Teams & Riders Mark Cavendish Discussion Thread

[SHAD0W93]

Who knows... I didn't believe it before the Tour, but if you win once, winning another isn't outlandish.

I didn’t believe last year towards the end of the year and thought it was time to hang them up. I’m ecstatic he didn’t listen to anyone and is back. All year he has been getting better. In Turkey I said he’d win 6 and Belgium 1 and he got 4 and 1. Before the Tour I said 5 and green. Still far to go but there’s a chance. The key is the mountains.

 

[Salvarani]

It is quite amazing.

This year he has really been hitting his stride again in upwards trajectory. He got more wins coming into this race than some of the others guys tbf. Sure in some lesser races, but still. In some of those he has beaten most of them. With confidence and being in good shape anything is possible.

Im sure the other sprinters, who tbh doesnt look to be in the best form or those who have crashed, might find it difficult here.

Cavendish also have a very strong team around him. Maybe the best sprint train in the world around him. He doesnt have to fight for position and can save a little bit in that way. Small stuff that can make the difference in the end. If he has the legs and power to execute it then it will be very interesting to see if he has a shot at the record.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

I still have my doubts he can make Paris, so any talk of green and the stage record is premature. Not that any of that matters right now. He's just won another stage of the Tour - an almost unbelievable achievement given where he was, even a year ago.

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Worth digging out this old account for - utterly delighted for him.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

What a comeback by the legend! TdF stage victory again after 5 years. Half of the peleton was congratulating him. Chapeau bas!

 

[pastronef]

B E A U T I F U L

priceless

after all the struggles, and jokes, and critics, and naysayers

wow

 

[RedheadDane]

So, there's a sign that... needed a little updating!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1409904177644515336

And here's a video:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1409903073305190404

 

[Samu Cuenca]

So, there's a sign that... needed a little updating!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1409904177644515336

And here's a video:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1409903073305190404

He also needs to add that he's now won there in 2021 as well.

 

[jmdirt]

WOOOOHOOO! Cav!
Congrats old man!

 

[SHAD0W93]

Mark Cavendish: I didn't think I'd get to come back to the Tour de France

Manxman wins first Tour stage since 2016

www.cyclingnews.com

 

[dusty red roads]

Great stuff!

 

[jmdirt]

Lefevere: The whole staff was crying after Cavendish's Tour de France stage 4 win

'If you're not emotional now, you will never be' says Deceuninck-QuickStep boss

www.cyclingnews.com

 

[Manx Felipe]

I'm speechless. Cav winning a stage and back in green. What a comeback! Now for 3 more...

 

[SHAD0W93]

I just saw the helicopter view. He had 9 riders ahead of him, surfed up to Philipsin’s wheel by himself, came around, and won by a bike length on an uphill finish. His form is massive right now.
Very reminiscent of his 2015 win.

View: https://youtu.be/ZN5VEplEovg

 

[FroomeWagon]

Huge win. Congrats Cav

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Fantastic to see.

 

[red_flanders]

I'm speechless. Cav winning a stage and back in green. What a comeback! Now for 3 more...

I think the record of 34 really puts a tiny part of what Merckx did into perspective. The best sprinter of the era hasn't even been able to match his number of wins in the Tour. This is while he was winning 5 Tours, the Maillot Pois, the green jersey...just...staggering what he did, really.

 

[spalco]

I think the record of 34 really puts a tiny part of what Merckx did into perspective. The best sprinter of the era hasn't even been able to match his number of wins in the Tour. This is while he was winning 5 Tours, the Maillot Pois, the green jersey...just...staggering what he did, really.

Merckx also has dozens of gt stage podium finishes (would have to look up the precise number), which Cav doesn't. He almost always won when he got into the top3.

 

[BigCoward]

Merckx also has dozens of gt stage podium finishes (would have to look up the precise number), which Cav doesn't. He almost always won when he got into the top3.

Merckx always reminds me of Nicholas in golf. Nicholas also was 2nd about 20 times in majors.
Both insanely consistent and driven.

 

[dgodave]

I used to dislike Cav a long time back as I found him kind of cocky or entitled.

Then I started appreciating his fairly technical interview summaries of races.

Now Im a fan because I realize how much bike racing means to him.

 

[Manx Felipe]

I think the record of 34 really puts a tiny part of what Merckx did into perspective. The best sprinter of the era hasn't even been able to match his number of wins in the Tour. This is while he was winning 5 Tours, the Maillot Pois, the green jersey...just...staggering what he did, really.

I wouldn't be surprised if Cav gets to 34 and stops because he respects cycling and the greats of the sport, but records are there to be broken and if he were to equal or even surpass it, then given what he has been through the last few years and the different generations of sprinters he has been up against through his career, it would be a remarkable achievement and I reckon Eddy Merckx would be the first to congratulate him.

 

[Biggut]

I used to dislike Cav a long time back as I found him kind of cocky or entitled.

Then I started appreciating his fairly technical interview summaries of races.

Now Im a fan because I realize how much bike racing means to him.

I never understood this view of Cav as entitled. I will never forget the interview after his 2011 World Champs win. He not only talked about the 7 other guys on the team. He thanked all of the riders who had busted their nuts chasing the points all season to get GB 8 riders in the race. He’s always been a humble guy thankful for those around him.

 

[canarydan23]

I never understood this view of Cav as entitled. I will never forget the interview after his 2011 World Champs win. He not only talked about the 7 other guys on the team. He thanked all of the riders who had busted their nuts chasing the points all season to get GB 8 riders in the race. He’s always been a humble guy thankful for those around him.

Yep. I read Jens Voigt's book and he spoke about a time in a stage (I think it was in TdF) when Cavendish helped him on a descent to try and get him back to the peloton and Voigt was surprised a millionaire rider like him would do such a thing. He's always had a heart of gold, but he wears that golden heart on his sleeve which sometimes leads to the odd outburst.

 

[Red Rick]

Merckx also has dozens of gt stage podium finishes (would have to look up the precise number), which Cav doesn't. He almost always won when he got into the top3.

Yeah. Cav in his prime just didn't almost never got beaten for speed and I'm pretty sure he won like 90% of sprints he contested for a few years.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

There are six more probable sprints to go in this Tour. If one guy establishes dominance over the others in what is a very thin sprinting field, a lot of wins are possible. That could be Merlier, but it could be Cav...