The Best sprints/Sprinters discussion/history lessons

[Pentacycle]

How can Cav be the best ever if he can't even beat Kittel 1 on 1

If Kittel decides to target the Giro next year and finishes it, and then goes on to beat a fresh Cav in the Tour he's probably better. But for now Kittel's palmares and diversity of wins are not nearly as impressive as Cav's which means he should be lower.

 

[Gloin22]

How can Cav be the best ever if he can't even beat Kittel 1 on 1

Any sprinter gets beaten somehow in his career

Take a look at Cavenidhs palmares.

And then quick look at Kittel.

And now go ahead about how iditioc your comment really is.

Anyway, as well as that, Cav was sick before Tour quite badly as well. Plus already finished Giro. Something Kittel didn't do as well.

 

[Ruby United]

How can Cav be the best ever if he can't even beat Kittel 1 on 1

So, Eddy Merckx wasn't the best ever because he got beaten by Thevenet? And Indurain wasn't the greatest Spanish rider ever because he got dropped after his last victory? If you look at Cav's palmares, no sprinter in history can equal that (I am talking solely about sprint stage wins in races, not Freddy Maertens' prologue and mountain victories.)

Furthermore Kittel will certainly become one of the greatest sprinters ever, and remember Cav is fresh out of a five stage Giro victory. Maybe ATM Kittel is slightly faster, but (so far) you can't compare between him and Cav. Cav has repeatedly been doubted and he always rises up to glory.

He dominates without a team leadout :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iI9vHMudU08




Or with a team leadout:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C4diLFBfcs


Both are two of the best sprints I have ever seen.

 

[murali]

How can Cav be the best ever if he can't even beat Kittel 1 on 1

I started this thread to know whether Cav is best ever, and already many other names are there to challenge it. However, he is one of the best sprinters; and as far as i could see the best sprinter in the current era.

Reasons:
1) He is fast
2) He is smart
3) He claims to have this photographic memory of every sprint finish he has ever been, and seems to remember all the past mistakes he has ever made in those. Meaning: He learns from past mistakes.
4) the fabled second kick - he seems to have this second burst of power, after the initial burst is over for other guys.

Kittel probably won because we didn't see the second kick in Cav's sprints in TdF. What people have been saying is that Cav lost his second kick due to the heavy workload in Giro, his sickness, bad luck(puncture, etc.) or a combination of the above.

 

[Old School]

Jan Paul Van Poppel

That's the man! So fast, he had extra speed to pass onto his sons!

 

[Ruby United]

I started this thread to know whether Cav is best ever, and already many other names are there to challenge it. However, he is one of the best sprinters; and as far as i could see the best sprinter in the current era.

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=20716

 

[murali]

I started this thread to know whether Cav is best ever, and already many other names are there to challenge it. However, he is one of the best sprinters; and as far as i could see the best sprinter in the current era.

http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=20716

Thanks for the link. The poll results say that cav is the best. But, I was more afraid that the result is biased towards the current rider, and not past riders.

Cav has his own style of sprinting, but there must be other greats who had done amazing sprints. And the fact is, Cav needs a flat(tish) road to win.

Is there anything like an sprinter-all-rounder?

 

[Afrank]

Thanks for the link. The poll results say that cav is the best. But, I was more afraid that the result is biased towards the current rider, and not past riders.

Cav has his own style of sprinting, but there must be other greats who had done amazing sprints. And the fact is, Cav needs a flat(tish) road to win.

Is there anything like an sprinter-all-rounder?

Freire and Sagan, probably about as all-around sprinters as they come.

 

[murali]

shouldn't sagan be considered as a freak of nature and put in a different class?

anyone from the past?

 

[shalgo]

shouldn't sagan be considered as a freak of nature and put in a different class?

anyone from the past?

Sean Kelly and Freddy Maertens. But you are now really asking a different question.

 

[Big Doopie]

Sean Kelly and Freddy Maertens. But you are now really asking a different question.

