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Teams & Riders Mark Cavendish Discussion Thread

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A shame about the gear issue, would have been good to see him able to go 100% to the line and I think it could have been close. Can't help feeling this was his best chance, with the number of sprinters in the mix it seems quite a battle to even get a chance to launch unless you have a monster like mvdp to position you, and surely there's more to come from the likes of Groenewegen / Jakobsen / Wout et al. But despite not getting a win Cav has been been pretty good so far so who knows.
 
A shame about the gear issue, would have been good to see him able to go 100% to the line and I think it could have been close. Can't help feeling this was his best chance, with the number of sprinters in the mix it seems quite a battle to even get a chance to launch unless you have a monster like mvdp to position you, and surely there's more to come from the likes of Groenewegen / Jakobsen / Wout et al. But despite not getting a win Cav has been been pretty good so far so who knows.
There’s always hope! But the main concern is getting through the mountains as well to prolong his chances.
 
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Far better for history to leave Cav/ Merckx poised equal at 34.

Like trying to separate, say, the winner of a hot dog eating contest from one involving chicken wings. (My original analogy was Cav as hot dogs vs Eddy as a contest to eat as far as possible through a degustation menu).

OFC Eddy’s wider palmares gets overlooked. Just as well for Cav not to provoke a comparison of results ex TdF (not that there is anything to be reticent about AT ALL in his own career).

But a super sad way to finish. Cue eulogies in the British Sunday papers.
 
Far better for history to leave Cav/ Merckx poised equal at 34.

Like trying to separate, say, the winner of a hot dog eating contest from one involving chicken wings. (My original analogy was Cav as hot dogs vs Eddy as a contest to eat as far as possible through a degustation menu).
I have thought about it and I can independently verify that this is a take.

Not one I agree with, but an absolute take nonetheless.
 
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OFC Eddy’s wider palmares gets overlooked. Just as well for Cav not to provoke a comparison of results ex TdF (not that there is anything to be reticent about AT ALL in his own career).
Does his wider palmares get overlooked though? Everyone I know considers Eddy the greatest cyclist of all time, I wouldn't say that one of his many records being beaten by someone achieving something very special in the one field they specialise in is a knock on Merckx at all. To me it actually emphasises how great Merckx was, that it takes someone with incredible longevity and periods of dominance to match one of his records.

Anyway, it's all moot now, looks like the end and a sad way to go out. I guess fate didn't have another Giro-style happy ending in line for him, and that's the way sport goes sometimes.
 
Cavendish has been quoted over the years some version of " that's bike racing " " and it sucks to crash but it's part of sprinting life". I personally didn't want to see him crash out, and in the heat of battle I was happy to see that other talented sprinters didn't gift him anything. He certainly doesn't have anything to regret in his career. Personal observation, I think Cav's combo of personality and performance was major in many programs. Can't think of Highroad without him,,one of the most popular racers in the last few decades.
And if he hanging up the bicycle completely, he accomplished as much on the track, awesome career.
 
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Cue eulogies in the British Sunday papers.
Headlines from parallele universe:

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That would be the point of having a leadout.

Today's performance really drove home that Cav could have been going for #50 by now if he were more consistent over the years when it comes to focus. There is just no one else that can launch like that.
He didn't have much of a choice in that sprint. He got an openning and did the right thing but he's never been a 400m sprinter. Shame it was his last chance at the Tour record.
 
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