Kuurne Brussels Kuurne 1.1 26/02

[El Pistolero]

Would of liked to of seen a better showing from Greipel but it looked as though he got blocked off. It would of been interesting to see Greipel in straight out battle with Cav here but it wasnt to be.

Yup... By Kenny van Hummel...

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

But even Greipel said it was not Kenny van Hummel's fault. Van Hummel only tried to follow Cavendish...

Greipel said himself he waited too long

 

[danjo007]

greipel is an idiot. what sort of statement is "i would have beaten cavendish for sure"... he didnt! end of story! stfu greipel !

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

It's the sort of statement that is interpreted in to whatever Cav says when he loses, and he is then criticised for, whether or not he actually said it.

 

[Winterfold]

Greipel has been doing a good job of repairing his image IMO but that comment is a complete brain-fart.

I did think Cav had gone too early when he went, so can see why he might think that, but he got boxed.

Life happens, you didn't win, no point spouting 'what ifs'.

PS nice deconstruction of the Sky PR drivel by Libertine. They have become a good bike team by er doing all the basics really well, hiring great riders, developing a strong team ethic and learning some humility. It's a revolution in pro cycling...

Strobes on the bus roof! violet-tinged powerpoint! FFS!

 

[El Pistolero]

It's the sort of statement that is interpreted in to whatever Cav says when he loses, and he is then criticised for, whether or not he actually said it.

Cav says it plenty of times. You could see his face turn into a jealous sad panda when he heard Boonen won G-W last year.

 

[richtea]

I love the banter between the sprinters myself, it certainly partly compensates for some boring racing. Farrar gets it completely wrong, he's poor on the road and in the media.

 

[SiAp1984]

It was no smart comment by Greipel for sure. As he has already proven strong form this year (against world class fiels including Cav) it woul dhave been better just to state dissapointment. However, I wonder how Greipel constantly comes out in sprints in bad positions. He is quite often boxed in and prevented from showing his pure power (which, on good days, surely would be a serious threat for Cav). It seems like Greipel is just not too good in keeping his good position without a train. Yesterday, in the last 1000 m, he had none. Guys like McEwen, Zabel, Steels were - and Cav in a way is - able to win a sprint without any train. Is there any way to improve in that field for Greipel?

 

[hatcher]

Cav says it plenty of times. You could see his face turn into a jealous sad panda when he heard Boonen won G-W last year.

Can you actually back that up with facts? I've never heard Cav say he would definitely have beaten someone.

It was arrogance of the highest order from Greipel. Show a bit of class Andre. Disgusting.

 

[El Pistolero]

Can you actually back that up with facts? I've never heard Cav say he would definitely have beaten someone.

It was arrogance of the highest order from Greipel. Show a bit of class Andre. Disgusting.

Just look for G-W 2011 vids on youtube.

 

[hatcher]

Just look for G-W 2011 vids on youtube.

He doesn't say anything remotely resembling "I would have won".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8uTBXe66TU

 

[El Pistolero]

He doesn't say anything remotely resembling "I would have won".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8uTBXe66TU

That's not the vid I'm talking about

 

[frandy]

Ha great commennts andre not,youve been cav's bit** for years lol or is e gettin confident for beating cav in oman after having tour d under in da legs.

 

[El Pistolero]

Because Cav didn't have the Tour of Qatar in his legs right?

 

[hatcher]

That's not the vid I'm talking about

The vid you are talking about is really really really hard to find.

 

[Stingray34]

At least Andre blames himself for hesitaing a second too long. Renshaw on the other hand blames Spidertech entirely. Naturally, everyone should get out of the lead-out man's way. Show some respect. Racing is when you let superior riders beat you because they say they are superior.

 

[frandy]

Because Cav didn't have the Tour of Qatar in his legs right?

True i forgot he pulled out but andre needs to realise what hes saying and how stupid he looks cuz cav has owned him for years

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I really dislike the continual putting down of Greipel. I don't see why. The guy has on occasion said some daft things, but coming from Cavendish fans, picking on the guy saying some daft things is ridiculous and hypocritical.

André Greipel is a more versatile cyclist than Cavendish has been at any point save for 2009. André Greipel is also one of the best sprinters in the world. He's not the best, because Cavendish is. But he's not rubbish, or even comparatively rubbish. He's just not as good as peak form Cavendish, which is no shame, because that applies to any sprinter not named "Mark Cavendish".

The guy has beaten Cavendish cleanly in a sprint when Cavendish was trying, in July. There are not many riders out there today who can say that. He's not winning as much as he used to perhaps, but that's because in the old days he was being forced to do those races Cavendish deemed beneath him, and face off with second tier sprinters he was clearly better than. Nowadays he has to face the élite sprinters, and after a few teething problems early last year, he's acquitting himself well. Greipel has top end speed to match pretty much anyone; he doesn't have the same acceleration as Cavendish, however, and his positional sense is inconsistent.

