Professional Cycling For the Fans - Cavandish's disqualification from sprint

I watched it and am in agreement with Phil that he didn't move off his line.
I also think it's a bit much that the man who decided the disqualification from the sprint seems a law unto himself. He pretty much said: "I decide. They can appeal, but they can only appeal to me, and I'll say no."
I wonder if this is a knock on from the comments Cav supposedly made about the French (anonymous sources to an anonymous reporter in the French press).

From what I understand, it's killed Cavendish's chances of the Green Jersey stone dead.

I thought the disqualification was a little harsh too, although I guess what he did was kind of dangerous in a sprint.

Anyway, Hushovd is a crybaby imo.

I'm surprised there isn't a competition jury that handles the appeal. It didn't look like Cav's move was on purpose and I'm not really sure he knew where Hushovd was. Anyway it didn't seem like his move was severe enough to warrant the penalty.

They like to kick out the fastest guys

They like to kick out the fastest guys

Try getting run into a fence at over 40MPH and then call him a crybaby.

The same thing happened to Thor in 2006 - dq'd from a sprint in the same circumstances and out of the running for the green jersey. Watch a few good sprint crashes on youtube and you'll see why they err on the side of safety.

I think by the numbers Cavendish still has a chance?

^^Not really, unless Hushovd flats at the start of the sprint finish on the Champs Elysees, so that Cavendish finishes 18 places higher than Thor.

Try getting run into a fence at over 40MPH and then call him a crybaby.

Watch the overhead tape. Cav's line was straight. The railing narrowed and Thor got caught by it. Blame whoever checked out the course for CTT for not warning him about it, but it wasn't Cav's fault.

Watch the overhead tape. Cav's line was straight. The railing narrowed and Thor got caught by it. Blame whoever checked out the course for CTT for not warning him about it, but it wasn't Cav's fault.

I disagree, I watched the overhead shot and if I remember correctly Cav went from left of the field to way right during the sprint. You can end a guys career with a move like that.

^^Not really, unless Hushovd flats at the start of the sprint finish on the Champs Elysees, so that Cavendish finishes 18 places higher than Thor.

Assuming no change in points and a Cav win on the final spint of stage 21, Hushovd would have to be in 10th or worse to lose the jersey.

Anyway you look at it, I think any fan would have preferred to see the green decided by sprinting rather than a penalty.

DQ's happen.........

Columbia screwed themselves by finessing this sprint, so as not to look like they were hindering Hincapie's sentimental jersey quest. Amateurish and expensive.

I disagree, I watched the overhead shot and if I remember correctly Cav went from left of the field to way right during the sprint. You can end a guys career with a move like that.

Or you could say that Cav's line was straight, but the barriers weren't. Either way Cav started about in the middle with Thor on his right, and Thor wound up pinched off in the barriers. I don't know what the rules are about holding your line when the road curves, but the ruling suggests that you can't use the road or the barriers to cut a rider off, even if you are "holding a line".

Or you could say that Cav's line was straight, but the barriers weren't. Either way Cav started about in the middle with Thor on his right, and Thor wound up pinched off in the barriers. I don't know what the rules are about holding your line when the road curves, but the ruling suggests that you can't use the road or the barriers to cut a rider off, even if you are "holding a line".

So he's supposed to cut off the guy to his left and make room for Thor on his right?

so he's supposed to cut off the guy to his left and make room for thor on his right?

+1

Cavendish either is an amazing actor, or he had no idea he was cutting off Hushovd. He had no intent, and I think that should have factored into the decision, which was borderline already even if he deliberately cut off Hushovd imo.
And I'm saying that as someone who doesn't like Cavendish.

Cavendish either is an amazing actor, or he had no idea he was cutting off Hushovd. He had no intent, and I think that should have factored into the decision, which was borderline already even if he deliberately cut off Hushovd imo.
And I'm saying that as someone who doesn't like Cavendish.

I agree it was borderline. But with a potential for major injury, they have to put their foot down at some point. If Cav wouldn't have been shooting his mouth off, they might have let it go. I don't think theymade this decision lightly.

It looked to me that it was unintentional. Cav didn't really move that far into Hushovd's line. But he was not paying attention or moving in a straight line either. But it looked like Cav was either talking to his team mate in the other direction or something. He hadn't really pinned him against the wall but he was drifting over to it.

