Pro Cycling Discussion 2016

Bloody social media! spoiled that for me, and what was a fantastic last 5km all around. Dan McLay is an animal, the speed he pulled to move up, if he gets his timing sorted he'll be bagging a stage this year.

Merckx record isn't so far away now for Cav with the form he is showing this tour. Back to his previous best! Really hope he gets over the mountains and reclaims the Champs Elysees! It should be renamed Cav Elysees after his 4 in a row.
 
Just gonna leave this here

Mario 'The Lion King' Cipollini said:
Mark Cavendish is strong, or at least was strong, because now – with all respect – he is in decline, but he was never a heavyweight. He was lucky to come into a power vacuum when the world heavyweight title was vacant, and to have a train that made it like a stroll for him.
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From May 2016:
https://rouleur.cc/journal/riders/mario-cipollini-interview

How many times did he win on the Champs Elysées? :rolleyes:
 
I think it's fair to an extent as Cav came through when Hushovd, McEwen etc were in decline and there was a shortage of good sprinters. The wins he's taken this year are some of his best because of the competition.
 
oli collett said:
Just gonna leave this here

How many times did he win on the Champs Elysées? :rolleyes:
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I quite like Cav and he is still one of the best sprinters IMO, but I do agree with most of that quote.

He is in decline - but decline from winning by several bike lengths to winning in photo-finishes.

He was somewhat at his peak during a 'power-vacuum' - for a time he was the best sprinter around, and the second-best was his leadout man!

His train made it easy for him - again, there was a time where he was the only sprinter with a leadout. They more-or-less invented the sprint train at HTC. These days there are 3-4 trains in every race and he has become very good at tagging onto another team and riding alone.
 
Another smazing result for Cav I'll admit I thought he was done after the last couple of years but he is certainly back with a bang! The all time record is in his sights now! I thought he abandon before the mountains to focus on the olympics but given his form
He may be tempted to push on and see if he can get a couple more victories!
 
touch said:
His train made it easy for him - again, there was a time where he was the only sprinter with a leadout. They more-or-less invented the sprint train at HTC. These days there are 3-4 trains in every race and he has become very good at tagging onto another team and riding alone.
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This highlights that actually HTC and the team Cav built around him were genuine innovators that all the sprint teams have gone on to copy. Much like marginal gains or wings in F1, just because they done it first and so much better than everyone else, this shouldn't take anything away from his achievements.

The fact that Cav seems to now be working with how the peloton seems to be in the last 3k whilst Kittel is there moaning he can't work with it highlights how he is once again working harder than others to refine his sprint to suit his capabilities and take advantage of everything going on. That and he appears to be back to his level of actually being able to outsprint people due to his low aeroness. :D
 
oli collett said:
competition like.. Greipel?
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The fact he'd never beaten Kittel till this week suggests the competition is better. Let's not forget Greipel and Kittel have 19 TDF stage wins between them before you factor in the second tier sprinters like Coquard etc.

Just taking the final stage as an example:
2009 on the Champs Elysee Cav beat his own leadout man and Farrar (1 TDF stage win).
2010 beat Petacchi (6 stage wins) and Julian Dean.
2011 beat Boasson Hagen and Greipel
2012 beat Sagan and Matt Harley

Only Greipel and Petacchi out of those have ever been near Cav as a "proper" sprinter. The 2009-11 wins were almost ridiculously easy. The standard is much higher now.

Cav's success over a period of time is remarkable and he ground out some amazing stage wins as well as the "slamdunks" so not playing down his success, just saying the wins now are worth more.
 
The break is over 5 mins on the peloton with a few handy chaps in there....
Spartacus.
Tony Martin.
Nibali.
Oh, and GvA in the yellow jersey.

lol
 
One More Solo said:
Pretty tasty break indeed! If GvA can hang in he will be in yellow for a bit longer.

Niballi or Navarro for the stage for me.
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Nibs binned. Steve Cummings in a 4 man break up the road. Legs shall be demolished today, love this guy.

Also Lemond here with his belly squeezed into a XXL cycling jersey giving it beans on his insight on the Col d'Aspin. Do one Greg, Americans cannot be cool, you know that.

Edit, as I hit submit Cummings unleashes the fury. Solo 700watt death machine.
 
Nibali making a move. If he can gain a bit of ground on Cummings on the way up then I expect he'll win as he descends so well.
 
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