Cavendish closes in on Armstrong

[TNT1]

Although Brailsford is his boss he is 100% accurate in this article. Cav is so good he's a freak.

 

Brailsford: Cavendish has shown he’s the world's best sprinter

 

Eisel and Cancellara also full of praise for the Manxman

 

There were smiles all around as Team Sky's riders made their way back to the team bus to go through their "warming down" routine in the wake of Mark Cavendish's stage victory in Tournai. Beaming team boss Dave Brailsford marvelled at his sprinter's superlative skill, saying that Cavendish had proved he was the world's best sprinter having triumphed against the odds.

 

http://www.cyclingne...s-best-sprinter

 

You left off the warning:

Warning: contains back-slapping.

 

From the live report page...

[petatodd]

Warning accepted.

 

Balancing some of the ignorant comments about how k@k a sprinter Cav is.

 

I have often wondered if stronger domestique's are not told to join the sprinter's buses to bolster the numbers and influence the decision to not cut them......I remeber one stage last year almost a third of the field came in outside the cut-off...

The required number count is not a published number and is relatively high therefore very risky and means the teams need to co-operate to swell the numbers. With no guarantee of be excused.

 

More likely a couple of experienced races are sent back to pace the entire group to just make it.

 

Generally a third would be excused and allowed to continue.

[petatodd]

Really useless bike rider this guy Cav:

 

Key results

1st World Road Championships 2011

1st World Track Championships, Madison 2005, 2008

1st Points competition, Tour de France 2011

20 stage wins, Tour de France 2008-11

9 stage wins, Giro d’Italia, 2008-11

1st Points competition, Vuelta a España 2010

4 stages wins, Vuelta a España 2010

1st Milan-San Remo 2009

1st Scheleprijs 2007, 2008, 2011

2nd Points competition, Tour de France 2009, 2010

[DaLoCo]

Really useless bike rider this guy Cav:

 

Key results

1st World Road Championships 2011

1st World Track Championships, Madison 2005, 2008

1st Points competition, Tour de France 2011

20 stage wins, Tour de France 2008-11

9 stage wins, Giro d’Italia, 2008-11

1st Points competition, Vuelta a España 2010

4 stages wins, Vuelta a España 2010

1st Milan-San Remo 2009

1st Scheleprijs 2007, 2008, 2011

2nd Points competition, Tour de France 2009, 2010

And he re-affirmed it with the intermediate sprint....ran a workshop on sprinting in the middle of it, mostly aimed at Van Hummel

Edited July 3, 2012 by DaLoCo

[Eldron]

Balancing some of the ignorant comments about how k@k a sprinter Cav is.

 

Interesting question this "how good is the Cav?"

 

100 Victories to Armstrong's 91 (although Armstrong's include 7 TdFs!)

Merckx on 445!!!!

Zabel 213

Cipo 191

 

Methinks Cav has still got a stack of work to do before we can call him great...

 

Well capable of it in my book. Did I just say that? Urgh.

[Cav']

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_career_achievements_by_Mark_Cavendish

[petatodd]

Well, lets look at Grand Tour wins, puts some perspective into the question:

 

 

 

And the World Champions in road race - multiple winners only

 

 

 

Cipollini did win the world championship once.

 

edit: table did not work so posted pictures

Edited July 3, 2012 by petatodd

['Dale]

The sprinters are the sub-plot to the main event. They provide the explosive entertainment in amongst the long haul for the GC title.

 

The colour and excitement justifies them being there and coming and going as they need to.

 

Its maybe like 20:20 cricketers appearing for a few overs during a test match.

 

Great contrast and variety.

 

&, did I mention - Cavendish is the business?

 

Cool post, Cav fan...