Teams & Riders Mark Cavendish Discussion Thread

[Hawkwood]

Lol, giving up road for track?

He's taken up commentating on the track events for the BBC. Seems happy enough despite being reminded constantly that he hasn't got an Olympic gold!

 

[JimmyFingers]

He still wants gold badly, and track represents his best chance, and he has unfinished business after Beijing. He'll still be riding the road, probably in a similar way to Geraint Thomas has, if he does go for the track team for Rio 2016.

Expect him on the road for at least the next 3 years though. Plenty of time to smash Merckx's stage win tally.

He won't be a Sky shirt though, I don't think

 

[JimmyFingers]

Oh and supposedly he fancies the Team Pursuit

 

[The Hitch]

Oh and supposedly he fancies the Team Pursuit

Wiggins also wants to win gold in RIo, and at 36 he would for the tt probably need not just Cancellara and Martin, but also Phinney and Cameron Meyer and Durbridge to break their hands , so Wiggins and Cav on the tp is a possibility.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

Oh and supposedly he fancies the Team Pursuit

I know he was talking about that on the BBC but it just does not seem like his event?

 

[El Pistolero]

Just because you don't think much of the track I don't see why it it so lol. Funny how you complain about riders not being multi-dimensional e.g. only sprinters but if they compete in different disciplines such as track or cycle cross then you dislike them.

Besides, depending on the event he chooses he can combine the two.

I hate it when people combine 2 sports in cycling.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

I hate it when people combine 2 sports in cycling.

Why......?

 

[The Hitch]

I hate it when people combine 2 sports in cycling.

Do you also hate it when cyclists have say blue eyes, or wear white shoes or eat Spagheti?

 

[JimmyFingers]

I know he was talking about that on the BBC but it just does not seem like his event?

I agree: scratch race, Madison, points race seem more his style, although not all are Olympic events at the moment. Also would his size be a dis-advantage in the TP? They say he's very difficult to draft because he is so diminutive, in TP surely that is one of the key elements: 4 men moving through the air as one.

 

[simo1733]

Wiggins also wants to win gold in RIo, and at 36 he would probably need Phinney and Cameron Meyer and Durbridge as well as Cancellara and Martin to break their hands, so Wiggins and Cav on the tp is a possibility.

I am sure Wiggins 6'3" would love to ride behind Cavendish 5' 7 1/2"

 

[JimmyFingers]

Wiggins also wants to win gold in RIo, and at 36 he would probably need Phinney and Cameron Meyer and Durbridge as well as Cancellara and Martin to break their hands, so Wiggins and Cav on the tp is a possibility.

Would be interesting if Wiggins moved back to the track, I believe he has mentioned it. I get the feeling with the road Wiggins has marked that off his bucket list now, whether he's going to make a serious tilt at further Grand Tours is up for debate, particularly with the emergence of Froome who strikes me as a more natural GT rider. I reckon he fancies getting the rainbow jersey and there's talk of him wanting Paris-Roubaix

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

I agree: scratch race, Madison, points race seem more his style, although not all are Olympic events at the moment.

Yep, you're right. With the cutting of Olympic track events I am not sure there is anything he could medal in or would actually be the best rider for. That said if he could win a medal in the Omnium I for one would be mightily impressed

 

[JimmyFingers]

I just hope the IOC re-instate some of those races, real shame that with such a beautiful velodrome there are so few events. Swimming gets 34, the track gets 10

 

[spalco]

lol, cue Pistolero's head exploding - Cav for double World Championship.

 

[Hawkwood]

Cav's a studio pundit for the BBC track coverage, and he's not bad, quite a difference seeing him relaxed and not his normal fired up self at the end of a race.

 

[Carlo Algatrensig]

Yep, you're right. With the cutting of Olympic track events I am not sure there is anything he could medal in or would actually be the best rider for. That said if he could win a medal in the Omnium I for one would be mightily impressed

I'd have thought the Omnium would be perfect for someone like Cav

A Flying 250m
Points race
Devil take the Hindmost
4k pursuit
Scratch race
1K Time trial

Those 6 events would surely suit a rider like Cav especially the mass start and flying 250

 

[El Pistolero]

lol, cue Pistolero's head exploding - Cav for double World Championship.

Not really, Cav is yesterday's news. It's all about Sagan these days.

 

[MartinGT]

Cav's a studio pundit for the BBC track coverage, and he's not bad, quite a difference seeing him relaxed and not his normal fired up self at the end of a race.

I have to say I have really enjoyed watching him, hes a good laugh and really enthusuastic.

 

[cineteq]

Not really, Cav is yesterday's news. It's all about Sagan these days.

Hmmm...are you finally converted as fanboy? If so, welcome!

 

[King Of The Wolds]

I am sure Wiggins 6'3" would love to ride behind Cavendish 5' 7 1/2"

He wouldn't necessarily need to in a 4 man team pursuit, of course. Besides, Wiggins is so insanely strong and our TP team are so much better than the others, that it would hardly be an issue.

Actually, Cav would be excellent on a TP. He's always done a really good 4km or so on the road, and putting in a small handful of fast, punchy 250m efforts obviously plays to his strengths.

 

[King Of The Wolds]

Not really, Cav is yesterday's news. It's all about Sagan these days.

2016 is a long way off. Cav will be 31. It's impossible to predict who will be the pre-eminent sprinter of the day. Cav came from nowhere. Sagan, too. Who's to say the dominant sprinter of 2016 is not on the radar at all yet? Saying that, if Sagan, as a sprinter at least, ever gets to the level that Cav's at now, I'll be surprised.

 

[Tei6chai]

2016 is a long way off. Cav will be 31. It's impossible to predict who will be the pre-eminent sprinter of the day. Cav came from nowhere. Sagan, too.

You obviously haven't been paying attention.

Both Cav's and Sagan's successes were years in the making, and blindingly obvious for 3-5 years before they reached their most recent peaks.

In both cases the only surprise was that their respective trade teams didn't give them the leadership earlier.

 

[avanti]

Orla Chennaoui ‏@SkyOrla
Mark Cavendish says he's considering going back to the track for 2016 live on @skysportsnews

Sounds like the lack of an Olympic medal is still niggling at him. Back to the Madison perhaps?

No madison in the Olympics currently. I think his best fit would be the team sprint (and possibly the keirin or omnium).

 

[JimmyFingers]

He would have to bulk up massively to be a track sprinter. He's much better off at the endurance races, so pursuit possibly, but Omnium if they keep it, and Madison, Points or scratch race if they re-introduce any of them (and they should)

 

[dake36]

I have to say I have really enjoyed watching him, hes a good laugh and really enthusuastic.

Likewise. What comes across more than anything is that he really is a fan of the sport.