The professional cycling thread
Discussion
JuniorD said:
What amazing longevity, I honestly didn't think he would ever have won again. Though today actually looked a handy enough win for him, with the competition being no where near as good as it was in comparison to the sprinters he won against in his heyday.
Well, you might say Cav's heyday has passed too, I'm sure he's quite happy with the win.I followed the Cav comeback closely and was over the moon when he got that handful of wins in 2021 tour and drew level with Merckx. That in itself was an amazing achievement but it looked to me like maybe he'd never pull clear and take the record solely for himself after leaving DQS. I'm so glad to be proven wrong.
In the twilight of his career today he reminded us why he is the greatest sprinter of all time. It's not just his power or his position on the bike, it's his mind, his eye and his guts. Sensational.
Which hey day? There are 3 ages of Cav. All 3 ages he brought different aspects to the table and beat everybody available at the time.
I watched it Live today and was tormenting Sway on WhatsApp cos he was stuck in the office (hehe), and I was saying this was like a Cav greatest hits rolled into one.
He had no right to win today. He was blocked & checked at least twice in the final 500m, he took his foot off the gas and coasted a few metres each time. His lead out man was behind him and he was boxed in around the final fade to the right.
He out muscled Philipsen at one pt when Philipsen leaned into and on him, Cav shrugged him off and went ahead. He used dodge, duck and dive Cav to just wheels, lines and pick new spaces and openings before they arrived and when the gap did open he took 5yards out of everyone. He crossed a bike length ahead of Philipsen, who frankly could only watch as he was given a lesson on the difference between being good, being quick and being the best. Cav out-thought everyone, he out-fought them and then simply burned them. That shouldn’t be possible at 39yo. In an explosive, plyometric orientated physical activity, it simply shouldn’t be viable.
That’s Tom Brady & Jimmy territory.
I watched it Live today and was tormenting Sway on WhatsApp cos he was stuck in the office (hehe), and I was saying this was like a Cav greatest hits rolled into one.
He had no right to win today. He was blocked & checked at least twice in the final 500m, he took his foot off the gas and coasted a few metres each time. His lead out man was behind him and he was boxed in around the final fade to the right.
He out muscled Philipsen at one pt when Philipsen leaned into and on him, Cav shrugged him off and went ahead. He used dodge, duck and dive Cav to just wheels, lines and pick new spaces and openings before they arrived and when the gap did open he took 5yards out of everyone. He crossed a bike length ahead of Philipsen, who frankly could only watch as he was given a lesson on the difference between being good, being quick and being the best. Cav out-thought everyone, he out-fought them and then simply burned them. That shouldn’t be possible at 39yo. In an explosive, plyometric orientated physical activity, it simply shouldn’t be viable.
That’s Tom Brady & Jimmy territory.
Sway said:
Digger said:
It is a very very tall order, but if he is still there for the champs elysees final stage . . .
Can you even dare to imagine . . .
No. I'm still recovering from seeing a British Maillot Jaune leading out the Manx Missile down the Champs Elysees... Can you even dare to imagine . . .
Chapeau!!!
DeejRC said:
Which hey day? There are 3 ages of Cav. All 3 ages he brought different aspects to the table and beat everybody available at the time.
I watched it Live today and was tormenting Sway on WhatsApp cos he was stuck in the office (hehe), and I was saying this was like a Cav greatest hits rolled into one.
He had no right to win today. He was blocked & checked at least twice in the final 500m, he took his foot off the gas and coasted a few metres each time. His lead out man was behind him and he was boxed in around the final fade to the right.
He out muscled Philipsen at one pt when Philipsen leaned into and on him, Cav shrugged him off and went ahead. He used dodge, duck and dive Cav to just wheels, lines and pick new spaces and openings before they arrived and when the gap did open he took 5yards out of everyone. He crossed a bike length ahead of Philipsen, who frankly could only watch as he was given a lesson on the difference between being good, being quick and being the best. Cav out-thought everyone, he out-fought them and then simply burned them. That shouldn’t be possible at 39yo. In an explosive, plyometric orientated physical activity, it simply shouldn’t be viable.
