Teams & Riders Mark Cavendish Discussion Thread

[jmdirt]

OK. Apart from his TDS stage win what else has he has since 2016 to back that claim?

We aren't talking about 2009 Cavendish. We're not even talking 2014.

He just beat Merlier at BBT.

 

[Pinot's goat]

OK. Apart from his TDS stage win what else has he has since 2016 to back that claim?

We aren't talking about 2009 Cavendish. We're not even talking 2014.

What he has done in 2017,2018, 2019 and 2020 has little relevance now, he is clearly much stronger than in any of those years.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Let’s just forget that 2017-2019 he was sick repeatedly with mono, injured, and hampered by crashes during this timeframe. Not to mention in 2017 he was in prime position on the stage to win if he was in 2016 shape. Than 2020 trying to get back into race shape. He has more wins now before the Tour than he did in 2010 and 2011 and has been on the unlucky side of some seconds he could have won. His biggest question is the endurance and stamina, not the sprint speed.

 

[SHAD0W93]

He just beat Merlier at BBT.

And on the unlucky side of Elfstedenronde. What would people be saying if on top of the wins he had and luck went his way, he won the races he finished second and third in and won all but one stage at Turkey. He’d be sitting at 11 wins and I’m sure majority would be saying it’d be crazy to leave him behind. His speed has progressively gotten better the more he has raced.

 

[Blanco]

The other thing is, that an in-form Cavendish, even without winning stages, can very well be in contention for green, especially if Sagan and Colbrelli need to do a lot of work, because their GC guys are doing well.

He only won it once, and it was at the heights of his powers. To think that he can do it this year, well I find it hilarious!

 

[Broccolidwarf]

OK. Apart from his TDS stage win what else has he has since 2016 to back that claim?

We aren't talking about 2009 Cavendish. We're not even talking 2014.

That he just beat Merlier, arguably the most successful sprinter this year, in a heads up sprint.

It's of course a small foundation, but he looked good, for the first time in years.

 

[Broccolidwarf]

He only won it once, and it was at the heights of his powers. To think that he can do it this year, well I find it hilarious!

There is 8 sprint stages, and plenty of others for breaks.

It's not like anyone is saying he is climbing with the GC riders.

 

[42x16ss]

Mark Cavendish interview: I’d love to go to the Tour de France if Sam Bennett cannot

Briton says he is sure Bennett will only go if he is 100 per cent fit and that the Irishman will do "what's best for the team"

www.telegraph.co.uk

He is now training as if he is going to the Tour, I could not read beyond that as it is paywalled.

He needs another 2-3 weeks to be ready.

Cavendish should be going to Poland and the Vuelta, if his form continues to build he certainly could take a couple of stage wins, but the TDF? Too much too soon.

 

[SHAD0W93]

He only won it once, and it was at the heights of his powers. To think that he can do it this year, well I find it hilarious!

True it is laughable. Though he only has 1 from his own doing. Without shooting himself in the foot in 09 and the Hushovd point deduction debacle and 10 giving up when Petacchi went by him, he could have 3 green jerseys. Without Ferrari taking him out in the 12 Giro he would have 2 (if he stills returns or finishes the 13 Giro) Giro jerseys. Putting him at 6(5) point classification victories.

 

[SafeBet]

i think the reality check will come not in the sprints but when he is OTL in one of the mountain stages.

How many riders actually finish OTL in the Tour nowadays? The time limits are ridiculously high.

 

[Pinot's goat]

How many riders actually finish OTL in the Tour nowadays? The time limits are ridiculously high.

Even at his worst in 2018, Cav made the time on the much harder Romme/Colombiere stage so I give him a good chance of making it through the mountains given his form.

 

[Eeslliw]

i think the reality check will come not in the sprints but when he is OTL in one of the mountain stages.

That. People are foregetting that TDF stages are full on all the time. There is no soft pedaling till 10k from sprint finish. Some team will always have plan to work and make it hard.

 

[Barnacle Bill]

Seems Bennett will be going

Mark Cavendish set to miss Tour de France selection with Sam Bennett cleared to race

Irishman recovers from knee injury and secures place in Deceuninck-QuickStep line-up

www.cyclingnews.com

 

[spalco]

Seems Bennett will be going

Mark Cavendish set to miss Tour de France selection with Sam Bennett cleared to race

Irishman recovers from knee injury and secures place in Deceuninck-QuickStep line-up

www.cyclingnews.com

Maybe better for Cavendish himself also, as much as I would love to see him seriously compete in the Tour again.

