The King [Cav] is dead. Long live the King [Kittel].

[PremierAndrew]

It's been a long time since I saw Cav's 2nd kick, that was one of his key assets. He's still top 3 though now, and definitely not finished (also why people don't count Viviani as a serious threat to the top 3 these days is beyond me. Surely he's a better sprinter on a pan flat course than Sagan Kristoff Degenkolb Bouhanni etc)

 

[Alexandre B.]

Viviani didn't win anything big aside from a single Giro stage. Too early to call him a serious threat.

 

[ray j willings]

I like Cav. But Cav has not shown that extra kick he used to have before joining sky.
I know I have said it a zillion times but Sky putting him on that diet for the Olympics messed up a perfect sprinter . He has never been the same since. He used to be able to win in all sorts of crazy situations. He had such a awesome turn of speed that got him wins no one else could get. Those day are far gone. He's still great and is sure to win a few sprints but his green jersey glory days are no more and Kittel will only get better has the year go's on. You don't mess with perfection even if perfection likes chocolate muffins.

 

[blackcat]

I like Cav. But Cav has not shown that extra kick he used to have before joining sky.
I know I have said it a zillion times but Sky putting him on that diet for the Olympics messed up a perfect sprinter . He has never been the same since. He used to be able to win in all sorts of crazy situations. He had such a awesome turn of speed that got him wins no one else could get. Those day are far gone. He's still great and is sure to win a few sprints but his green jersey glory days are no more and Kittel will only get better has the year go's on. You don't mess with perfection even if perfection likes chocolate muffins.

this

 

[Pricey_sky]

I like Cav. But Cav has not shown that extra kick he used to have before joining sky.
I know I have said it a zillion times but Sky putting him on that diet for the Olympics messed up a perfect sprinter . He has never been the same since. He used to be able to win in all sorts of crazy situations. He had such a awesome turn of speed that got him wins no one else could get. Those day are far gone. He's still great and is sure to win a few sprints but his green jersey glory days are no more and Kittel will only get better has the year go's on. You don't mess with perfection even if perfection likes chocolate muffins.

I agree, however the blame doesn't just sit with Sky at all. Cav was the one who was obsessed with winning an Olympic gold medal which has eluded him so far in his career.
He spoke at great length before London about how gutted he was coming home from Beijing 2008 without a gold medal and how he would make every sacrifice possible to get him in shape for London. A plan was made with input from all parties but it obviously did not work. We all know how strong-minded Cav is, if he didn't like the plan he wouldn't have gone along with it.

 

[TMP402]

The King (Kittel) is not racing MSR.

 

[Red Rick]

I think 2013 is debatable. Cav won only 2 stages at the Tour, but he totally cleaned up in the Giro

 

[Red Rick]

I can't think of one current rider who has done anything for the sport of cycling. Maybe the closest one who be Sagan because of his showmanship.

You and Libertine should go out for drinks sometime.

Dammit, I almost spilled my coffee on my laptop

 

[King Boonen]

I've given Cav the benefit of the doubt with changing teams, being at Sky (silly choice really) and seeming not to quite fit at QS. The one sprint I've seen so far looked promising, we was closing on Kittel after being fourth wheel.

The problem is he used to be able to win from pretty much anywhere between the front or tenth wheel and make it look easy in the process, no chance now. I think he needs to be either right on Kittels wheel or have a perfect leadout and even then he's going to have to be on top of his game to beat either Greipel or Kittel, if he even can.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re:

I've given Cav the benefit of the doubt with changing teams, being at Sky (silly choice really) and seeming not to quite fit at QS. The one sprint I've seen so far looked promising, we was closing on Kittel after being fourth wheel.

The problem is he used to be able to win from pretty much anywhere between the front or tenth wheel and make it look easy in the process, no chance now. I think he needs to be either right on Kittels wheel or have a perfect leadout and even then he's going to have to be on top of his game to beat either Greipel or Kittel, if he even can.

It was when Kittel came off Cav's wheel in the 2013 Tour to take the win that I realised that he'd been dethroned. Yeah, he'd done the Giro, so it's understandable that he wasn't at his best, but still, before that point, Cav was pretty much unbeatable with a perfect leadout. Now I'm wondering whether Kittel would be able to come around a top form rested Cav with a perfect leadout

 

[Akuryo]

Re: Re:

I've given Cav the benefit of the doubt with changing teams, being at Sky (silly choice really) and seeming not to quite fit at QS. The one sprint I've seen so far looked promising, we was closing on Kittel after being fourth wheel.

The problem is he used to be able to win from pretty much anywhere between the front or tenth wheel and make it look easy in the process, no chance now. I think he needs to be either right on Kittels wheel or have a perfect leadout and even then he's going to have to be on top of his game to beat either Greipel or Kittel, if he even can.

It was when Kittel came off Cav's wheel in the 2013 Tour to take the win that I realised that he'd been dethroned. Yeah, he'd done the Giro, so it's understandable that he wasn't at his best, but still, before that point, Cav was pretty much unbeatable with a perfect leadout. Now I'm wondering whether Kittel would be able to come around a top form rested Cav with a perfect leadout

Gotta give probs to Lefevere for exchanging Cavendish (still top 3 or top 5 sprinter atm) for Kittel and Gaviria. One is number one and the other is probably the most talented right now.

 

[Alexandre B.]

Kittel on Milan-Sanremo : "I don't honestly think it suits me, at least with the changes they made to the route. It's too tough for the sprinters now. I think the last time a really pure sprinter won it was Cavendish back in 2009. Every year there's bad weather or something. It's getting harder and harder and it's the same in general, other races are getting harder too."

