Mark Cavendish TdF

[The utility cyclist]

Maybe not everyone's cup of tea but i think he's great, I like his honesty and how forthright he is, just tells it how it is whether right or wrong he never holds back.
Didn't make the time cut off today, wasn't even close in fact and he would have known this some time that he was never going to make it and long before the broom wagon swept past and his team telling him on the radio or more likely out the window of the car.
Yet, he decided to stick with it, could have abandoned/DNF but didn't, an hour and a handful of minutes after today's victor and yellow jersey wearer Geraint Thomas, Mark finally broke the finish line, there were a handful of people there, most had gone home, there were the usual types stripping the bits and bobs away but there was Rod Ellingworth and David Millar.
This is a lovely piece, read it, don't read it, but his endeavour to finish today shows Cavendish to be the person I see him as. https://chpt3.com/blogs/journal/well-done-mark

[thirdcrank]

Top marks to Cav for not packing. He did seem to spoil that a bit after he had crossed the finish line but he must have had a lot on his mind. He's had some terrible luck in the last few years, in particular the crashes which have taken him out of the TdeF and he must reflect on what might have been, as Mercx's record edges out of reach. Quitting the Tour in 2016 to go after the missing Olympic Gold didn't really work out either, and he must have been left wondering when Marcel Kittel had the mechanical trouble on the final stage. I see that Kittel rode in well outside the cut-off yesterday.

It's hard to imagine there will be a rush of sponsors prepared to build another team around him. That reminds me of loyal team mate Mark Renshaw who also finished outside the limit.

It would be a pity if the library footage trotted out in future "look back" items is of this great rider shoulder charging helpers at the finish of what might easily be his final Tour stage

[reohn2]

I can only agree with the two previous posts,Cav has been the best but he's in the twilight of his career,if and when he retires he'll be sadly missed.

[Brucey]

good effort under adverse circumstances, that. Maybe he had some hope that the commissaires would take pity on him (there is a get-out clause for exceptional effort) but it was not to be. I wouldn't write him off altogether but for him to come back to stage-winning form (and in a team that will support him) for next year is a big ask.

cheers

[landsurfer]

I have always had the greatest respect for Cav. Time for the Director Sportive role for him i think.

[mjr]

Most other sprinters are abandoning today, joining Cav and Kittel in exile. Don't read too much into the eliminations yesterday.

[thirdcrank]

The days when cycling teams had a sprinter in the same way as football teams have a goalkeeper or cricket teams have a wicket keeper are largely gone. That's why he left Sky, even though he seemed to be looked after there. No matter what his personal capabilities, today's sprinter needs a team largely built around them. That needs the confidence of somebody with the megabucks and riders with the faith in the sprinter prepared to sacrifice themselves for him. It's reported that Cav's present contract is expiring this season so we'll soon know if that is being put in place. I hope it is, but it's not guaranteed.