He’s probably not going to win much, maybe a stage of Tour of Poland, but a lovely gesture from Lefevre, and of course what a marketing coup. The media will be talking about DQ all season, and now with added reason.

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mark-cavendish-signs-for-deceuninck-quickstep-for-2021-season/

He was given the all clear from Barr Epstein. And had little chance to race this year. I want to believe there’s a win or two in him and while I agree DQS will make the most of the marketing op Lefevere isn’t a sentimental kind of person – so maybe Cav has one last season in him?

I hope he gets one more big win then immediately retires to go out with a bang rather than a whimper

Fantastic news.

This has justified the price of my Eurosport sub already.

Was so happy to see this pop up on my google feed. He does not deserve to jest fade away, hope he does well in the wolfpack.

Oh that’s ace news!!!

Come on Cav, one last time!!

Having heard him speak recently about how it’s not all about winning any more and how he loves to be involved in racing/wants to give something back, I guess he will be going to DQT to help with lead outs, tactics etc as much as trying to win sprints?

Having heard him speak recently about how it’s not all about winning any more and how he loves to be involved in racing/wants to give something back, I guess he will be going to DQT to help with lead outs, tactics etc as much as trying to win sprints?

Yes I think this nails it.

I saw an interview with him a little while ago where he was trying to explain what made him say he was finished. He basically stated how much he just likes to race, no matter what, but feels enormous pressure to win every time he rides, which is obviously impossible. He said how much he loved helping the younger guys and setting up their wins.

A DS in training perhaps?
Didn’t they nearly sign him last year and decided against?
I don’t think he’ll win much but he’s still got a great racing brain so he’ll add some value to the team.

I wonder if he’ll look to move away from pure sprinting to a more opportunist style. He might not cut it in a full bunch sprint any more, but how dangerous would he be in a breakaway sprint?

But yeah, looks like setting him up as the future DS.

I think his value lies beyond winning as well. Heard a great interview with Nathan Haas who was on Dimension Data with cav. He spoke very highly of cavs ability to make everyone on the team feel important and motivated, regardless of who was crossing the line. I can see that being particularly useful in a team like QuickStep, what with them being a Wolfpack and all.

He spoke very highly of cavs ability to make everyone on the team feel important and motivated, regardless of who was crossing the line

Having over 40 wins under his belt for them already, means he’s going to be a great team player now. Nothing left to prove, occasional chance of a win, set up the younger riders.

I bet he was cheap too, because he’d probably ride for free for that team just for the World Tour license. When’s Renshaw joining as DS?

Richie back to Ineos must be for a future DS role, again a bit of sentimentality, but still a sound business decision.

I would love to see him go into DSing, I know he doesn’t need to financially, but he always impresses me with his insight and nous and it would be cool to see what he could do.

Richie back to Ineos must be for a future DS role

Not sure on that, he doesn’t strike me as someone with a great racing brain which you need in a DS role. I suspect he been signed as nothing more than a climbing super-dom, which is always what he was best at anyway.

Cav has always been able to read a race and you suspect he would be a huge value either as a coach for young sprinters or as a DS. I kind of get the impression that he just loves to race and be involved so as mentioned above, I suspect he was quite a cheap signing as he’ll take any chance he can get.

Cav’s done a bit of DS work when he was out with an injured shoulder. He was in the car for the IOM team at the 2014 commonwealth games in Glasgow. He sent Pete Kennaugh up the road on his own at kilometer 0. It was not a successful tactic.

(I don’t think that result is an entirely fair way to judge his DS skills though).

He sent Pete Kennaugh up the road on his own at kilometer 0. It was not a successful tactic.

I wasn’t gonna raise that but it did cross my mind, did they ever explain exactly what was going on?

Did Kennaugh make a break and expect others to follow, but when they didn’t he just decided to keep going?

Also, bloody hell that doesn’t seem like six years ago.

