Author Topic: Cavendish to retire soon?  (Read 37894 times)

Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #25 on: 16 April, 2021, 07:31:36 am »
<cough>

Some perspective

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Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #26 on: 16 April, 2021, 09:48:09 am »
The top sprinter (not named Cavendish) at the Tour of Turkey is clearly Jasper Philipsen - winner of Scheldeprijs and second at De Panne in the last couple of weeks. He's not in the top few sprinters in the world, but he's beaten a lot of them in 2021 (and 2020, given he got a Vuelta stage last year).

That doesn't mean Cav is going to be at the TdF - Bennet is clearly the main (sprints) man at Quickstep, and if Fabio Jacobsen can get anywhere near his best then he's gonna be faster too. So Cav might go to the Vuelta, but even if he doesn't, it's a much better way to go out of the sport than being dropped by your team after being off the pace at a re-scheduled Ghent Wevelgem.

Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #27 on: 16 April, 2021, 09:57:23 am »
Actually, yes, I agree, it is Philpsen. Not in terms of palmares, but in terms of potential. He isn't a big beast yet, but he is going to be. I think my wider point stands, regardless, and yes of course it is good for Cavendish to go out (probably) with some wins rather than several years of failure and ignominy.

Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #28 on: 18 April, 2021, 02:40:53 pm »
I agree with all the above stuff.  I am also very happy for Eddy's record to be intact.  He is the greatest all rounder I think anyone will ever see.  He raced everything.  That's not possible anymore because only domestiques do the whole season, now.  No disrespect to domestiques, by the way.  Anyone with a pro contract is by definition a phenomenal rider.

citoyen

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Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #29 on: 18 April, 2021, 03:29:24 pm »
La Tropicale Amissa Bongo.  Heard of it?

Yes, I have! Probably first came to my attention the year an up and coming Natnael Berhane won it.

Of course, the fact that Berhane has never really gone on to set the World Tour alight is probably a fair indication of the level of the race.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #30 on: 18 April, 2021, 03:50:20 pm »
It's mad to think that Cvndsh's peak was a decade ago.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #31 on: 18 April, 2021, 05:58:04 pm »
I was at the stage finish in Canterbury in 2007, about 200m from the line, hoping to see him leading the pack home. Instead it was Robbie McEwen who won, with Cav nowhere to be seen - he'd crashed a few km out and limped home a few minutes later, crying his eyes out. Feels like a long, long time ago.

His peak may well have been as long ago as 2009, the year of that finish on the Champs-Elysees.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #32 on: 18 April, 2021, 06:25:39 pm »
Whenever his peak was, he's just done it again - 4 out of 8.

TimC

  • Old blerk sometimes onabike.
Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #33 on: 18 April, 2021, 08:51:09 pm »
Whether it offered serious competition or not, the ToT will have been great for Cav's confidence and will probably make it easier for him to retire satisfied with his career. It seems unlikely to me he'll get a GT slot (though the Vuelta may be a possibility), but he should get a good shot at several more decent races through the year. I'd love to see him at least have an on-form go against the current big sprinters, though I wouldn't expect him to be quite fast enough to take the win. But it's not impossible - and it looks a lot more possible than it did two weeks ago!

αdαmsκι

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Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #34 on: 21 June, 2021, 03:20:42 pm »
We'll soon find out how good Cav is because he has a TdF call up.
What on earth am I doing here on this beautiful day?! This is the only life I've got!!

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Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #35 on: 21 June, 2021, 03:21:09 pm »
It's just been announced that Cav is going to the TdeF  :thumbsup:.

ETA: X-post with αdαmsκι.




Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #36 on: 21 June, 2021, 04:08:10 pm »

Mr Larrington

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Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #37 on: 21 June, 2021, 06:04:49 pm »
We'll soon find out how good Cav is because he has a TdF call up.

In place of an injured Sam Bennett.  Crazy P Sagan or Trentin for the green jersey?
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Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #38 on: 21 June, 2021, 07:20:49 pm »
We'll soon find out how good Cav is because he has a TdF call up.

In place of an injured Sam Bennett.  Crazy P Sagan or Trentin for the green jersey?

Is he really injured or just afraid of failure?

TimC

  • Old blerk sometimes onabike.
Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #39 on: 21 June, 2021, 11:07:58 pm »
We'll soon find out how good Cav is because he has a TdF call up.

In place of an injured Sam Bennett.  Crazy P Sagan or Trentin for the green jersey?

Is he really injured or just afraid of failure?

Ouch!

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #40 on: 29 June, 2021, 04:11:19 pm »

So...

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citoyen

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Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #41 on: 29 June, 2021, 04:14:07 pm »
"I aten't ded"
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #42 on: 29 June, 2021, 04:15:49 pm »
What a fantastic finish !!!
Sunshine approaching from the South.

First time in 1,000 years.

TheLurker

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Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #43 on: 29 June, 2021, 04:37:25 pm »
Quote from: spesh
Now that his TdF stage wins record is safe, I guess Eddy Merckx can take the pins out of his Cavendish voodoo doll. :demon:
What's the betting Eddy's scrabbling around in his sock drawer looking for it again?  :)
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Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #44 on: 29 June, 2021, 04:43:11 pm »
Francis Urquhart applies... ;D
"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #45 on: 29 June, 2021, 08:30:40 pm »
<cough>

Some perspective

(click to show/hide)

This tweet aged badly  ;D

αdαmsκι

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Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #46 on: 29 June, 2021, 08:50:17 pm »
What on earth am I doing here on this beautiful day?! This is the only life I've got!!

https://tyredandhungry.wordpress.com/

Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #47 on: 29 June, 2021, 09:37:38 pm »
<cough>

Some perspective

(click to show/hide)

This tweet aged badly  ;D
chapeau
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citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #48 on: 29 June, 2021, 09:59:20 pm »
<cough>

Some perspective

(click to show/hide)

This tweet aged badly  ;D

To be fair to you, he’s only beaten Nacer Bouhanni and Jasper Philipsen today. Neither of whom are exactly prime Marcel Kittel. Bouhanni isn’t even prime Bouhanni these days.

Still, it is the Tour and I’m very happy for him. Very very happy indeed.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Cavendish to retire soon?
« Reply #49 on: 29 June, 2021, 10:01:57 pm »
Well yes, I had noticed that, but...you know...sour grapes and all that.    I'm delighted for him. Quite humbling to see his humility too.