Mark Cavendish, what's he on?
#27
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Leave it to someone from LI to want to find a shortcut to success. We were quite naive when in high school, and the immediately obvious answer as to why the kid from Section 11 who obliterated everyone in the 50 yard dash in the 1976/77 state indoor meet (and looked like he was 23) eluded us.
So now the OP and I have made roughly equally presumptuous postings.
The real reason for Cavendish's success are his genetically engineered legs, which were transplanted onto his body when he was 17. In order to emulate him, you'll need to find appropriate donor tissue, and have both your legs amputated.
So now the OP and I have made roughly equally presumptuous postings.
The real reason for Cavendish's success are his genetically engineered legs, which were transplanted onto his body when he was 17. In order to emulate him, you'll need to find appropriate donor tissue, and have both your legs amputated.
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#28
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Leave it to someone from LI to want to find a shortcut to success. We were quite naive when in high school, and the immediately obvious answer as to why the kid from Section 11 who obliterated everyone in the 50 yard dash in the 1976/77 state indoor meet (and looked like he was 23) eluded us.
So now the OP and I have made roughly equally presumptuous postings.
The real reason for Cavendish's success are his genetically engineered legs, which were transplanted onto his body when he was 17. In order to emulate him, you'll need to find appropriate donor tissue, and have both your legs amputated.
So now the OP and I have made roughly equally presumptuous postings.
The real reason for Cavendish's success are his genetically engineered legs, which were transplanted onto his body when he was 17. In order to emulate him, you'll need to find appropriate donor tissue, and have both your legs amputated.
maybe i can take out a loan and pick up some of those beast legs though
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Mark Cavendish. Who knows. Maybe, just maybe he is faster than anybody else in a sprint. What a concept.
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I'm really rather surprised noone has mentioned he's the only guy with a dedicated lead out train that is almost always there. His win on the 18th was sheer tactics and skill (after Mr. Headbutt got DQd).
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he's proven he doesn't need that train. he's just on another level speed wise.
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He got two stage wins this year without that vaunted lead out train. Can't use that argument anymore. Dude is just fast.
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There is a factor that probably nobody noticed, Cavendish still does TRACK also during the year, in a matter of fact that is what is giving him the final rush big time. Thats why im waiting for the "flying dutchman" to catch up in the road because he is way faster than Cavendish
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With "flying dutchman" you don't mean this *******, do you? Yeah he sure is god's gift to road racing.
maybe i'm naive but i'm inclined to believe Theo's story about what happened.
#40
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think he is a savage sprinter end of story - maybe he might take something in a couple years but now he too high profile to risk it i think. i'd say he's clean as a whistle
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Dont forget the 2nd place he also got in the field sprint i think on stage 13?? So really he beat the field on 3 occasions without his Renshaw leadout.
#43
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5'9" according to wikipedia? it looks like he gets his nose all the way down to his brifters on the sprint though. I have short arms, maybe I'll try this
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I have no view on whether Cavendish is doping. I can tell you this, though, he is an astonishing technician. He gets lower, and can pedal at a higher cadence out of the saddle, than anyone I can remember. I've seen it suggested that he learned most of his skills on the track and that it just didn't occur to him that bunch sprints on the road were more dangerous, so he just kept doing it LOL. Whatever, he is technically better than the rest.
Interestingly, the same applies to the best British female track sprinter, Victoria Pendleton. As you can see, she isn't a big girl for a sprinter but she keeps winning world championships and I've seen her get out of the saddle to accelerate without breaking her rhythm at cadences over 150. Phenomenal. She came up through the same route as Cav, so it may just be that they were fortunate to be superbly coached.
Interestingly, the same applies to the best British female track sprinter, Victoria Pendleton. As you can see, she isn't a big girl for a sprinter but she keeps winning world championships and I've seen her get out of the saddle to accelerate without breaking her rhythm at cadences over 150. Phenomenal. She came up through the same route as Cav, so it may just be that they were fortunate to be superbly coached.
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^^
That may be a factor but I don't think that's all there is to it. I mean Cavendish's record on the track is considerably less impressive than that of other British cyclists of his generation and other sprinters are fearless too.
That may be a factor but I don't think that's all there is to it. I mean Cavendish's record on the track is considerably less impressive than that of other British cyclists of his generation and other sprinters are fearless too.
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The fact he can't sprint on the track like Chris Hoy can doesn't mean he's not as good technically. Hoy has traded thighs with some passing rhinocerous, I can't see him riding a 120 mile tour stage...
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You have touched on an important point. Tour sprinters have to not just ride but stay with a group that gets to the front at the end of 100 mile plus stages. Cav may be the most perfectly dialed in for that, right on the edge. Put a nasty little climb near the end and he may not make it to the front for the finish (or if he does without his full power). Pure track sprinters beat him in that venu, but would rarely even be there at teh end of a Tour stage.
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his team director said he had significantly less frontal area than all the other sprinters. this probably helps a lot with road racing. On the track the pure max watts wins the sprints. On the road the max watts are reduced by the previous 100miles. He can probably hit a high enough wattage, with lower resistance to travel faster than everyone else.
#50
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So on a related note....
How long does a sprinter's career usually last? A few years ago it was Boonen and McEwen who looked unstoppable, a few years later it's Cavendish.
Or to put it another way, how long do we have to put up with this guy?
How long does a sprinter's career usually last? A few years ago it was Boonen and McEwen who looked unstoppable, a few years later it's Cavendish.
Or to put it another way, how long do we have to put up with this guy?