Teams & Riders Mark Cavendish Discussion Thread

[Bolder]

That's unfortunate. Viruses than lie dormant and flare up from time to time are the worst. I've had shingles twice, but years apart. Miserable.

I hope this doesn't force Cav to retire and that he can recover full health soon.

 

[Tim Booth]

Re: Re:

What insane sponsor wants to pay millions of GBP for someone who only won two races in the last two years?

Bahrain Merida

 

[RedheadDane]

Re: Re:

What insane sponsor wants to pay millions of GBP for someone who only won two races in the last two years?

Bahrain Merida

Got a link, or is it just a rumour you're putting out there?

 

[Pricey_sky]

Re: Re:

What insane sponsor wants to pay millions of GBP for someone who only won two races in the last two years?

Bahrain Merida

Got a link, or is it just a rumour you're putting out there?

La Gazzetta are reporting it, there is also a report that says DD have made an offer if he agrees to reduce his salary by 40%.

 

[Tim Booth]

Re: Re:

Got a link, or is it just a rumour you're putting out there?

http://www.oasport.it/2018/09/iclismo-giacomo-nizzolo-si-trasferice-al-team-dimension-data-dal-prossimo-anno-cavendish-alla-bahrain-merida/

 

[wheresmybrakes]

Could he not sell plenty of bikes for them, a bit like Contador did at Trek?

 

[samhocking]

Won't Dimension Data drop down to Pro Conti for next year with UCI's annual challenge system? Probably better for Cavendish to be paid 40% less in a World Tour squad than renew at 40% less and be in a Pro Continental team next year and second year of contract he has no guarantee of entrance into World Tour races as that kicks in for 2020 season.

 

[MatParker117]

Could he not sell plenty of bikes for them, a bit like Contador did at Trek?

Exactly why Merida want a big name be rider and if he can get healthy then he'll get a bunch of wins.

 

[Jancouver]

Could he not sell plenty of bikes for them, a bit like Contador did at Trek?

Exactly why Merida want a big name be rider and if he can get healthy then he'll get a bunch of wins.

He will not get a bunch of wins next year even if healthy.

He will be 34 next year and there are other much faster sprinters around these days.

So a smaller team that needs a big name is a better option for him IMO.

 

[Andy262]

Call me crazy but if he can come back healthy and put together a good clear early season, whoever it's for, I'd like to see Cav have another crack at Paris Roubaix.

 

[Leinster]

Re:

Call me crazy but if he can come back healthy and put together a good clear early season, whoever it's for, I'd like to see Cav have another crack at Paris Roubaix.

You're completely crazy. He finished 30th one time, the year Hayman won.

 

[Tim Booth]

Re: Re:

What insane sponsor wants to pay millions of GBP for someone who only won two races in the last two years?

Bahrain Merida

Got a link, or is it just a rumour you're putting out there?

La Gazzetta are reporting it, there is also a report that says DD have made an offer if he agrees to reduce his salary by 40%.

Mark Cavendish now seems to have opted to stay with Dimension Data, after he was previously associated with Bahrain Merida. According to the Italian sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, the Briton reached an agreement with the South African formation for the 2019 season, although it has not yet been officially confirmed.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

What insane sponsor wants to pay millions of GBP for someone who only won two races in the last two years?

Bahrain Merida

Got a link, or is it just a rumour you're putting out there?

La Gazzetta are reporting it, there is also a report that says DD have made an offer if he agrees to reduce his salary by 40%.

Mark Cavendish now seems to have opted to stay with Dimension Data, after he was previously associated with Bahrain Merida. According to the Italian sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, the Briton reached an agreement with the South African formation for the 2019 season, although it has not yet been officially confirmed.

I don't know what his salary was.

But I think 40% isn't even that much of a pay cut for the situation Cav is in.

I hope he can come back and have a season or 2 without major injuries.

 

[SHAD0W93]

I wonder if he even needs the money any more. He has seemed to be smart with it plus Peta had her money as well.

I hope he can have a good winter with no sickness or crashes next year. Get the 5 stages in the Tour, 7 in the Vuelta, and maybe another 5 in the Giro.

 

[jarvo]

Yesterday his Insta Story said that his latest blood work had shown a reduction in the EBV levels in his blood and had been cleared to get back on his bike, so that is a positive step forward in recovery

 

[Narce_]

Re:

Yesterday his Insta Story said that his latest blood work had shown a reduction in the EBV levels in his blood and had been cleared to get back on his bike, so that is a positive step forward in recovery

I'm not sure.

After the acute period of mono ends, there's a period of recovery, and then, you start to feel OK. Like, normal life OK. That's what happened to him before, so he got back to business, riding his bike and living his life as usual.

