The way Cavendish is talking its reminding me of his HTC days where the other teams are getting scared of him so are reluctant to pull at the front of the peleton - Got to wonder if its the fact that Quick-Step are focusing on Stage wins (again like HTC) thats helping him so much
I have to admit that I have found Deceuninck Quick-Step a very likeable team in recent years (both willing and able to challenge in many races) and have always liked Cavendish, so, for me, this Tour is a marriage made in Heaven.
If he can stay the course through the mountains, I fully expect him to be the man to beat for the Green Jersey.
It will be intriguing to see what will happen as the race progresses.
Was too busy with work today to watch live but just caught the highlights (and thanks to the BBC app for spoiling the result even though they never have cycling alerts).
So what do we think his chances are of doing it? If I'm honest I haven't looked at many previews of the route, good chance or just gonna come up short?
Was too busy with work today to watch live but just caught the highlights (and thanks to the BBC app for spoiling the result even though they never have cycling alerts).
So what do we think his chances are of doing it? If I'm honest I haven't looked at many previews of the route, good chance or just gonna come up short?
Before the Tour, I was convinced no chance.
Now? Like Cav, I hesitate to be too positive.... but he may well get two more. And if so, who knows if the record goes.
Anyway, even if this is it, he’s already made me very happy.
Had the tdf on my iPad next too my laptop during a zoom meeting. Apparently my microphone was not muted when I shouted out ‘Yes Cav, get in you fucking beauty’
The fact Caleb Ewan isnt around has surely increased his opportunity... Has to get through the mountains, but Wiki has another five flat stages listed so on that basis he has plenty of time.
It's superb to see Cav winning again, but a part of me doesn't want to see a sprinter get more than Eddy Mercx. If he get's the same, cool. Anyways whatever happens, it's going to be fun to watch.
I missed the Stage today, but what the hell was Cavendish doing in the breakaway
I realise he did it to get the Green Jersey points, but has the Alps at the weekend
The way its set this year, he's going to leave Paris with the Stage Record and that Jersey isnt he!!
It was impressive by him
Absolutely, I think he quite happily rode within his limits today and took advantage of being in the right place at the right time to maximise his points from the day.
Which, even with Peter Sagan not being the cyclist of old, I think he has to do.
The interesting thing will be seeing if DQS allocate anyone to keep him within the time limits over the high mountains if the climbers are fast.
I missed the Stage today, but what the hell was Cavendish doing in the breakaway
I realise he did it to get the Green Jersey points, but has the Alps at the weekend
The way its set this year, he's going to leave Paris with the Stage Record and that Jersey isnt he!!
It was impressive by him
Absolutely, I think he quite happily rode within his limits today and took advantage of being in the right place at the right time to maximise his points from the day.
Which, even with Peter Sagan not being the cyclist of old, I think he has to do.
The interesting thing will be seeing if DQS allocate anyone to keep him within the time limits over the high mountains if the climbers are fast.
I think Cav will have plenty of friends from other teams in the grupetto. I’m hopeful he will get through the high stages within the time. After all you lose your fast twitch quicker than your endurance and he still has a bit of speed left in the engine.
Van Aert can climb as he proved in the past as super domestique ... but can he sustain it?
I doubt even van der Poel himself knows if he can get through the mountains but I have a suspicion he might.
@leroyambrose do you think their mountain performances may give an indicator of how Pidcock may perform in the Vuelta ... or is he a different type of rider?
Van Der Poel could become a GC climber, but I can't see it at the moment. He rides like a classics version of Virenque. Going that deep yesterday on a crazy long day is madness before the Romme and Colombiere. If MvdP sticks with the GC group I'm afraid I'll not be believing that performance.
If you think about it in the post EPO era, everything was to do with weight. Yet Rog and Pog climb at the same weight as Froome and Nibali who are both 2-3 inches taller? Yet no one is talking about that in the mainstream media.
Pidcock doesn't need to be compared in GTs to WVA and MvDP. He gives up 7-8 inches and weighs 50 kg. The guy has commensurate power too, for his size to those guys, and has climbing pedigree in the U23s. The only question for Pidcock is how he lasts into the third week. With the recent Tours having few 2,000+ m climbs I'd expect him to have little problem on a stage like today, especialy early in a GT.
The move of modern GTs to shorter stages, less 2,000+m climbs, gravel or cobble stages is perfect for young riders to hit hard as novices.
Van Der Poel could become a GC climber, but I can't see it at the moment. He rides like a classics version of Virenque. Going that deep yesterday on a crazy long day is madness before the Romme and Colombiere. If MvdP sticks with the GC group I'm afraid I'll not be believing that performance.
If you think about it in the post EPO era, everything was to do with weight. Yet Rog and Pog climb at the same weight as Froome and Nibali who are both 2-3 inches taller? Yet no one is talking about that in the mainstream media.
Pidcock doesn't need to be compared in GTs to WVA and MvDP. He gives up 7-8 inches and weighs 50 kg. The guy has commensurate power too, for his size to those guys, and has climbing pedigree in the U23s. The only question for Pidcock is how he lasts into the third week. With the recent Tours having few 2,000+ m climbs I'd expect him to have little problem on a stage like today, especialy early in a GT.
The move of modern GTs to shorter stages, less 2,000+m climbs, gravel or cobble stages is perfect for young riders to hit hard as novices.
Already an interesting Stage today... Might work out well for Cavendish today, already dropped but he's in a Group with Geraint Thomas, what better than to have a genuine mate to help potentially pace you.
Thats if Thomas himself can cope
Either way going to be a challenging day for the Sprinters. Remember reading Cavendish saying once that you watch the blokes descending at the front and think they're risking their lives. But its the blokes at the back that have to descend even quicker than the GC guys, as its on those sections that they can make up time.
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If he can stay the course through the mountains, I fully expect him to be the man to beat for the Green Jersey.
It will be intriguing to see what will happen as the race progresses.
So what do we think his chances are of doing it? If I'm honest I haven't looked at many previews of the route, good chance or just gonna come up short?
He has won there four times previously.
I realise he did it to get the Green Jersey points, but has the Alps at the weekend
The way its set this year, he's going to leave Paris with the Stage Record and that Jersey isnt he!!
Which, even with Peter Sagan not being the cyclist of old, I think he has to do.
The interesting thing will be seeing if DQS allocate anyone to keep him within the time limits over the high mountains if the climbers are fast.
If you think about it in the post EPO era, everything was to do with weight. Yet Rog and Pog climb at the same weight as Froome and Nibali who are both 2-3 inches taller? Yet no one is talking about that in the mainstream media.
Pidcock doesn't need to be compared in GTs to WVA and MvDP. He gives up 7-8 inches and weighs 50 kg. The guy has commensurate power too, for his size to those guys, and has climbing pedigree in the U23s. The only question for Pidcock is how he lasts into the third week. With the recent Tours having few 2,000+ m climbs I'd expect him to have little problem on a stage like today, especialy early in a GT.
The move of modern GTs to shorter stages, less 2,000+m climbs, gravel or cobble stages is perfect for young riders to hit hard as novices.
Thats if Thomas himself can cope
Either way going to be a challenging day for the Sprinters. Remember reading Cavendish saying once that you watch the blokes descending at the front and think they're risking their lives. But its the blokes at the back that have to descend even quicker than the GC guys, as its on those sections that they can make up time.