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Anyone know why Cavendish finished 35 minutes down, 24 minutes after the 2nd last rider?
To get in a breakaway after a chilled out day?
He's only been at the pro level for a year and a half, though; 2020 was far from a 'normal' year in terms of racing etc., and he's only 24 years old, so I'd say that the hopes shouldn't be extinguished just yet. Last year's results can also be tempered by the Vuelta a Venezuela running as a non-UCI race last year, too, as he won that to defend his crown from 2019. Overall, I think his problem is going to be along similar lines to guys like Carlos Barbero. He gets his best results in sprints after some obstacles and in more complex or uphill-but-not-too-uphill sprints, and for somebody with a fast finish he's pretty good uphill - I mean, he was 15th in the Tour de Hongrie without collecting any bonus seconds in the sprints, 17th on Mount Fuji in the Tour of Japan in 2019, and last year's Vuelta a Venezuela featured a not enormous but pretty reasonably-sized MTF at San Vicente de Nirgua, probably between cat.1 and cat.2 in most races (including Venezuela's own more mountainous races like the Vuelta a Tachirá and the Vuelta a Miranda). He also, back with Matrix-Powertag, was 2nd in the Pola de Lena stage of Asturias, with a 2km @ 10% climb close to the finish, ahead of Carapaz, so he may be more for the Felline/Gavazzi kind of mould than a Trentin which is where I'd kind of had him pegged before. He's also missed out in some races since joining Caja Rural because they've chosen to prefer the more proven Ion Aberasturi for the sprints.Orluis Aular actually has several sprint results in minor races a couple of years ago. Had hopes for him, but he never really managed to up his level at the Pro circuit.
I think it's unfortunately too cramped for a GT, even if that GT is the Vuelta.I'd love to see the top guys do that finish in the Vuelta tbh. It's s beautiful finish
I think it's unfortunately too cramped for a GT, even if that GT is the Vuelta.
96 TRENTIN Matteo UAE-Team Emirates 17:48
97 PEDERSEN Mads Trek - Segafredo