posted Jul 5, 2009

I love cav'. as an overweight 45yr old father he's made me get back on a bike after 10yrs. fantastic advert for cycling and being a professional sportsman. go cav!!!!!!!!!

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jul 5, 2009

Mark Cavendish is as sensational on the road as Sir Chris Hoy on the track.

When they hit the front you just know that no one will get past them

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jul 5, 2009

Good win for Cav, but it's a little early to write the other sprinters off. Given his wins last year and this in MSR and the Giro etc, and the margin of victory today, some are saying he's near unbeatable, but here are some reasons why not:

1. The crash in the final k seemed to disrupt the race a fair bit, and take a few teams out of contention

2. If it's the case that everytime there's a massed sprint that Cav wins, then it stands to reason that Columbia are going to have to do a lot of the chasing down on breakaways. The more work they do, the less effective the lead out train.

3. The clearer Cav's advantage is, the greater the reason for the other teams to try to get in breaks.

4. If he's serious about the green jersey, then he'll have to compete in the intermediate sprints. This might take the edge of his final sprint.

5. I can't believe that the other teams will let Columbia have the lead out, with the only aim being to put their man in Cav's wheel. If the other sprinters aren't fast enough to come round him, they'll have to start from in front.

6. Everyone has 'a day without' from time to time, which gives the rest some hope.

Lets see what tomorrow brings. Just cos he and Columbia HR made it look easy, it doesn't mean they can repeat it.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jul 5, 2009

Watching an interview with Cavendish on the Belgian tour talk show. He's one confident little man
"Winning Flanders is a dream. It's not quite reaching for the stars, but maybe it is reaching for the moon."
His bike is based on the Spitfire air planes. He's in need of some serious media training by the way, he kept holding the microphone by his ear. That's not how it works, lad Nice interview though.

By the way, if you think "hmm, it might be nice to eat at a dinner table signed by Eddy Merckx, Cancellara, Armstrong, Cavendish and everyone else who is going to do something important in the tour" - one address only!
http://www.spotter.be/nl/Tourtafel-Tour-2009/Spot_2984150.htm

All profit goes to the charity organisation Merckx' is a patron for. The highest bid is €10,000 at the moment, and you can bet that Sporza will get every single stage winner and the yellow men on there.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jul 5, 2009

just want to say, so it doesnt go unnoticed,

WELL IN NICHOLAS ROCHE.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jul 5, 2009

unfortunately i cant spell.

Nicolas****

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jul 5, 2009

The 2nd, 3rd & 4th stages are a glorious run along the south coast...quite exhilerating.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jul 6, 2009

Extremely predictable winners of the first two stages, makes me wonder why i didn't put a bet on!! Hopefully as the rest of the tour unfolds a few surprises are thrown in.

Be interesting to see if Cav and Columbia compete today, they could take the stage again, however they will sit a precedent for the rest of the tour and have a lot of hard chasing down of breakaways in these flatter stages.

Would also be nice to see Cav win without his trusty leadout, that will silence any possible critics he could have.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Jul 6, 2009

After finally watching Mark Cavendish's great win yesterday, I noticed something I've not herd any comment about. When Cav comes off wheel at say 100 meters, he drops his head down almost on top of the handle bars (much like on a good tuck on high-speed decent) loses site of the road, angles his back up. It's such a great aero position at the first burst. Amazing he can do that and generate so much power! He finishes the sprint much like the others, but I think he's adding something extra to his fantastic speed with his technique in the first 30-50 meters when he first hits the front. This is were he usually gaps the competition and is well able to maintain it across the line. His aero position is much more pronounce than any sprinter I've ever seen. Not that's the whole of it, but I wonder how much of it adds to his advantage?

add comment | complain about this comment