Norrin Radd
Tour Winner
He's only gone and won the stage today ,he is probably the best sprinter out there.
Cav the man
- Thread starter Norrin Radd
- Start date
D-S
Well-known member
Now this is one spoiler I don’t mind seeing. Really looking forward to watching the highlights later now.
After the huge disappointment of last year and the monumentous decision to give it one last go (after last year’s final tour), this is some feat. Without seeing it yet, he has beaten some top sprinters today.
Eddie Merckx’s stage record of course is still the ultimate one but there has never been a better pure sprinter.
After the huge disappointment of last year and the monumentous decision to give it one last go (after last year’s final tour), this is some feat. Without seeing it yet, he has beaten some top sprinters today.
Eddie Merckx’s stage record of course is still the ultimate one but there has never been a better pure sprinter.
rulefan
Tour Winner
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
Isn't that what Cav has just beaten, EM's record of Tour stage wins?
I always liked Mario Cipollini as a prue sprinter, but since he's used his wife to practice his boxing on he is confined to the bin Lance Armstrong resides in for me.
D-S
Well-known member
Eddie Merckx’s 34 stages came whilst winning the Tour de France 5 times and included mountain wins (he won the polka dot jersey twice), solo breakaways, time trials and sprints. So 34 stages won like this is incredible. Cav is the best sprinter we have seen but not the best Tour de France rider. So for me Eddie’s record is ‘better’ that’s all.
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
The only thing I would say against that, is that back then there was no testing,and they all rode on various substances to give them the edge or even just keep them awake.
At least we can be very certain Cav is clean, which for pro cycling is a massive thing to be able to say.
D-S
Well-known member
Couldn’t agree more.
I guess back in the day they were all on something which sort of levelled the playing field in a way. I’m always surprised that they can manage to get through 3 weeks of such gruelling intensity without taking drugs.
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
They have a monument to Tom Simpson on Mount Ventoux, but his post mortem revealved a huge amount of drugs mixed inside him but because everyone did it back then, it's ignored.
Backache
Assistant Pro
I'm not for a minute suggesting that he is not clean , but I'm not sure how we can be very certain?
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
I don't think he could have lasted so long on the pro cycling circuit, and for GB cycling if he wasn't clean. He would have been caught by now.
pendodave
Tour Rookie
It's an extraordinary achievement. Sprinting is such a dangerous and tactical endeavour, as well as the obvious physical requirements.
As for cleanliness, my working assumption is that they're all on something, but that the checks are probably making sure no-one's taking the piss toooo much.
As for cleanliness, my working assumption is that they're all on something, but that the checks are probably making sure no-one's taking the piss toooo much.
fenwayrich
Assistant Pro
I'm no cycling expert, but I enjoy watching the Grand Tours and the Monuments. Young Pogačar is the modern Merckx, fantastic to watch. Great achievement by Sir Mark Cavendish.
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
Hard to know what is being taken or how deep they dig these days. I think the Lance Armstrong case made them far more stringent than ever before but whether that has changed or the drugs being used are harder to detect I don't know. To achieve 35 stage wins is still an exceptional feat and so glad he got the record in what is reputed to be this last TDF (although I wonder if he'll be persuaded to keep goign)
rulefan
Tour Winner
He may have another stage win in him this year.
im surprised , but well done. i though after getting dropped on the first stage, it might be he isn't up to it any longer. lets hope he can get a few more and finish in style in Paris with a win on the CE
I'd be amazed if he made it to Paris. I doubt that is even in their thoughts. He will look to challenge on a few more stages and then say 'thank you very much, I'm done'.
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
I don’t think many sprinters actually make it to the final day as the mountains normally cull them not only physically but also with them not making the time each day.
Yes, that was what I was thinking. In his case in particular, clearly he is getting on. It was certainly not a criticism, sprinters are a different type of cyclist to the Tour leaders and they have their own race within a race (as you know)
Neilds
Assistant Pro
I can say for certain that he won't make it Paris as the TdF isn't finishing there due to the Olympics. Last stage is an individual time trial in Nice
Whereditgo
Journeyman Pro
That used to be the case, nowadays though the 'specialists' are much more rounded. The climbers are also very good time trialists as an example.
This year has been unusual in that the first stage had some pretty serious climbing, which wouldn't normally occur for quite a few stages.
