconnel]

Whether he has a broken wrist or not doesn't address the original question. It just reinforces that Cavendish was faster, a point made there.

 

[scribe]

Whether he has a broken wrist or not doesn't address the original question. It just reinforces that Cavendish was faster, a point made there.

Cav gets his *** kicked if he was riding with a broken bone. In fact, I'd bet he'd abandon

 

[SpartacusRox]

Cav is the fastest guy in the world on a flat run over 200 metres, he has proven that the last two days. Farrar fully fit is probably the only guy that could give him a run for his money. I though Garmin blew their leadout today as Farrar wasn't in the train at the end and you had the comical sight of Robbie Hunter turning around to find him not there.

The other possibility was that they may have decided to just have Farrar sitting on Cav and Deano leading out Hunter as a double up. Hunter never had the legs if that was the case and they would have been better off running the three man train at the end.

Good on Cav though for proving the doubters wrong and especially the stupid French press who had written him off.

 

[Oldman]

Whether he has a broken wrist or not doesn't address the original question. It just reinforces that Cavendish was faster, a point made there.

He looks occasionally to see if anyone's started a jump. Cav has had clear vision to Renshaw or Farrar so he wouldn't look necessarily focus elsewhere. It's not really relevant except starting a jump with a gimpy wrist can't be good. You have to time the jump and acceleration or you just become another lead-out guy. Cav beat him because he got a good jump and continued to accelerate; when he hasn't had position he's backed off as with Pettachi's win.

 

[Anonymous]

Whether he has a broken wrist or not doesn't address the original question. It just reinforces that Cavendish was faster, a point made there.

You are right.

CAvendish was faster this morning than a much nicer, more humble person who was riding with a broken wrist and could only hold the bars with one hand.

Congratulations Cavendish.

 

[Oldman]

You are right.

CAvendish was faster this morning than a much nicer, more humble person who was riding with a broken wrist and could only hold the bars with one hand.

Congratulations Cavendish.

Give Cav his whole props. Tyler is nicer but, trust me; he is a sprinter and humility isn't excercised during the sprint. Lead out too slow and you'll get an earfull.

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

You are right.

CAvendish was faster this morning than a much nicer, more humble person who was riding with a broken wrist and could only hold the bars with one hand.

Congratulations Cavendish.

You're making our poor little Cavie cry:

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Mazda mazdago specifications

 

[scribe]

Cav should pull up at the line and point at his wrist in celebration, just to drive home that he is strongest.

 

[Ryaguas]

Tyler is still touched and is not in their best form, also Garmin is not making a good lead-out in the final Km they get lost or something cuz they don't explode the sprint... if you see Renshaw when he is like 800m from the Finish line he powers up the sprint and then Manxman finish the job... Garmin in the last Km are not exploding they dont have the timing neither Tyler but he is little by little getting it... now he just have to rest and w8 for the next sprint...

OFC Manxman is right now unbeatable and Renshaw is in his form and better than ever... HTC just have to delivers them until the last 1.5km and then Renshaw do the dirty job for Manxman...

 

[GoGarmin]

You are right.

CAvendish was faster this morning than a much nicer, more humble person who was riding with a broken wrist and could only hold the bars with one hand.

Congratulations Cavendish.

Nicely put!

 

[t.peliska]

Better luck next time.

HTC just had better timing. Renshaw was so patient, and Garmins support went too soon. They left Tyler out there to hang for too long. There was no way he was going to keep that for the whole last 600m with Cav just hanging behind Renshaw. Garmin even had 3 or 4 guys up there at one point. Boy did they botch that.

 

[erader]

what was farrar's excuse last year?

ed rader

 

[Cobblestones]

Garmin's sprint was an utter mess. It seemed like they were backing two horses with Hunter and Farrar. Vaughters should straighten out his team if he wants any results. Whatever tactics he's employing is stupid and not working. HTC smokes Garmin for breakfast. Wigans was right after all.

 

[Willy_Voet]

Cav is the more talented sprinter. Farrar is probably more likely to make it through hills or cobbles. I'd argue Farrar is tougher give his cracked wrist/elbow vs Cav's toothache causing a lack of form.

But to the OP, yes, Farrar shouldn't be looking around. For however crappy Phil and Paul are now, their comments of "Don't look 'round now!" are true. Focus on the finish line, not who's going to pass you.

