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

[bladerunner]

I enjoyed the reign of Cavendish over the years and he has done much for the good of the sport. I would like to thank him for his great performances. However, it is time for Marcel Kittel to rule the world of road sprinting.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

I enjoyed the reign of Cavendish over the years and he has done much for the good of the sport. I would like to thank him for his great performances. However, it is time for Marcel Kittel to rule the world of road sprinting.

Where have you been the last three years?

 

[Cance > TheRest]

I enjoyed the reign of Cavendish over the years and he has done much for the good of the sport. I would like to thank him for his great performances. However, it is time for Marcel Kittel to rule the world of road sprinting.

Sure about that?

 

[bladerunner]

I enjoyed the reign of Cavendish over the years and he has done much for the good of the sport. I would like to thank him for his great performances. However, it is time for Marcel Kittel to rule the world of road sprinting.

Where have you been the last three years?

I have been patient, very patient in fact, to give Cav every opportunity to fight with the new guard. In the last two years we did not see a true head-to-head but in Dubai this year it is clear that Cav does not have it anymore. I just feel for his new team (they bought his story and he will not deliver any of the promises of Tour & Olympic successes). Cav is not a true sprinter any more. Cav was King. He will sneak in a few more wins but he is not King.

 

[bladerunner]

I enjoyed the reign of Cavendish over the years and he has done much for the good of the sport. I would like to thank him for his great performances. However, it is time for Marcel Kittel to rule the world of road sprinting.

Sure about that?

If you are suggesting that Griepel is better than Cav then I totally agree. But Griepel will not be able to beat Kittel in 2016. It will be interesting to see how the German team shapes up for the Worlds with Griepel & Kittel together.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Cavendish hasn't been the best sprinter since 2012. So this thread is three years late.

13 Kittel
14 Kittel
15 Greipl

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I enjoyed the reign of Cavendish over the years and he has done much for the good of the sport. I would like to thank him for his great performances. However, it is time for Marcel Kittel to rule the world of road sprinting.

Sure about that?

If you are suggesting that Griepel is better than Cav then I totally agree. But Griepel will not be able to beat Kittel in 2016. It will be interesting to see how the German team shapes up for the Worlds with Griepel & Kittel together.

You mean in a race or sort of overall?
I'm pretty sure the Gorilla will snatch a win or two against Dolph.

 

[jens_attacks]

well it's just normal. personally, i still can't believe that such a small sized sprinter could dominate so many years. telling just how great cav is. but it's over now.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Re:

well it's just normal. personally, i still can't believe that such a small sized sprinter could dominate so many years. telling just how great cav is. but it's over now.

He mightily benefited from a wack ass competition in 08-12.

 

[jens_attacks]

Re: Re:

well it's just normal. personally, i still can't believe that such a small sized sprinter could dominate so many years. telling just how great cav is. but it's over now.

He mightily benefited from a wack ass competition in 08-12.

that too but still one of the greatest.

 

[Jancouver]

Re:

well it's just normal. personally, i still can't believe that such a small sized sprinter could dominate so many years. telling just how great cav is. but it's over now.

I thought Caleb Ewan was the new Cav ... especially with his even smaller and more aero figure?!

 

[bladerunner]

I enjoyed the reign of Cavendish over the years and he has done much for the good of the sport. I would like to thank him for his great performances. However, it is time for Marcel Kittel to rule the world of road sprinting.

Sure about that?

If you are suggesting that Griepel is better than Cav then I totally agree. But Griepel will not be able to beat Kittel in 2016. It will be interesting to see how the German team shapes up for the Worlds with Griepel & Kittel together.

You mean in a race or sort of overall?
I'm pretty sure the Gorilla will snatch a win or two against Dolph.

I meant in a head-to-head / mano-a-mano / tete-a-tete. Kittel will win more head-to-head sprints against Griepel this year.

 

[RedheadDane]

I wouldn't rule Cav out just yet.

 

[bladerunner]

Re: Re:

well it's just normal. personally, i still can't believe that such a small sized sprinter could dominate so many years. telling just how great cav is. but it's over now.

I thought Caleb Ewan was the new Cav ... especially with his even smaller and more aero figure?!

