So Cav is in the TdF, help me temper my excitement

[TheDrownedApe]

I've seen everyone of his 30 victories and love/hate his attitude. I would love for him to equal Eddy's record but feel even one win will be v.hard for him. He dropped a lot of fast twitch muscle midway through his career to ensure he could complete the race and win the green and this kinda hurt his sprinting. Then gulliembarr (sry) should have finished him ( had a work colleague who suffered) but however .....

Come on Cav!!!!!!

[MrBarry123]

I am also very excited to see how he gets on, especially with the backing of Deceuninck.

[DE1975]

Pretty much the whole of the first week looks suited to sprinters, so he could well pick up a stage or 2.

He did well in the Tour of Turkey earlier this year (although he'll be up against tougher competition at the TDF). I don't think he'll be anywhere near his previous best though

[JEA1K]

TheDrownedApe said:

I would love for him to equal Eddy's record but feel even one win will be v.hard for him.

He needs 4 wins to equal, 5 to beat him. I'd love to see him beat him as I dislike Eddy. He's a cheat.

Hard to see Cav getting more than 1 or 2 wins but the DQS train will certainly get him into the right place at the right time.

[Barchettaman]

He’s got a great chance for a win or two.

It’s just a treat to see such a legend back the TdF, I never thought it’d happen after his injury and illness problems.

[Matt_N]

DE1975 said:

Pretty much the whole of the first week looks suited to sprinters, so he could well pick up a stage or 2.

He did well in the Tour of Turkey earlier this year (although he'll be up against tougher competition at the TDF). I don't think he'll be anywhere near his previous best though

Not so sure that the first week looks suited to the sprinters, granted 3 of the first 7 stages are flat and sprint, but the others are 3x hilly and an ITT.

The first two stages could really mix the GC up straight away as the contenders will be looking to make an impact straight away but need to balance overall performance.

[2fast748]

Cav being in the Tour will make me watch it to be fair. Will he win much - not sure.

[TCX]

Reckon Caleb Euan will be happier,can't see Cav doing much tbh,long time since he's been at the sharp end,specially in three week race,got probably the best lead out train there,but might be as well give Morkov the chance to sprint?

[okgo]

A lot of the early stages are much more lumpy than they look on profile, more suited to classics men really, perfect for Wout or MDVP. There's 2 chances in the first week from what I can see.

I'd be surprised if he won a stage. I can't see him beating out Ewan, and I think tbh even MDVP and Wout are likely quicker, along with Sagan, Merlier, Phillipsen, Demare etc. Be interesting to see though.

[Fossilthe4x4]

Even if Cav equals or beats the Merckx stage win record it is not really comparing like with like. Merckx went on to win the race, Cav isn't even necessarily interested in getting to Paris. It's like an F1 team declaring they are not bothered about the race, just chalking up the fastest lap.

[mike80]

Ah, the Valtteri Bottas tactic...

[AKA PABS]

The win in the tour of Belgium shows he still has the speed, the fact that he looks to be carrying more muscle than a few years back will only help him if he is in the pack, come the sprint. I think he will do really well to get to Paris and if he does I will be cheering him on.
I’d love him to get just one more stage, he has so much bad luck with crashes and illness.

[okgo]

Wasnt the tour of Belgium win thanks to someone else having a mechanical?

Re crashing and illness, some riders crash a lot, some don’t. The illness, well, was it real? Who knows.

[AKA PABS]

[quote=okgo]Wasnt the tour of Belgium win thanks to someone else having a mechanical?

Not that I am aware. The below article was what made me think, he still has a bit left in the tank. Straight up sprint against some top sprinters.

https://cyclingtips.com/2021/06/cavendish-proves-h...

[okgo]

Dylan’s gears broke.

[outnumbered]

okgo said:

Dylan’s gears broke.

The Dylan who has been nowhere near a win this season ?

[okgo]

outnumbered said:

The Dylan who has been nowhere near a win this season ?

He looked to have been going quicker than Cav until the gears & he's done barely any racing to be fair. And Ewan managed to fk it up too as he won the other sprints.

It would be good to see Cavendish mixing it again, but it's a big step up (as he probably well knows) from the level of races he has done so far. Not sure if he's said he wants to go to Paris, but that will be an ask.

[TwistingMyMelon]

1 or 2 wins I think (hope)

I think there is a sprint stage 3 days in

Cav is all or nothing, he will be on good form or nothing at all

[okgo]

TwistingMyMelon said:

1 or 2 wins I think (hope)

I think there is a sprint stage 3 days in

Cav is all or nothing, he will be on good form or nothing at all

And he's been nothing for the last 5 years (until this year) despite trying quite hard you would think, so that I think is why people are a little skeptical.

[outnumbered]

okgo said:

He looked to have been going quicker than Cav until the gears & he's done barely any racing to be fair. And Ewan managed to fk it up too as he won the other sprints.

It would be good to see Cavendish mixing it again, but it's a big step up (as he probably well knows) from the level of races he has done so far. Not sure if he's said he wants to go to Paris, but that will be an ask.

I reckon that beating Merlier, Ewan, Groenewegen plus others is a pretty decent result in anyone’s book. And “NOT fking it up” is a key thing about winning sprints. Also don’t think that DG would have won it.

I do agree that the Tour is a step up, and he’ll be doing very well to win a stage there, especially given his history of trying a bit too hard sometimes.