Teams & Riders Mark Cavendish Discussion Thread

[SHAD0W93]

Tour de France dominance and world titles, tantrums and tears: Mark Cavendish's highlights reel

Cavendish was the defining sprinter of the century – Our editors pick through their best memories of the retiring 'Manx Missile'.

www.velonews.com

 

[FroomeWagon]

Quick question for those knowledgeable about sprinters ... is anyone surprised that Cav is still in the Giro? Can a sprinter ride a complete Giro and then be fresh for the TDF? Seems like his entire season's success will be judged on whether he can win a sprint in the TDF. I assumed he would ride the Giro for a week or so and then abandon.

Could this be related to Astana having a terrible season and needing UCI points?

 

[SHAD0W93]

Quick question for those knowledgeable about sprinters ... is anyone surprised that Cav is still in the Giro? Can a sprinter ride a complete Giro and then be fresh for the TDF? Seems like his entire season's success will be judged on whether he can win a sprint in the TDF. I assumed he would ride the Giro for a week or so and then abandon.

Could this be related to Astana having a terrible season and needing UCI points?

I’m honestly surprised that he is still present, on top of believing he could have won a stage or two(I hoped for four). It is good he has still finished inside the time limit. But I think his chance of winning was the first two sprint stages. In regards to the Tour if everyone is present, I think the best chance is in the first week when he is fresher. There was the report he could ride all the GTs this year, which I thought was crazy, but if he is retiring I could see him having a swan song in each. Hopefully he can win a stage in each of it does occur but that’s looking more and more unlikely.

Cav needs one more win to break out of his tie with Cipo on career wins and based of 2021 I thought he’d do it with ease. Same with catching up and passing Cipo on total GT stage wins but I thought his Giro would go a lot better last year with 5 wins and the points classification. I don’t know how completely factual it is but he’s also tied with Cipo on 15 years since first and last GT win which he could beat. I know Merckx and Hinault don’t reach that mark but unsure of past riders since I’m sure there might be a bigger gap due to WW2.

I’m also happy that he had the rebirth at Quickstep and didn’t retire on the extreme low points of 2017-2020. If all ends as it is currently, as a fan I’m a little disappointed since I think he could have won more GT stages and points classifications with a better head on his shoulders but with more success maybe he retires earlier after 2017’s mishaps started.

 

[skippo12]

Quick question for those knowledgeable about sprinters ... is anyone surprised that Cav is still in the Giro? Can a sprinter ride a complete Giro and then be fresh for the TDF? Seems like his entire season's success will be judged on whether he can win a sprint in the TDF. I assumed he would ride the Giro for a week or so and then abandon.

Could this be related to Astana having a terrible season and needing UCI points?

He finished the Giro in 2012 and 2013 and still won multiple stages in the Tour. But that was obviously a long time ago.

 

[Peyroteo94]

This man still has what it takes to win. Fantastic!! The man, the missile, the Goat of sprints!!! Now, just win one in the Tour!!

 

[Gigs_98]

So funny how a guy who peaked super early and had his best days before turning 27 will also go down in history for still being a world class sprinter at 38. Just a legendary sprinter.

 

[BigCoward]

Has anyone ever won as many final stages of grand tours?

 

[Peyroteo94]

Has anyone ever won as many final stages of grand tours?

He is tied with Super Mario

 

[theyoungest]

Who will bet against him beating that Tour record? This finish was just like Champs-Elysees...

 

[tobydawq]

He is tied with Super Mario

Seriously?

Pretty amazing if the man known for always abandoning when the mountains came has the record for most wins on the final day.

 

[Peyroteo94]

Seriously?

Pretty amazing if the man known for always abandoning when the mountains came has the record for most wins on the final day.

Sorry!! I didn't read well.... In my head, I was thinking you were asking who won more stages than Cav in GT's.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Cav gets his Giro win and passes Cipo as the sprinter with the most wins and is now the Giro’s oldest stage winner. If Cav gets on a roll and luck is on his side, he’s 3 away from drawing even with Cipo in GT stage wins. Crazy that his first Giro win was in 2008.

 

[jmdirt]

CAV!

 

[Krzysztof_O]

So 54 GT stages won by the legend. Now he's only three stages behind Cipollini (the best sprinter in this regard). Merckx with 64 wins is too far ahead.
EDIT: Cav has now 162 career wins: 1 more than...Cipollini.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

Who writes this man's scripts? There's one big win left though, isn't there?

 

[tobydawq]

Not only did he win his 54th GT stage today, he also got his best ever career GC result in a GT.

Then again, his previous best was 127th, and with only 125 riders finishing that would have been hard not to do.