Teams & Riders Mark Cavendish Discussion Thread

[PremierAndrew]

Re: Re:

No one seriously expected Cav to be competitive in this first week did they? With crashes and so much missed racing this year he needs the tour to ride himself into any kind of form. If he gets round he might have a chance at the Champs stage but other than that I’ll be surprised if he gets higher than a top 5.

That said, I don’t think he’s spent and should ride at least another season if he can stay fit and upright.

Good post. I agree with all of this.

Even if Cav is on the decline, he can at least HOLD groenewegen's wheel when he's in any sort of shape.

He's got a couple more seasons at least being competitive

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re: Re:

it’s not always the fastest guy that wins.

Doha

 

[therealthing]

Yet again a hugely embarrassing performance- he seems to lack any real drive or desire to move up in the last 500m

 

[MatParker117]

Re:

Yet again a hugely embarrassing performance- he seems to lack any real drive or desire to move up in the last 500m

Think he slipped a gear.

 

[perico]

He looks scared. Like the crashes have completely messed his head up. look at Greipel today. He’s older than Cav and is refinding his form.

 

[Jspear]

He was on Sagans wheel for a bit, but he just didn’t have the resolve or strength to bust through the way Sagan did.

 

[thehog]

Most telling is Cav can’t even find anything to complain about

 

[jmdirt]

I agree with others that Cav just doesn't have the hours/race hours in this season to battle in the last K. Can he ride into form? Maybe, but realistically we shouldn't expect much until La Vuelta.

I also wonder if he is going slower, or the others are going faster?

 

[SHAD0W93]

At least my prediction was right and he beat Greipel on a technicality.

If he survives the mountains hopefully that helps him get form.

 

[tobydawq]

Re:

I agree with others that Cav just doesn't have the hours/race hours in this season to battle in the last K. Can he ride into form? Maybe, but realistically we shouldn't expect much until La Vuelta.

I also wonder if he is going slower, or the others are going faster?

I think it's a combination and to be honest, the sprinting field of Cav's prime was very poor. I mean, José Joaquín Rojas was one of his prime rivals (he has declined dramatically sprinting wise since, of course). It was only when Greipel began doing the Tour, he got a decent opponent.

That's not to take anything away from Cav (at least not too much) but it is the reality. I think any of Kittel, Gaviria, Groenewegen and Greipel would have dominated like Cav if they had been in his position (with regards to team support and opponent field) in their prime.

 

[GuyIncognito]

I agree with that. He was great, but at the same time even Zabel - his coach at the time - admitted the field was very weak and the challenge would be when a new generation came through

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

I agree with others that Cav just doesn't have the hours/race hours in this season to battle in the last K. Can he ride into form? Maybe, but realistically we shouldn't expect much until La Vuelta.

I also wonder if he is going slower, or the others are going faster?

I think it's a combination and to be honest, the sprinting field of Cav's prime was very poor. I mean, José Joaquín Rojas was one of his prime rivals (he has declined dramatically sprinting wise since, of course). It was only when Greipel began doing the Tour, he got a decent opponent.

That's not to take anything away from Cav (at least not too much) but it is the reality. I think any of Kittel, Gaviria, Groenewegen and Greipel would have dominated like Cav if they had been in his position (with regards to team support and opponent field) in their prime.

So the field was terrible in 2016 too?

 

[Jspear]

Re: Re:

I agree with others that Cav just doesn't have the hours/race hours in this season to battle in the last K. Can he ride into form? Maybe, but realistically we shouldn't expect much until La Vuelta.

I also wonder if he is going slower, or the others are going faster?

I think it's a combination and to be honest, the sprinting field of Cav's prime was very poor. I mean, José Joaquín Rojas was one of his prime rivals (he has declined dramatically sprinting wise since, of course). It was only when Greipel began doing the Tour, he got a decent opponent.

That's not to take anything away from Cav (at least not too much) but it is the reality. I think any of Kittel, Gaviria, Groenewegen and Greipel would have dominated like Cav if they had been in his position (with regards to team support and opponent field) in their prime.

So the field was terrible in 2016 too?

My mind went straight to this.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Not to mention destroying Greipel in 11 and moving to Sky definitely did not help him. Farrar, Hushovd, and Pettachi were still fast in 08-11 as well.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

I agree with others that Cav just doesn't have the hours/race hours in this season to battle in the last K. Can he ride into form? Maybe, but realistically we shouldn't expect much until La Vuelta.

I also wonder if he is going slower, or the others are going faster?

I think it's a combination and to be honest, the sprinting field of Cav's prime was very poor. I mean, José Joaquín Rojas was one of his prime rivals (he has declined dramatically sprinting wise since, of course). It was only when Greipel began doing the Tour, he got a decent opponent.

That's not to take anything away from Cav (at least not too much) but it is the reality. I think any of Kittel, Gaviria, Groenewegen and Greipel would have dominated like Cav if they had been in his position (with regards to team support and opponent field) in their prime.

So the field was terrible in 2016 too?

No but Kittel certainly didn't have his 2013-14, 17 legs.

It was obviously the years 2008-11 I was talking about.

 

[King Boonen]

When Kittel came on the scene people said Cav was done and his stage wins might be matched. Instead he won more when fit. Next Gaviria was the big thing on the scene and he’s already been surpassed by Groenewegen in flat tour sprints. I’m sure if Cav comes back and has a brilliant year next year then people will claim the current crop of sprinters had an off year, weren’t as good as everyone said. Cav made his opposition look ordinary, who’s to say he wouldn’t be doing the same to these guys if he was young and had his HTC train? He dominated the previous generation, his generation and some of the next generation and he may still have some stages left if he gets fit and has a decent run at it.

 

[MartinGT]

I was thinking last night.

I wonder if the big thing for Cavendish is psychological. He now has a family and a lot of riders who have kids seem to lose that smash through a brick wall edge. The crashes have no doubt taken their toll, but I dunno recently he doesn't seem to have that switch the sprinters seem to turn off their brains that alerts them to danger.

I hope he can be competitive in the remaining sprints at least, that would be encouraging.

 

[macbindle]

Re:

Don't think he'll get round this Tour.

As predicted.

Cav well outside time limit

 

[AQETUYIOI]

Did he intentionally crash into one of the cameramen?
https://twitter.com/Staghoj/status/...9249921&ref_url=https://www.tv2.no/a/9977668/

 

[Screecher]

Re:

Did he intentionally crash into one of the cameramen?
https://twitter.com/Staghoj/status/...9249921&ref_url=https://www.tv2.no/a/9977668/

Hard to say. It could have been just exhaustion. It did LOOK intentional though.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Yes because he is intentionally going to attack a cameraman not in his way. He was probably beyond exhausted from last 2 days and his lack of any race miles the last 2 seasons.

Hopefully he can go to Vuelta and win some stages then come back next year to tour with no crashes.

 

[AQETUYIOI]

Re:

Or he got upset when his moment of defeat/weakness was documented?

 

[SHAD0W93]

He would be dumb if he didn't think it would happen.

 

[spalco]

That sad as ***, kind of feels like "good bye", although I like that he finished the stage anyway and didn't sit down in the team car.

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

Did he intentionally crash into one of the cameramen?
https://twitter.com/Staghoj/status/...9249921&ref_url=https://www.tv2.no/a/9977668/

Hard to say. It could have been just exhaustion. It did LOOK intentional though.

I just can’t see it being intentional, more likely on his absolute limit and not paying attention to what’s happening in front of him, we’ve seen other riders do the same.

Credit to him for finishing the stage and not getting in the broom wagon.