Mark Cavendish pulling a Bos

[Pietro]

Some of you are such wussies. Because its Cav you'r panties are in a bunch. Skil guy was if anything just as wrong as Cav. And frankly love him or hate him he deserves the respect of the peloton for his RIDING. When did you pu$$ies think bike racing turned into manners class?

He should stick to riding, and before he talks to the press, he needs to talk to a PR person on how to answert w/o answering/ All he does now is **** people off, something Boonen, Zabel, Cipo, other good stpinters, never did. 'Ride like juniors' indeed(post stage 3 interview on VS), in the hills he will go off the back like a cat 5.

 

[blackcat]

In the same way that the Sainted Texan is allowed to ride in the best place in the pack all day long there is a similar "pecking order" in the run in to a sprint.

Cavendish is the boss when it comes to the sprints, and those on the next level below him (Hushovd, Freire, Farrar, Bennati, Boonen) are in competition to get on his wheel, but rarely seek to actively disrupt the Columbia train and force Cavendish to scrap for his place.

That's the way it works - the more someone wins, the easier the others make it for him (see Lance 99-05)

Everyone knows their place but then suddenly (for whatever reason) in the eyes of Cavendish, a no name from one of the weakest teams in the race suddenly disturbs the way things are supposed to be, and gets reprimanded with a couple of shoves for his troubles. He won't do it again, and the status quo continues.

If it was really such a big issue the other sprinters would be whining about it, but they are on Cavendish's side.

I know the Dutch don't like it (I live in Holland) but this is massively different to a first year road sprinter pulling down the GC leader on the last day of a tour and really hurting the guy.

This is pro cycling - each rider has a level of status - and that status gets you access and privileges in the peloton.

have a look at it again. PR was on Ciolek's wheel. See the rear wheel of Ciolek, to PR's front wheel. You are wrong, and so was Cav. Even idiots like Mcewen would have taken a wide berth around PR. It was Hincapie, and Eisel's fault, they were edging to close to the peloton to get some cover, when they should have given a little space.

 

[Animal]

That video is way too small to see what happened.

Al you see is 50 blurs moving close together.

 

[Mongol_Waaijer]

have a look at it again. PR was on Ciolek's wheel. See the rear wheel of Ciolek, to PR's front wheel. You are wrong, and so was Cav. Even idiots like Mcewen would have taken a wide berth around PR. It was Hincapie, and Eisel's fault, they were edging to close to the peloton to get some cover, when they should have given a little space.

I'm not saying Cavendish was in the right.

Read my post - I'm saying that there is a hierarchy of status in the peloton - and if you are a "nobody" like Rooijakkers then you are wrong, even if you are right, when you get in a tiff with one of the big guns.

look at the Lance v Simeoni affair, for example. One was morally right, the other was politically powerful.

 

[Snake8]

Exactly snake...what is your point? To me the point you make is that Cav is the one who can't handle tough riders making their way in the peleton. He is the one crying to the press...and if I'm not mistaken he called out the wrong rider the first time...saying van Hummel was the rider. WRONG...keep to sprinting and STFU!!

If you think that is my point you cannot read. All you guys whine about him talking to the press. Who cares! Do you think the top sprinter in the world, English speaker to boot, is not going to talk to the press?! And if it freaks you out so much why don't you stop reading the press and just watch the RACE!

He should stick to riding, and before he talks to the press, he needs to talk to a PR person on how to answert w/o answering/ All he does now is **** people off, something Boonen, Zabel, Cipo, other good stpinters, never did. 'Ride like juniors' indeed(post stage 3 interview on VS), in the hills he will go off the back like a cat 5.

Yeah none of those guys had enemies? McEwen, Stu O, plenty of other riders out there who **** people off. The real problem for you guys is that he is whooping the butts of everyone else and calling them out. I agree with his comment about riding like juniors, Garmin, Quick Step, Cervelo sitting on their butts doing nothing to bring back the break, sorry but they deserved to be called out.

I think it really comes down to most of you guys just can't stand the personality of Cav. But by most accounts he is loved by his teamates and respected and mostly well liked in the peloton. Its the internet whiners who would never call someone out to their face in real life who call people out on message boards...

 

[blackcat]

I'm not saying Cavendish was in the right.

Read my post - I'm saying that there is a hierarchy of status in the peloton - and if you are a "nobody" like Rooijakkers then you are wrong, even if you are right, when you get in a tiff with one of the big guns.

look at the Lance v Simeoni affair, for example. One was morally right, the other was politically powerful.

no, have a look at the way Mcewen beat up on Mr Bodybag Rene Haselbacher.

But in this case, PR was wheel to wheel, on Ciolek's wheel. Cav should not have moved him. He was in the wrong, even accounting for the "Haselbacher paradigm of sprinting hierarchy".

When you are le patron, it is easy to beat up on the small guy. Cav has fingered Kenny Robert Van Hummel as one he dislikes, and pots him in the press when given a chance. He started back in De Panne last year.