But EBV has a nasty habit of striking back when you least expect it. When you feel OK and you're glad that it has passed, and you take a deep breath that you got through it, it's time to enjoy the aftereffects. Fatigue, aneamia, deficiency symptoms... Take your pick, the list is practically endless.

I think that's what happened to him this year - he recovered, started going about his business the same way as before EBV, felt good, but bad stuff was still going on in his body. He pushed too hard, EBV came back, and now, he's back to the start.

I hope he doesn't start to train now. Going for a ride with his kids should be OK, but he needs a long period of rest now, and when he starts to feel healthy again, he will still need a lot of rest, and a good plan for the next season. I think winning races is still a possibility for him, but he'll need to be smart about it and not just go whenever he feels strong. He needs a light racing schedule, with smaller races, and I'm not sure that he should ever finish another Grand Tour, however tempting.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

It’s a grim way for the latter years of a legend’s career to be wasted. I really hope that he recovers soon and can get back to his best. The current sprinting field is possibly the deepest ever, so success will require something close to his best.

 

[jarvo]

Re: Re:

Yesterday his Insta Story said that his latest blood work had shown a reduction in the EBV levels in his blood and had been cleared to get back on his bike, so that is a positive step forward in recovery

I'm not sure.

After the acute period of mono ends, there's a period of recovery, and then, you start to feel OK. Like, normal life OK. That's what happened to him before, so he got back to business, riding his bike and living his life as usual.

But EBV has a nasty habit of striking back when you least expect it. When you feel OK and you're glad that it has passed, and you take a deep breath that you got through it, it's time to enjoy the aftereffects. Fatigue, aneamia, deficiency symptoms... Take your pick, the list is practically endless.

I think that's what happened to him this year - he recovered, started going about his business the same way as before EBV, felt good, but bad stuff was still going on in his body. He pushed too hard, EBV came back, and now, he's back to the start.

I hope he doesn't start to train now. Going for a ride with his kids should be OK, but he needs a long period of rest now, and when he starts to feel healthy again, he will still need a lot of rest, and a good plan for the next season. I think winning races is still a possibility for him, but he'll need to be smart about it and not just go whenever he feels strong. He needs a light racing schedule, with smaller races, and I'm not sure that he should ever finish another Grand Tour, however tempting.

The point I was making was that doctors have cleared him to get onhis bike, when or if he ever returns to the pro peloton is secondary at the moment to making a full recovery, and the doctors clearing him to get on his bike IS a positive step in that recovery

 

[Narce_]

Re: Re:

The point I was making was that doctors have cleared him to get onhis bike, when or if he ever returns to the pro peloton is secondary at the moment to making a full recovery, and the doctors clearing him to get on his bike IS a positive step in that recovery

Yes, it's nice to hear that he's getting better. But he suffered from this illness before, and has been cleared to race, and EBV came back, which, to me, suggests that his recovery wasn't monitored with the necessary attention. I'm not blaming anyone for it, since I wrote that the aftereffects can vary greatly in different people, but they should be a lot more careful this time.

So while it is a positive step, it has to be the FIRST step, not the last. It's the start of his recovery, not the whole recovery. I agree that his full recovery is the most important now, but I'm concerned, because the last time, it was rushed/mismanaged, and I wonder if it isn't too early now.

 

[Tim Booth]

"Disappointed to say, after just 4 days training since recovering from my illness, I won’t be riding @sixdaycycling London. Gutted. I’ll be there supporting though. Always a great party."
http://twitter.com/MarkCavendish/status/1052561152700485634

 

[saunaking]

All this doom and gloom is BS
he's 3 years younger than Andre Greipel

Greipel's last 3 years he's won 5GT stages including on the Champs plus a bunch of smaller stuff

 

[tobydawq]

Yeah, such BS. The guy has clearly had a completely similar career trajectory as Greipel at that age...

 

[SHAD0W93]

He needs to get and stay healthy. I think he might be putting to much pressure on himself.

 

[Tim Booth]

still sounds confident
“It seems that I’ve always made a career out of comebacks and I’m sure that 2019 is going to be no different after the couple of tough years with illness. I know that I’m on the right track to come back and dominate in the sport again.”
http://africasteam.com/2018/10/24/cavendish-steps-up-for-team-dimension-data/

 

[Tonton]

still sounds confident
“It seems that I’ve always made a career out of comebacks and I’m sure that 2019 is going to be no different after the couple of tough years with illness. I know that I’m on the right track to come back and dominate in the sport again.”
http://africasteam.com/2018/10/24/cavendish-steps-up-for-team-dimension-data/

he's delusional. No more world-class train, obvious decline, no longer the best, or even top-5, maybe not top-10 in this sprinters World, the only 34 he'll reach will be on his birthday. Small races? Yes. A lucly GT stage win? Maybe. If Nacer got one, he can...but that was not at Le Tour. It's the end of the road, what a career tho'.