I agree it was borderline. But with a potential for major injury, they have to put their foot down at some point. If Cav wouldn't have been shooting his mouth off, they might have let it go. I don't think theymade this decision lightly.

I think the reason they relegated him is because they thought he was not being attentive enough in a dangerous situation.

Yea, it was a prissy relegation, but... just as I would hate to see the battle for the green jersey decided by a relegation, I would also hate to see the green jersey wearer be slammed into a barrier and forced to abandon.

Fact is, regardless of the exact action or inaction of Cavendish, that sprint leadout was f-ed up. The leadout man had his frigg'n head turned over his shoulder the whole time and was leading the peloton all over the road. Hushovd was definitely cut off and was forced to concede the sprint because Cavendish, regardless of intent, slammed the door.

Besides, just because the barrier is a bit crooked doesn't mean you get to use it to impede the sprint of your opponent. If the barrier line moves, then the sprint line has to move with it.

Choose one; either get Cavendish the win in the field sprint and closer to the green jersey with a full blown leadout, or concede the sprint in favor of the yellow jersey. Colombia gambled and tried to have it both ways and was burned by achieving neither. In my opinion, the correct action is to go for the sprint points, damn the yellow. I would have loved to see George Hincapie gain the yellow just as much as anyone, but Cavendish had a chance to bring the green home to the finish, whereas Hincapie would have been in the yellow for only one stage.

As a fan, I would have liked to see the green jersey competition go down to the final sprint more than seeing Hincapie in yellow for a day.

So he's supposed to cut off the guy to his left and make room for Thor on his right?

In fact, yes. The guy on his left has room to move. Thor, next to the barrier, did not.

I watched it and am in agreement with Phil that he didn't move off his line.
I also think it's a bit much that the man who decided the disqualification from the sprint seems a law unto himself. He pretty much said: "I decide. They can appeal, but they can only appeal to me, and I'll say no."
I wonder if this is a knock on from the comments Cav supposedly made about the French (anonymous sources to an anonymous reporter in the French press).

From what I understand, it's killed Cavendish's chances of the Green Jersey stone dead.

Yup, that's the guys who's a p**ck. Another one of those strong-headed individuals who seems to think he is the only master. If I were Cavendish, I'd write a nice column in the local FRENCH paper.

Yup, that's the guys who's a p**ck. Another one of those strong-headed individuals who seems to think he is the only master. If I were Cavendish, I'd write a nice column in the local FRENCH paper.

I know it will probably go on and on about how no fair decision is possible with French officials and so forth and Cav's made enemies and so forth because he's so fast and has a big mouth and all...or you could just watch the video of the sprint again.

Erring on the side of safety, its the same call that's been made many times before in similar circumstances against plenty of sprinters. Cav was in the middle and Thor was on his right, with room. Then he was cut off against the barriers with no room. Did the barriers move, or did Cavendish move? Does it matter to the officials which of the two moved? Hmmmm....it looks like no - it doesn't matter to the officials. If the road curves or narrows you have to allow room for the guy next to you, you can't run him into the barriers.

I know it will probably go on and on about how no fair decision is possible with French officials and so forth and Cav's made enemies and so forth because he's so fast and has a big mouth and all...or you could just watch the video of the sprint again.

Erring on the side of safety, its the same call that's been made many times before in similar circumstances against plenty of sprinters. Cav was in the middle and Thor was on his right, with room. Then he was cut off against the barriers with no room. Did the barriers move, or did Cavendish move? Does it matter to the officials which of the two moved? Hmmmm....it looks like no - it doesn't matter to the officials. If the road curves or narrows you have to allow room for the guy next to you, you can't run him into the barriers.

I agree, you have to give your competitor a chance to get to the line.

I disagree, I watched the overhead shot and if I remember correctly Cav went from left of the field to way right during the sprint. You can end a guys career with a move like that.

He was cleanly ahead of Hushovd when he launched (and moved about two feet to the right at the start of his sprint - he couldn't have gone left, because that's the side his lead-off's moved off to). Thor tried to come past him on the right, and Cav went straight. Sorry Thor, you made a bad choice there. There should be some sort of review process, like they apparently have when someone misses the cutoff time.

I cannot find a clip of it on youtube, versus, or google. Vigilant rights holders...anyone have a link?

I cannot find a clip of it on youtube, versus, or google. Vigilant rights holders...anyone have a link?

http://www.steephill.tv/players/tinypic/?title=tdf-09-st14-cavendish-finish&id=33c11z5