I get the feeling Cavendish has, maybe unintentionally, conducted a very effective smear campaign on Greipel based on their own personal animosity that has led to a lot of his quotes about him being taken as read.

 

[Froome19]

I really dislike the continual putting down of Greipel. I don't see why. The guy has on occasion said some daft things, but coming from Cavendish fans, picking on the guy saying some daft things is ridiculous and hypocritical.

André Greipel is a more versatile cyclist than Cavendish has been at any point save for 2009. André Greipel is also one of the best sprinters in the world. He's not the best, because Cavendish is. But he's not rubbish, or even comparatively rubbish. He's just not as good as peak form Cavendish, which is no shame, because that applies to any sprinter not named "Mark Cavendish".

The guy has beaten Cavendish cleanly in a sprint when Cavendish was trying, in July. There are not many riders out there today who can say that. He's not winning as much as he used to perhaps, but that's because in the old days he was being forced to do those races Cavendish deemed beneath him, and face off with second tier sprinters he was clearly better than. Nowadays he has to face the élite sprinters, and after a few teething problems early last year, he's acquitting himself well. Greipel has top end speed to match pretty much anyone; he doesn't have the same acceleration as Cavendish, however, and his positional sense is inconsistent.

I get the feeling Cavendish has, maybe unintentionally, conducted a very effective smear campaign on Greipel based on their own personal animosity that has led to a lot of his quotes about him being taken as read.

Not very hard in 7 or so tries to in one beat Cav, as has been said sprinting is a bit of lottery so for Greipel to win one doesn't mean anything.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Not very hard in 7 or so tries to in one beat Cav, as has been said sprinting is a bit of lottery so for Greipel to win one doesn't mean anything.

Tell that to the huge number of sprinters who've failed to beat Cavendish at any point. Beating Cavendish in a sprint in the Tour is a big achievement. In the last 3 years only Petacchi, Greipel and Farrar have done that; on Farrar's win Cav was boxed in, on Petacchi's one Cav sat up after Ale-Jet went round him and didn't contest it. Greipel simply outpaced and outmuscled him. And Cavendish is the best sprinter in the world, so beating him full stop means something, unless you're saying that Cavendish isn't actually as good as we think he is.

The only guy who has had any kind of record of beating Cavendish with any kind of regularity is Petacchi.

 

[spalco]

I kind of like Greipel too, and agree he's a very good sprinter; but he's failed at converting his speed into wins too many times to just be unlucky imo.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

I really dislike the continual putting down of Greipel. I don't see why. The guy has on occasion said some daft things, but coming from Cavendish fans, picking on the guy saying some daft things is ridiculous and hypocritical.

André Greipel is a more versatile cyclist than Cavendish has been at any point save for 2009. André Greipel is also one of the best sprinters in the world. He's not the best, because Cavendish is. But he's not rubbish, or even comparatively rubbish. He's just not as good as peak form Cavendish, which is no shame, because that applies to any sprinter not named "Mark Cavendish".

The guy has beaten Cavendish cleanly in a sprint when Cavendish was trying, in July. There are not many riders out there today who can say that. He's not winning as much as he used to perhaps, but that's because in the old days he was being forced to do those races Cavendish deemed beneath him, and face off with second tier sprinters he was clearly better than. Nowadays he has to face the élite sprinters, and after a few teething problems early last year, he's acquitting himself well. Greipel has top end speed to match pretty much anyone; he doesn't have the same acceleration as Cavendish, however, and his positional sense is inconsistent.

I get the feeling Cavendish has, maybe unintentionally, conducted a very effective smear campaign on Greipel based on their own personal animosity that has led to a lot of his quotes about him being taken as read.

Yeah, agree with most of that. Greipel has shown plenty of class during and after a race - he's invariably the first to congratulate Cav after Cav has crossed the line first. I'll forgive him this one comment, which was probably made when the adrenalin was still flowing and the frustration and disappointment was high.

I think any animosity between the pair has gone now though. They've both moved on and probably realise that they actually like and respect each other - Cav's even said some nice things about Andre. And I think he realises that he's the only guy who can really challenge him.

 

[Angliru]

greipel is an idiot. what sort of statement is "i would have beaten cavendish for sure"... he didnt! end of story! stfu greipel !

This coming from someone with some form of Gumby as his avatar.

 

[Angliru]

greipel is an idiot. what sort of statement is "i would have beaten cavendish for sure"... he didnt! end of story! stfu greipel !

Is there a link to this to confirm this quote?

 

[Angliru]

At least Andre blames himself for hesitaing a second too long. Renshaw on the other hand blames Spidertech entirely. Naturally, everyone should get out of the lead-out man's way. Show some respect. Racing is when you let superior riders beat you because they say they are superior.

I laughed at that. First he complains about Spidertech knocking him off of Cavendish's wheel. Then he states that it was a constant battle for Cavendish's wheel, a battle that he ultimately lost. Who did he knock off of Cavendish's wheel before he took it?