sprinting masterclass

no 4th win !

though he was balked a bit

He was a bit but I don’t think he’d have got there today anyway. But that’s ok, you can’t win them all.

And that’s four!!! Going to make the road race scene this summer a lot more fun!

he’s riding well at the moment for sure though I can’t see him making the roster for the big ‘n’s

No me neither but it’s still awesome.

Mate just asked me if I think he’ll do the 6 days, which would be properly fantastic. Him and Wiggins were a cycling highlight for me when they raced there

He beat the big boys today for Your of Belgium stage, arguably only Bennett wasn’t there, but hey, he’s his team mate so that’s ok. But the rest of the big sprinters were playing and he took the win!

With Bennetts knee injury being slow to heal it does look like there are some interesting discussions going on at DQS. You’d have to think on current form you wouldn’t bet against Cav getting a stage or two in the tour.

It look like Cav won’t race the tour unless DQS can raise some extra money. It sounds like he’s on minimum wage with no obligation to race the tour & wants more than minimum to put himself under the inevitable spotlight.

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/mark-cavendish-a-long-shot-to-replace-injured-sam-bennett-in-the-tour-de-france/

I read that CN article and think it’s pure negotiation from Lefevre – if Bennet is not fit it would seem like a massive own goal for both DQS and Cav if they cannot work out a way to get him there.

Maybe I’m naive, but he’s such a comnpetitive guy I just cannot imagine he would pass up one final(?) chance to win at TDF – and maybe at Merckx’s record

All posturing isn’t it….I’m sure there’s plenty of means of getting Cav a couple of hundred k to do the Tour. Christ, I’d imagine Prudhomme would pay it!

If he could get through the first few stages unscathed, you’d imagine he’d be able to take a couple of wins. I’ve not seen the parcours, but traditionally he’s not started the Tour that well (I know that there have been exceptions)

I just cannot imagine he would pass up one final(?) chance to win at TDF – and maybe at Merckx’s record

I think, therein lies the problem; whether he wants that, or indeed whether he places much value on chasing records at all, I think the media circus puts enormous mental pressure on him & makes the record the goal. It doesn’t matter what he wants, it’s the record that everyone else wants to talk about.

As he’s covered in interviews – he loves the sport & still has much to give but to go out every day with the unrealistic aim of winning every race you enter is just a recipe for stress.

I’m not surprised he wants more money.

The interview above seems to suggest that DQS aren’t targeting GC as such, but they’re taking Alaphillipe and will let him ride like he wants (given he’s having a new baby & his head will be all over). So they may as well take Cav.

Didn’t Cav say that it is more sponsors than the team paying his way, so he still has decent contracts with Oakley and the like? No Doubt they’d like to see him go to the Tour..

I guess they also need to mull over if we can’t take Bennett then are we all in for Alaphillipe (Even if they can’t win it, a lot of days in Yellow is not to be sniffed at)

If Bennett isn’t fit then Cav has a dilemma

He’s in great sprinting form

He loves racing

He loves the TdF

He has self respect and wants to be paid similar to those he races against. He is after all a professional cyclist

QS have a team that will win stages anyway

They haven’t got lots of money sloshing around

It could be a gigantic poker game to see who blinks first. Cav is definitely back and I really hope that if the opportunity is there he can ride the TdF again

They haven’t got lots of money sloshing around

they actually have. Mostly it’s gesturing by Lefevere, they’re backed by some of the wealthiest men in Europe and if they wanted to pay Cav to do the tour, they’d find the cash.

that interview sounded like Lefevre appealing to the sponsors to put hands in pockets 🙂 I would bet Cav would go because after being ignored a couple of years ago by the team boss when even the DS was disappointed not to have him, that really rankled with him (which now makes sense really, the team boss couldn’t afford the win bonuses). But he’s right to want to be paid a wage not relying on win bonuses (that aren’t that big compared to the salary).

The other question is whether he can avoid the media where not an ASO stipulation, given what we’ve seen with Naomi Osaka, Cav is put under massive stress by the media intrusion right at the end of a sprint. the Tour really is a circus.

Why would he want to avoid the media? He’s always courted the media and done it pretty well (mostly by coming across as genuine and passionate). Plus I’m sure his sponsors will all want him seen on TV.

they actually have. Mostly it’s gesturing by Lefevere, they’re backed by some of the wealthiest men in Europe and if they wanted to pay Cav to do the tour, they’d find the cash.

Yet it’s well known they don’t pay as well as other teams…..

Maybe the rich men stay rich by not spaffing it all on rider wages?

I think it depends on how good Alaphillip is going, if he’s not a cert for a win then they will need a sprint option in the absence of Bennett

Just confirmed, Cav is going to Le Tour, no Bennett in the team.

lets hope he makes it to Paris 🙂

Be great t see him ride the tour again. Can’t see him getting the 4 wins he needs to equal Eddy Merckx but if he gets one it’d be amazing!

Been a remarkable season so far for Cav after the rollercoaster he’s been on for several years, hope he is in the running for at least one sprint stage win in TDF.

Woah, that’s epic!!!!

Just confirmed, Cav is going to Le Tour, no Bennett in the team.

Blimey, I read on road.cc that Bennett had recovered and was going to ride.

Oh wow, just seen this. HOW AMAZING!
I am certain that Cav will give it his all and has a fairly sensational team around him as well.
Super exciting.
Go Cav, Go

This is so awesome, I desperately want Cav to get a stage (at least)

The CN article makes it sound like Lefevre threw Bennett out of the your squad for not telling the truth.