Caleb Ewan (with his extreme torpedo sprint pose) is the new version of the small dynamic sprinter but he is not on the Kittel level yet. Caleb Ewan needs two more years (or perhaps just one more year) to get there and I am really looking forward to it.

 

[Jancouver]

Re: Re:

well it's just normal. personally, i still can't believe that such a small sized sprinter could dominate so many years. telling just how great cav is. but it's over now.

I thought Caleb Ewan was the new Cav ... especially with his even smaller and more aero figure?!

Caleb Ewan (with his extreme torpedo sprint pose) is the new version of the small dynamic sprinter but he is not on the Kittel level yet. Caleb Ewan needs two more years (or perhaps just one more year) to get there and I am really looking forward to it.

As you probably already know, some boys are unable to fill the shoes of a "real" man.

Good luck with the waiting part

 

[bladerunner]

Re:

I wouldn't rule Cav out just yet.

Then you just need to watch the two sprints in the recent Dubai tour to change your mind. Quickstep, Patrick Lefevere in particular, have seen this scenario played out in many different versions in the past and they could see that the old Cav has gone. Quickstep made a wise swap at the right time. Dimension Data is the loser here.

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

I wouldn't rule Cav out just yet.

Then you just need to watch the two sprints in the recent Dubai tour to change your mind. Quickstep, Patrick Lefevere in particular, have seen this scenario played out in many different versions in the past and they could see that the old Cav has gone. Quickstep made a wise swap at the right time. Dimension Data is the loser here.

Loser with a guy who is still going to win 10-15 races? Mwah, i don't think so.

The best days of Cav are over, but he's still winning more then 95% of all the other sprinters. That means some garanteed wins for a team who will not win a lot of races with all the other riders they have.

 

[bladerunner]

Re: Re:

I wouldn't rule Cav out just yet.

Then you just need to watch the two sprints in the recent Dubai tour to change your mind. Quickstep, Patrick Lefevere in particular, have seen this scenario played out in many different versions in the past and they could see that the old Cav has gone. Quickstep made a wise swap at the right time. Dimension Data is the loser here.

Loser with a guy who is still going to win 10-15 races? Mwah, i don't think so.

The best days of Cav are over, but he's still winning more then 95% of all the other sprinters. That means some garanteed wins for a team who will not win a lot of races with all the other riders they have.

I am sure Cavendish will win some smaller races with Dimension Data. This is not about the quantity of wins. It is about the quality of the wins. The only problem here is that his wins will not be in the Tour, Olympics or the Worlds. It is all about return on investment. Dimension Data have reportedly paid him a King's ransom to deliver big wins but he will not in 2016 because he is on the wane, plus he has put way too much on his own plate.

 

[Arredondo]

Re: Re:

I wouldn't rule Cav out just yet.

Then you just need to watch the two sprints in the recent Dubai tour to change your mind. Quickstep, Patrick Lefevere in particular, have seen this scenario played out in many different versions in the past and they could see that the old Cav has gone. Quickstep made a wise swap at the right time. Dimension Data is the loser here.

Loser with a guy who is still going to win 10-15 races? Mwah, i don't think so.

The best days of Cav are over, but he's still winning more then 95% of all the other sprinters. That means some garanteed wins for a team who will not win a lot of races with all the other riders they have.

I am sure Cavendish will win some smaller races with Dimension Data. This is not about the quantity of wins. It is about the quality of the wins. The only problem here is that his wins will not be in the Tour, Olympics or the Worlds. It is all about return on investment. Dimension Data have reportedly paid him a King's ransom to deliver big wins but he will not in 2016 because he is on the wane, plus he has put way too much on his own plate.

He still won a stage in the Tour last year, despite horrible form and health problems.

He will not win 3/4 stages, but a stage win in a Tour is still possible.

But i agree it's more a panic signing from Dimension Data. Anyone with a bit of cycling knowledge can see Cav is on the wane.

 

[Gigs_98]

Well I think that Cav is still a better if the finish is a bit bumpy. I know Cav was nowhere in Hatta Dam, but for example I doubt that Kittel could do what Cavendish did in last years britisch championships when he got 2nd place on a course with a very steep cobbled uphill finish and generally I have the feeling that Cavendish gets into the sprints slightly more often than Kittel. I mean although Cavendish has never beaten Kittel in a tdf sprint 2013 he still won 2 stages and at the end of their careers nobody will care against whom a sprinter won a stage.
Nevertheless if they have to sprint against each other Kittel will definitely be the faster one.