But Cav is just as bad from what I can see with his actions now. Not much worse than Bos. He could have brought down half the peloton. He shifted PR about 2 feet with that push. PR was put at risk of cross wheels and someone going down.

 

[Anonymous]

http://player.nos.nl/index.php/media/play/tcmid/tcm:5-538391/

This is about stage 2. He is cleary trying to pull Rooijakkers off his bike after he incidentally landed in the Cavendish train. Rooijakkers punches him off to get free. And after the stage Cavendish is talking about Rooijakkers who should have respect for others and keeping his hands on the handlebars, wtf?

I was already against Cavendish after the Soler/Giro mishap. But this is unacceptable. And his behaviour afterwards, when Rooijakkers wanted to talk with him the next day, is completely over the line. If the UCI were not hypocrits and threated everybody the same, the should fine/ban Cavendish, like they did with Bos.

are you mad..?

Ok firstly, this is not comparable with the Bos Incident, this is pre-sprint jockeying for position, as opposed to that incident which was at a far higher speed.

Second, bos held onto impeys jersey, Cav puts an outstretched hand on Rooijakkers shorts.

Thirdly, RJ did not grab Cavs handlebars to force cav to let go, cav had already taken his hand away...

Both where getting crowded towards each other, Cav put the hand on his shorts as is pretty common in the pelaton, you will if you look carefully see 30+ incidents of that one any stage.

Storm in teacup.. big time.

 

[TRDean]

I can indeed read...maybe you have not seen my posts regarding Cav in the past. He is wrong here. But maybe I should just bow out since you feel that I am just an internet tough guy? As far as respect and well liked in the peleton...there are more than a couple riders who don't like Cav..this is fact. He is respected...no doubt. I love when people say he is well liked in the peleton...like they have an inside view or something. No matter what you say...when you call out the wrong rider after the race and make disparaging remarks you are in the wrong. Especially when PR attempted to talk to him after the stage. Seems to me that Cav is the wuss...but hey thats just me.

 

[Snake8]

Storm in teacup.. big time.

Exactly. Dean-o, my point is not getting through to you. Why do you care so much about who says what after the race? If you can't handle people talking smack you should not be following sports.

Look I understand that many people find his personality objectionable. But, be adult enough to separate that from his accomplishments on the bike. He is, as of right now, the best sprinter in the world and if he continues he will go down as one of the best sprint riders EVER, but for some reason the only thing people seem to want to talk about is his PERSONALITY! Sorry but I find that approach to fandom to be very grade school. Or as my good friend Thought for Food so routinely chastises, "Fanboy" except in this case you all sound like a bunch of catty prima-donnas.

If you watch the actual footage linked earlier in the thread, it looks like both riders took their hands off their bars. Both are wrong. If you could all get off your love for Dutch rider #784 and your hate for Cav you might see it for what it was, jostling in the sprint which happens all the time.

 

[Bala Verde]

Just to fan the flames a little Piet stated that he felt that Cavendish tried to pull him to the ground (around 2m in the clip). Impey stated something similar, that he felt someone pulling his jersey and he experienced it as if someone tried to force him down.

It's probably just a normal reaction as a track racer...

 

[TRDean]

Nice snake...resort to name calling. Like I said before...I have always said Cav is a great sprinter...read my posts. My issue is with his crap after the fact. There is a lack of respect...from Cav. Regardless of what you say, this is true, and I will continue to follow sports. But I do appreciate you caring enough to give me advice.

 

[Animal]

In what clip are you able to see these details?

 

[davidg]

Seems like you guys are dragging it on for longer than the riders involved.

 

[Bala Verde]

Seems like you guys are dragging it on for longer than the riders involved.

You should have seen how long it simmered during/after the Bos incident. I think the UCI had come to a decision and people were still battling it out

 

[Mellow Velo]

Piet Rooijakkers is out with probably a broken arm after a fall in the TTT.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Why start a new topic if “Did anyone see Cav getting blocked – I Didn’t” thread is already talking about this?

Be happy it didn't involve Lance, we'd have 10 separate threads on the subject.

I'm still waiting for a Lance thread asking what color his poo is.

As to the topic, this doesn't compare to Bos-Impey, but Cav went beyond the call of duty to protect his line.

Bala - Impey is still upset with Bos, feels his comments were self-serving, and says he plans on having a word with him when he heals.

 

[180mmCrank]

This is sport not shopping.

Cavendish is a larger than life figure - some see a bully - others see a warrior. For me I see one of the greatest sprinters to have sat on a bike in the making. And it is awsome to behold.

And yes he does not have the most endearing bedside manner - will he mellow with age and experience? Maybe. Personally it really doesn't bother me.

 

[Bala Verde]

Bala - Impey is still upset with Bos, feels his comments were self-serving, and says he plans on having a word with him when he heals.

Well, since Bos has been suspended for a month, they have time enough to sit down and have a chat