I would be so happy if he could squeak out another win on the Champs Elysees. Maybe next year!

 

[SHAD0W93]

Seems Bennett will be going

Mark Cavendish set to miss Tour de France selection with Sam Bennett cleared to race

Irishman recovers from knee injury and secures place in Deceuninck-QuickStep line-up

www.cyclingnews.com

So ends the pipe dream….
On to the Vuelta!

 

[spalco]

So ends the pipe dream….
On to the Vuelta!

He still has some work to do to get into double digit stage wins in the Vuelta anyway.

 

[yaco]

He needs another 2-3 weeks to be ready.

Cavendish should be going to Poland and the Vuelta, if his form continues to build he certainly could take a couple of stage wins, but the TDF? Too much too soon.

Poland and the Vuelta overlap in 2021 - You are having a bad two days - Vuelta is a possibility.

 

[SHAD0W93]

He still has some work to do to get into double digit stage wins in the Vuelta anyway.

Exactly! He could be the first to get double digits in all the GTs! Even easier if he didn’t get out of form in 10 as he could have won all 7 stages potentially or 11 if he didn’t get sick before withdrawing a little later.
But go to the Vuelta, get a GT in the legs as it has been too long and continue building. If Petacchi can pull a couple fast ones at 35+ he can too.

 

[42x16ss]

Poland and the Vuelta overlap in 2021 - You are having a bad two days - Vuelta is a possibility.

So they do. He's certainly worth a ride at the Vuelta but not the TDF, even if Bennett wasn't ok.

Also, how does not licking Cavendish's boots = a bad day?

 

[Pinot's goat]

I doubt Cavendish will be interested in La Vuelta if he wasn't even sure he wanted to do the Tour. I think DQS will just send the climbing squad to Spain.

 

[yaco]

So they do. He's certainly worth a ride at the Vuelta but not the TDF, even if Bennett wasn't ok.

Also, how does not licking Cavendish's boots = a bad day?

It's a bad day when you claim that Cavendish was riding the TDS rather than the Belgium day - It also seems you didn't watch any stages from the Belgium Tour - It's a bad day when you claim 'not to be licking Cavendish's boots, especially when my post gave no opinion of whether Cavendish should ride the TDF - Effectively your posted facts are not facts at all.

 

[42x16ss]

It's a bad day when you claim that Cavendish was riding the TDS rather than the Belgium day - It also seems you didn't watch any stages from the Belgium Tour - It's a bad day when you claim 'not to be licking Cavendish's boots, especially when my post gave no opinion of whether Cavendish should ride the TDF - Effectively your posted facts are not facts at all.

Dang, it was Baloise Tour too facepalm

Still, yeah racing was certainly on from what I saw and Cav is moving in the right direction for sure, but it's not enough to convince me he's ready for the TDF.

And again, winning a stage of the Baloise Tour is a fair cry from winning a first week bunch sprint at the TDF.

He should certainly go to the Vuelta if he wants to though. There, fixed it for you.

 

[Red Rick]

I don't understand why he'd come back if it was to not go to try and win GT stages if the miracle comeback happened.

 

[spalco]

I don't understand why he'd come back if it was to not go to try and win GT stages if the miracle comeback happened.

Going to the Tour is more exhausting than the Vuelta though. Going to France makes most sense if he's racing all the way to Paris; in the Vuelta he could abandon before the mountains. And media/public pressure is a lot stronger, as well as the competition. Doesn't make sense (at least as he said, maybe half jokingly, without extra pay), especially since he didn't plan his season for it to begin with.

 

[jmdirt]

Dang, it was Baloise Tour too facepalm

Still, yeah racing was certainly on from what I saw and Cav is moving in the right direction for sure, but it's not enough to convince me he's ready for the TDF.

And again, winning a stage of the Baloise Tour is a fair cry from winning a first week bunch sprint at the TDF.

He should certainly go to the Vuelta if he wants to though. There, fixed it for you.

Not to flog this dead horse for too long, but...
My pause with your stance on Cav is that you listed Merlier as one of the best sprinter right now, but gave Cav no chance to win a big field spring even though he just edged out Merlier at BBT. Its not a far cry from beating him at the TdF. If anything, Cav has an advantage over Merlier at the TdF because he's been there done that. Granted, there will be more top speedsters in France. I guess it doesn't matter anyway since Cav isn't going.