 

[MacRoadie]

I said it last year and I'll say it again. In my mind, Cavendish has the best jump of anyone in the sport. Add that to a very well-rehearsed lead out train and that spells success more often than failure.

Garmin consistently rides to second place for two reasons: they still can't organize a proper lead-out train, and Farrar isn't from the same mold as Cav. He doesn't have a super-fast first jump but may be a higher top-end guy, more in line with Ale-Jet and Thor.

Today's sprint captured both those points very well, I think. The final 1.5K was a mess for everyone. Teams are on to the idea that you have to swarm HTC over and over to disrupt their train, but over and over, the HTC and Lampre boys were able to re-establish their leadout where Garmin was left all over the place (and if you listened to Robbie Hunter after the finish, thouroughly confused).

The other thing that was clear again, and you saw this over and over last year, is that Farrar is better able than most to react to Cav's acceleration, but needs more real estate to get up to speed. It often seems like Cav is running the 100 meter dash, when Farrar is running the 200. Unfortunately, the end result is moving up from 5th or 6th wheel to no better than second. He closes ground, but it's obviously too late.

 

[SpartacusRox]

You are right.

CAvendish was faster this morning than a much nicer, more humble person who was riding with a broken wrist and could only hold the bars with one hand.

Congratulations Cavendish.

mate , this is bike racing not a popularity contest. So what that Farrar is riding with a sore wrist, is Cav supposed to slow down and wait for him? If Pettachi had won today my bet is that you wouldn't be posting such rubbish.

 

[amp300]

Cav should pull up at the line and point at his wrist in celebration, just to drive home that he is strongest.

that made me laugh

 

[Willy_Voet]

Cav should pull up at the line and point at his wrist in celebration, just to drive home that he is strongest.

t3h funnay

 

[Oldman]

I said it last year and I'll say it again. In my mind, Cavendish has the best jump of anyone in the sport. Add that to a very well-rehearsed lead out train and that spells success more often than failure.

Garmin consistently rides to second place for two reasons: they still can't organize a proper lead-out train, and Farrar isn't from the same mold as Cav. He doesn't have a super-fast first jump but may be a higher top-end guy, more in line with Ale-Jet and Thor.

Today's sprint captured both those points very well, I think. The final 1.5K was a mess for everyone. Teams are on to the idea that you have to swarm HTC over and over to disrupt their train, but over and over, the HTC and Lampre boys were able to re-establish their leadout where Garmin was left all over the place (and if you listened to Robbie Hunter after the finish, thouroughly confused).

The other thing that was clear again, and you saw this over and over last year, is that Farrar is better able than most to react to Cav's acceleration, but needs more real estate to get up to speed. It often seems like Cav is running the 100 meter dash, when Farrar is running the 200. Unfortunately, the end result is moving up from 5th or 6th wheel to no better than second. He closes ground, but it's obviously too late.

Right again, Mac. It helps that Renshaw could likely win on his own.
When Tyler was younger he displayed the exact attributes you describe and several local guys can beat him on that 100-200 meter snap(locals that have beaten serious pros). That kind of kick is genetic and Cav has it and Tyler can't train it. He'll win if he gets an absolutley ballistic leadout because he has the top end but at this point Renshaw is completely using Garmin's and Lampre's trains if jhis doesn't materialize. Cav should be bowing before Mark.

 

[Biffins]

There are no special awards or titles or extra points for riding with a broken wrist. It cannot be used as an excuse. Noone forced Farrar to ride. If he wasn;t fit for the race, well he shouldn't have raced. If he was competing, then good. No excuses needed.

 

[jwbowman]

One of the questions. . .

that I wanted to see answered at this year's TdF was "Can anyone beat Cavendish?" With Farrar's injury, I won't get a clear answer. I hope Farrar can hang on through the mountain stages and will be closer to 100% health in the flat stages later on.

 

[Red Lobster]

Farrar definitely botched the last two sprints. Seems to be paying way too much attention to what Cav does and is not trusting his instincts. Looked like he perfectly anticipated Cav today but then second-guessed himself and backed off . . . Cav then jumped and got the gap you ain't gonna close. Farrar needs to trust his gut reactions and go with it.