That’s Tom Brady & Jimmy territory.
Great summary. Inevitably the immediate replays missed the entirety of the genius he has/is. For that you had to watch the overheads from 2-3 kms back. The choices he makes, the different wheels he takes, the snap decisions, and of course the continual ability to keep the V12 just sitting at 5-6000, waiting to floor it. I watched it Live today and was tormenting Sway on WhatsApp cos he was stuck in the office (hehe), and I was saying this was like a Cav greatest hits rolled into one.
He had no right to win today. He was blocked & checked at least twice in the final 500m, he took his foot off the gas and coasted a few metres each time. His lead out man was behind him and he was boxed in around the final fade to the right.
He out muscled Philipsen at one pt when Philipsen leaned into and on him, Cav shrugged him off and went ahead. He used dodge, duck and dive Cav to just wheels, lines and pick new spaces and openings before they arrived and when the gap did open he took 5yards out of everyone. He crossed a bike length ahead of Philipsen, who frankly could only watch as he was given a lesson on the difference between being good, being quick and being the best. Cav out-thought everyone, he out-fought them and then simply burned them. That shouldn’t be possible at 39yo. In an explosive, plyometric orientated physical activity, it simply shouldn’t be viable.
That’s Tom Brady & Jimmy territory.
Watching true greats do their stuff live is such a joy.
CheesecakeRunner said:
I’m really looking forward to the Netflix show next year now. Lots of quotes in the current series (2023 Tour) of Phillipsen saying he’s the best sprinter ever. Hopefully they’ll put that back to back with the overhead footage from yesterday.
Yeah seeing Philipsen getting his arse handed to him yesterday was the icing on the cake for me. Best sprinter in the world indeed! Would’ve liked to be a fly on the wall in his team bus afterwards!My kids asked me why it sounded like I was crying. I wasn't, obviously, but the emotions I felt when he won were insane. I can't really explain why either. I don't know him (although I've met him a couple of times) but I think it's more to do with his career being intertwined with my cycling journey. I started around 2006/7 when he was just a lad. I remember meeting him at the Tour of Britain when it finished in Southampton. I've watched his dominance, his fall, his resurgence and now this. He's always been a constant in cycling for me, but I guess time waits for no man and it's just an awareness that he, and I, are no longer young men.
I'll always remember this quote from elsewhere and feel it's applicable here. "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
I'm so happy that he's done it, for him, and for the rest of us who have followed alongside. Chapeau Mark. You legend.
I'll always remember this quote from elsewhere and feel it's applicable here. "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
I'm so happy that he's done it, for him, and for the rest of us who have followed alongside. Chapeau Mark. You legend.
S100HP said:
My kids asked me why it sounded like I was crying. I wasn't, obviously, but the emotions I felt when he won were insane. I can't really explain why either. I don't know him (although I've met him a couple of times) but I think it's more to do with his career being intertwined with my cycling journey. I started around 2006/7 when he was just a lad. I remember meeting him at the Tour of Britain when it finished in Southampton. I've watched his dominance, his fall, his resurgence and now this. He's always been a constant in cycling for me, but I guess time waits for no man and it's just an awareness that he, and I, are no longer young men.
I'll always remember this quote from elsewhere and feel it's applicable here. "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
I'm so happy that he's done it, for him, and for the rest of us who have followed alongside. Chapeau Mark. You legend.
That's a fair shout - and I completely understand.I'll always remember this quote from elsewhere and feel it's applicable here. "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
I'm so happy that he's done it, for him, and for the rest of us who have followed alongside. Chapeau Mark. You legend.
I was out in Florida for work when Top Gun Maverick came out, went and saw it with one of my team. He started tearing up (and was the most bullish thug of a yank ever!) - afterwards over a beer he explained a similar thing.
He got his first commercial pilots job when the first film came out. Now, he was watching Maverick coming to the end of his flying and becoming a desk jockey - exactly what had happened to him over the prior year.
These things resonate.
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