 

[bladerunner]

Well I think that Cav is still a better if the finish is a bit bumpy. I know Cav was nowhere in Hatta Dam, but for example I doubt that Kittel could do what Cavendish did in last years britisch championships when he got 2nd place on a course with a very steep cobbled uphill finish and generally I have the feeling that Cavendish gets into the sprints slightly more often than Kittel. I mean although Cavendish has never beaten Kittel in a tdf sprint 2013 he still won 2 stages and at the end of their careers nobody will care against whom a sprinter won a stage.
Nevertheless if they have to sprint against each other Kittel will definitely be the faster one.

Like I said, I'm sure Cav will still win some races in future, albeit smaller ones and never again in the way he did before Kittel came along. Mother nature dictates that a sprinter will lose some snap when age 30 knocks on their door. It is inevitable. Cavendish un-seated Robbie McEwan. Cav was a good "King". During Cav's reign, he lit up the world of cycling. And I thank him for that. Let's see how Kittel's reign goes.

 

[Arredondo]

Well I think that Cav is still a better if the finish is a bit bumpy. I know Cav was nowhere in Hatta Dam, but for example I doubt that Kittel could do what Cavendish did in last years britisch championships when he got 2nd place on a course with a very steep cobbled uphill finish and generally I have the feeling that Cavendish gets into the sprints slightly more often than Kittel. I mean although Cavendish has never beaten Kittel in a tdf sprint 2013 he still won 2 stages and at the end of their careers nobody will care against whom a sprinter won a stage.
Nevertheless if they have to sprint against each other Kittel will definitely be the faster one.

Like I said, I'm sure Cav will still win some races in future, albeit smaller ones and never again in the way he did before Kittel came along. Mother nature dictates that a sprinter will lose some snap when age 30 knocks on their door. It is inevitable. Cavendish un-seated Robbie McEwan. Cav was a good "King". During Cav's reign, he lit up the world of cycling. And I thank him for that. Let's see how Kittel's reign goes.

Tbh, but Mcewen was in no way in the class of Cav. Mcewen never won a big classic, or become WC. And he never dominated the sprinting scene like Cav did from 2008-2012.

Cipollini was the king of the 90's. Petacchi was during 2003-2007. And Cav from 2008-2012. Now it's up to Kittel.

 

[bladerunner]

Well I think that Cav is still a better if the finish is a bit bumpy. I know Cav was nowhere in Hatta Dam, but for example I doubt that Kittel could do what Cavendish did in last years britisch championships when he got 2nd place on a course with a very steep cobbled uphill finish and generally I have the feeling that Cavendish gets into the sprints slightly more often than Kittel. I mean although Cavendish has never beaten Kittel in a tdf sprint 2013 he still won 2 stages and at the end of their careers nobody will care against whom a sprinter won a stage.
Nevertheless if they have to sprint against each other Kittel will definitely be the faster one.

Like I said, I'm sure Cav will still win some races in future, albeit smaller ones and never again in the way he did before Kittel came along. Mother nature dictates that a sprinter will lose some snap when age 30 knocks on their door. It is inevitable. Cavendish un-seated Robbie McEwan. Cav was a good "King". During Cav's reign, he lit up the world of cycling. And I thank him for that. Let's see how Kittel's reign goes.

Tbh, but Mcewen was in no way in the class of Cav. Mcewen never won a big classic, or become WC. And he never dominated the sprinting scene like Cav did from 2008-2012.

Cipollini was the king of the 90's. Petacchi was during 2003-2007. And Cav from 2008-2012. Now it's up to Kittel.

I totally agree with you. I mentioned McEwan because I see Cav & Robbie as the smaller type of sprinters whereas Cipo & Petacchi were the bigger type.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

The OP premise is flawed. Mark Cavendish has done nothing good for the sport of cycling, nor has Marcel Kittel. Greipel has at least proven himself a willing Classics domestique.

 

[classicomano]

Re:

The OP premise is flawed. Mark Cavendish has done nothing good for the sport of cycling, nor has Marcel Kittel. Greipel has at least proven himself a willing Classics domestique.

Yes yes we know.