Getting in those breaks in the Autumn Classics makes more sense now. Very astute of Cav to raise his profile at that time and in that location. I’m struggling to see a role for him at DQS though. He hasn’t got the engine of a someone like Edvald Bosen Hagen or Mads Pedersen who are good sprinters from a reduced group. If he’s on lead-out he’d be expected to work early in a stage as well as fetch bottles on mountain stages – not be in the grupetto after 50km. Maybe he’ll develop more as a classics rider but Spring will come around quickly. I sincerely hopes he proves me wrong.

Cyclingnews are reporting that he brought his own sponsors on board so it won’t cost Lefevre.

Did Kennaugh make a break and expect others to follow, but when they didn’t he just decided to keep going?

Yeah, I remember the post-race interview where he said he went and expected others to follow…and no-one did so he pushed on anyway. Got caught with 2 laps to go and Thomas won despite a puncture in the last few miles if memory serves.

Cyclingnews are reporting that he brought his own sponsors on board so it won’t cost Lefevre.

That would make sense. Free PR for Quickstep/Lefevre, an opportunity for Cav. Works for all I’d guess.

Yeah, I remember the post-race interview where he said he went and expected others to follow…and no-one did so he pushed on anyway. Got caught with 2 laps to go and Thomas won despite a puncture in the last few miles if memory serves.

I remember Cav talking to him out of the car window, wondered if he was turning the air blue telling him to drop back or saying to keep going.

Yes, the way Thomas stayed so cool while his wheel was changed (IIRC) was hugely impressive. I think I was panicking more than him.

Allan Peiper with some brief thoughts on Mark Cavendish at about 3:45 in

Interesting interview above but I’m a bit perplexed by the size of Allans thighs – looks like he has a working model of Chris Hoys Olympic legs sticking out of the cupboard behind him.

He must still do a lot of riding !

Interesting reading
https://twitter.com/markcavendish?lang=en

On the subject of Allan Peiper

He’s only gone and won a stage sprint! 😀
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/racing/mark-cavendish-sprints-to-first-victory-since-2018-at-tour-of-turkey-496075/amp

Yep, there was a lot of happiness going around there afterwards. That was good to watch

Haha, good on him.

He’s probably not going to win much, maybe a stage of Tour of Poland

Seemingly quite prescient, though maybe this is just the start?

that Turkey stage 2 win was pure Cav: perfectly timed and a super-kick at the end. Nice one.

He’s got some pretty good form leading out Bennet to 2nd in the Scheldeprijs, rolling over the line in third and looking like he probably would have been a better option in the finale.

I think we’ll see a good showing from him this season, and the pressure being “off” a bit alongside some free reign from Lefevere will only fuel the fire.

Great to see him back on his game.

and BOOM ! There he is again, back to back wins.

Today was a much better leadout and positioning from the team and from him, it opened up nicely and away he went for the win with great power !

He just did it again!!!

Soz

Ummm… 3 of 4

3 days, 3 very different sprints too

BOOM ! that’s 3 on the bounce…. crazy !

though maybe this is just the start?

Would be nice. But this is the Tour of Turkey. A win is a win, no doubt. But one would still be surprised about a place in a GT. there is sentamentalism and there is professinoalism too. I’d like to be wrong, of course – we shall see. I hope for my own post-COVID return too 😉

I hope it’s not a blip but I have to say, this is at least 2 more wins than I expected him to get this year.

It did feel like a throw back by 10 years when he was sprinting against Greipel yesterday.
It’ll be interesting to see how he goes against the top line sprinters like Ewan and Demare.

Say what you like about him but Lefevere is a shrewd bugger.

Lefevere is very sharp indeed.
With the right deal he was on a no lose with Cav.
Worst case, he wins nothing but brings some positive PR, a few quid from sponsors and an old head to offer coaching to the young sprinters.
Best case, Cav gets some wins, all the above happens plus Lefevere looks like a genius.

Specialized (not DQ) are paying the win bonuses. Heads – you lose, tails – I win 😀