Yes, Maertens was dominant at itt in his best years. One or two of his 8 stage wins at the 1976 TDF were itts. He also finished 8th that year - his first tour (and 1976 was particularly mountainous). He also won the Vuelta, winning 13 stages!! He was in pink in 1977 when he was brought down in a sprint... He was never the same after that - just a flash in 1981. The full story of Maertens is pretty interesting...

 

[Archibald]

Is there anything like an sprinter-all-rounder?

Sean Kelly - more an all-rounder with a great sprint

Palmeres includes winning
Vuelta - overall and points (x4) with 16 stage wins (also a 3rd, 4th and 9th overall)
TdF - points (x4) with 5 stage wins (also finished 4th, 5th, 7th and 9th overall)
Paris-Nice - overall x7
TdSuisse - overall x2
Catalunya - overall x2
Pais Vasco - overall x3

Liege x2
MSR x2
Roubaix x2
Lombardia x3
Gent Wevlgem

 

[42x16ss]

There have been many great sprinters over the years, each one more reckless than the last.

Cavendish is certainly up there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNsnpmvO7YU

Abdoujaparouv was a great sprinter too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBtCaLYFKjo

Jalabert was quite handy in a sprint before he found the medicine cabinet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvC28xnO76I

Robbie McEwen too deserves a mention:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPybqwcFSbc

Then there's the smooth moves of Tom Steels with a cameo from Zabel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzTZV0TYG-U

Nelissen and Frank Hoste are also up there and Roberto Ferrari and Brice Feillu aren't bad either.

 

[murali]

What do you guys think of Michael Matthews? Is he going to be the next great sprinter (oc after kittel)?

 

[Gloin22]

No, but he will be good, very good. Plus he can handle hills preety well, which is massive advanatge.

Next great sprinters ( and I mean top notch, such as CAv or Kittel now ) will be Coquard and Ewan in my opinion, not sure which one though at this point, I'd said Ewan has most talent of anyone lately, but then Coquard's results at his first neo pro season are crazy good.

 

[42x16ss]

What do you guys think of Michael Matthews? Is he going to be the next great sprinter (oc after kittel)?

He's more likely to turn out like Freire, or Zabel. I see Matthews and Sagan having some real battles in the near future. Sagan has an obvious edge ATM but both are monstrous talents.

 

[murali]

No, but he will be good, very good. Plus he can handle hills preety well, which is massive advanatge.

Next great sprinters ( and I mean top notch, such as CAv or Kittel now ) will be Coquard and Ewan in my opinion, not sure which one though at this point, I'd said Ewan has most talent of anyone lately, but then Coquard's results at his first neo pro season are crazy good.

is this the bryan couqard(EUC) who won recently in Châteauroux Classic de l'Indre - Trophée Fenioux? he has 6 wins this season. any idea whether he will be picked by some PRT?

caleb Ewan, i saw 7 wins.

How was the quality of opposition in the races that they participated?

 

[Gloin22]

is this the bryan couqard(EUC) who won recently in Châteauroux Classic de l'Indre - Trophée Fenioux? he has 6 wins this season. any idea whether he will be picked by some PRT?

caleb Ewan, i saw 7 wins.

How was the quality of opposition in the races that they participated?

You can check yourself

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/rider.asp?riderid=18714

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/searchRiders.asp

Coquard resigned with Europcar till 2015, as their manager wants to keep him as their biggeest talent. He already beat Kittel few times this year, as well as Cavendish etc. Massive talent.

Ewan is still racing at U23, he's domianting sprints. So results cant be compared, but I am sure Ewam would be picking some results already with the Pros!

 

[42x16ss]

Ewan has claimed some big scalps at the summer crits here the last two years. He's beaten Davis, Renshaw, Matthews and some decent conti sprinters at the NSW GP series and the Jayco Series. The first time he was still on junior gears

 

[Jhan1908]

Pretty much registered just to post my favourite sprint ever, Francesco Chicchi from Tour of Qatar 2010, stage 6. The sprint starts at 12:30 into the video, watch Chicchi as he passes 15 or so riders during the last 100m on the left side at 12:45, sheltered from the crosswind.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xc7gje#user_search=1

Bad quality, but you get the idea.