He wins the "last sprinter stage" and quits the tour? WTF? Seem like he should stick around and support his team. Am I missing something? Very prima dona move coupled with him almost crying when he was edged out on an early stage of the Giro..... HTFU right?

It could well be that the team management would prefer for him to drop and concentrate on training for the next race rather than wasting himself in a less than productive way. Why get a potential for some mediocre support and risk over-training, crashing, the wrong type of training etc which could hurt him in the sprinting stages in the TdF or other races.

In my mind, there is nothing wrong with a specialist specializing.

EDIT: Also, he is still young, he could round out his abilities with time...

I think it is a smart move.

You have a lot to learn about cycling.

smart and logical move, may or may not have been his decision... but i do agree that quitting out on grand tours must leave a bad taste in cavendish's mouth and make him appear less worthy as a great champion in the eyes of the public, especially if he is unable to suffer and survive through mountain stages. would be interesting to see if the last stage in rome was a sprinters' stage, if he would have stayed. IMHO he will never be a "great champion" until he can at least hang like sean kelly did in the tough mountain stages. right now, he is simply that fastest finisher in a mass field sprint, who happens to be on the best team for such a specialist.

Bigger fish to fry

+1

Read... I dunno, any book or mag devoted to the sport. A single issue should enlighten you quite a bit.

This is why I have more respect for Zabel or McEwen.

in cycling, that is among the many ways that "great champions" are made.

the only reason i would wish cavendish to remain in italy is that he's on my fantasy team at velogames. seeing as he has more than contributed on that front, i gave him a congratulatory call last night and told him he could catch the first plane home.

Stage wins shouldn't count unless you finish the entire race.

Uhhhh, McEwen has dropped out Grand Tours a couple times after the sprint stages. It's pretty normal for a sprinter to dropout after the final sprint stage.

Just because a rider isn't good at multiple stage races doesn't make them 'not a champion'. Is the best pro rider the one that can do well over a 1 stage race? or a 20 stage race? why not a 100 stage race?

Some riders care about being able to win a stage, some care about being able to win a climb, some care about TTs, some care about being slightly above average in all of them to win GC.

wuss? no. schmuck? yes.

+1000

Understanding pro cycling>YOU

I was never a big fan of sprinters in long races - they suck wheels all the way, expecting their team to deliver them to a bunch sprint at the end for a big "its all about me" finish. But then again, I've never had much of a sprint myself...

The more I watch racing, the more I don't mind it. The "Sprinter" is a variety of athlete - you either are or you aren't - and a bunch sprint is about as exciting as it gets. So the grand tours are arranged to have plenty of early sprints (good for the audience, good for sponsors), before the advantage goes to the climbers and time trial specialists or all-arounders. Zabel is one guy I really like - a sprinter who's usually still there for the TdF for the last sprint after struggling through the mountains and time-trials to make the cut-offs. We'll see if Cavendish sticks it out through the Tour like that.

It might have been a strategic/smart move. But the guy could use some PR coaching. I get the sense he's one of the least liked prominent riders.

...I imagine Merckx and Hinault and all those guys giving him the old "he doesn't know how to suffer" look of disdain.

so goes the life of a one trick pony

you must be oblivious to the fact that it's a VERY impressive trick.

"it's well known that he's a one trick pony, but WHAT A TRICK!" - tony kornheiser on rafael nadal, 2006


considering he's apparently only here for the sprint stages, but he still got outsprinted by a guy that'll actually see the finish of the giro, i can't say its that great of a trick

i repeat: you must be oblivious to the fact that it's a VERY impressive trick.

most young riders are advised by their teams to abandon the grand tours early in their careers, so as not to break their will. there are plenty of examples.

considering the fact that he got beat at his own game by a rider that will probly see the finish of the tour, i'd say it's not that great of a trick

Exactly. They should reassess the stage winners after the finish in Milan and Paris - only those who complete the race get the daily stage podiums and prizes and timings.

apparently you're just oblivious.