That's why I don't like him as a rider. There's nothing exciting about his style.

 

[therhodeo]

Re:

Kittel on Milan-Sanremo : "I don't honestly think it suits me, at least with the changes they made to the route. It's too tough for the sprinters now. I think the last time a really pure sprinter won it was Cavendish back in 2009. Every year there's bad weather or something. It's getting harder and harder and it's the same in general, other races are getting harder too."

That's why I don't like him as a rider. There's nothing exciting about his style.

Given his strengths I like that he doesn't ask the team to haul him around at races that he knows he can't win. Ettix have plenty of good riders for MSR without trying to help him.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

What is he talking about? When Cavendish won, they climbed Manie. So the course was harder than today. I get his concerns about the weather or not wanting to burn himself early on after a really difficult last year. Complaining about the course is inappropriate. Or are they going to change things this year?

 

[jens_attacks]

No he talks bollocks.

 

[Happy dude]

Kittel is the pony with the least tricks tbf, but he is very very skilled at his one trick

 

[ray j willings]

I like Cav. But Cav has not shown that extra kick he used to have before joining sky.
I know I have said it a zillion times but Sky putting him on that diet for the Olympics messed up a perfect sprinter . He has never been the same since. He used to be able to win in all sorts of crazy situations. He had such a awesome turn of speed that got him wins no one else could get. Those day are far gone. He's still great and is sure to win a few sprints but his green jersey glory days are no more and Kittel will only get better has the year go's on. You don't mess with perfection even if perfection likes chocolate muffins.

I agree, however the blame doesn't just sit with Sky at all. Cav was the one who was obsessed with winning an Olympic gold medal which has eluded him so far in his career.
He spoke at great length before London about how gutted he was coming home from Beijing 2008 without a gold medal and how he would make every sacrifice possible to get him in shape for London. A plan was made with input from all parties but it obviously did not work. We all know how strong-minded Cav is, if he didn't like the plan he wouldn't have gone along with it.

I agree its not just Sky/GB cycling [ same thing virtually] total fault, but everyone did seem to get caught up in the Olympic moment. I mean 9 times up box hill against Fab ,Vino etc He was never going to win the Sky way. That plan worked great at the WC but the amount of rolling roads was always going to be to much. The race was always going to be fast and aggressive and long range attacks. IMO the best chance he had was for Sky/GB not to try and dictate the race. They should have let the other teams do the work and try and bring Cav through at the end. That's the way he usually wins on rolling roads. He lost so much weight , I'm not even sure if he would have won a sprint. You can't lose weight and keep power in such a shot time naturally and I think this also contributed to his performance.

 

[Brullnux]

And it was 5 man teams, which IMO was the biggest problem for GB.

 

[TMP402]

Re:

And it was 5 man teams, which IMO was the biggest problem for GB.

For me, if they had had the foresight in 2008-09 to gerrymander the course to suit one of the then-very few world class British cyclists, the London Olympics organisers should have had a much flatter stage. They were generous enough not to do so, but I personally have no problem with organisers doing what they can to favour their own riders.

 

[Breh]

Re:

It's been a long time since I saw Cav's 2nd kick, that was one of his key assets. He's still top 3 though now, and definitely not finished (also why people don't count Viviani as a serious threat to the top 3 these days is beyond me. Surely he's a better sprinter on a pan flat course than Sagan Kristoff Degenkolb Bouhanni etc)

Well, Kristoff just beat him.

 

[bladerunner]

Re: Re:

It's been a long time since I saw Cav's 2nd kick, that was one of his key assets. He's still top 3 though now, and definitely not finished (also why people don't count Viviani as a serious threat to the top 3 these days is beyond me. Surely he's a better sprinter on a pan flat course than Sagan Kristoff Degenkolb Bouhanni etc)

Well, Kristoff just beat him.

Yeah, you're right. Qatar stage 2 just confirmed the end of Cav's reign. The King is dead. Long live the King [Kittel].

 

[Tonton]

Meh, he lost by the smallest margin, after winning yesterday. He's not the dominant Cav of old, but he ain't "dead" either. Kittel/Greipel/Cav is (still) a toss-up, with so little difference between them that the edge comes down to lead-out more than anything else. And tactics. Cav got cocky today. Back in the day, he could out-sprint anybody, any which way, including at their own game. Now he needs to be smart.

 

[ray j willings]

Meh, he lost by the smallest margin, after winning yesterday. He's not the dominant Cav of old, but he ain't "dead" either. Kittel/Greipel/Cav is (still) a toss-up, with so little difference between them that the edge comes down to lead-out more than anything else. And tactics. Cav got cocky today. Back in the day, he could out-sprint anybody, any which way, including at their own game. Now he needs to be smart.

I have to disagree. For me Kittel is the man to beat. That defeat of Cav fair and square heralded the start of a new era. If they go into a sprint mano v mano Kittel will win.
Cav should get back on the chocolate muffins

 

[kirbygasm]

Well I think it's great to see so many top class sprinters.
It's so hard to tell who's going to win the stages, Cav isn't so dominant these days but he's far from dead.
Too hard to call this early in the season really

 

[jaylew]

Meh, he lost by the smallest margin, after winning yesterday. He's not the dominant Cav of old, but he ain't "dead" either. Kittel/Greipel/Cav is (still) a toss-up, with so little difference between them that the edge comes down to lead-out more than anything else. And tactics. Cav got cocky today. Back in the day, he could out-sprint anybody, any which way, including at their own game. Now he needs to be smart.

You do realize Cav has never won a sprint against Drago?