A few observations and thoughts from the weekend. With just a few hours to go before the CAS-Contador verdict there’s just time to squeeze these in.
Sprinting
The future for sprinting
Mark Cavendish’s contractual future was finally settled last week when he signed a contract with Team Sky, which was duly announced yesterday. I gather Sky sent him a formal contract last July just after the Tour but the world’s fastest man did rush to sign it.
The ease with which he wins is impressive. I’m trying to avoid hagiography but all the same, when we see black and white images of the greats of the sport from the past, Cavendish is on his way to joining them with sprint wins. But will he have it all it all so easy in 2012? Several factors suggest sprinting might be more open. Let’s take a look.
The rules of sprinting, video edition
Earlier in the Giro d’Italia we saw a dispute between Mark Cavendish and Alessandro Petacchi, and it was a moment for me to cite the relevant rules on sprinting, both written and unwritten. But below there’s a great video from Cosmo Catalano that sets everything in visual clarity.
Sprinters quit the Giro d’Italia
Yesterday saw the last flat stage for the sprinters in the Giro and predictably Mark Cavendish won. Perhaps equally predictably several sprinters have left the race overnight, Cavendish included. Every single remaining stage of the Giro now contains some serious climbing… except the final time trial stage in Milan.
Blunt truth
What’s most surprising for me is not the departure but the open way riders talked about this. Sprinters are unsuited to the high mountains in the same way mountain climbers struggle with cobbles. But there’s long been a tradition of waiting to be eliminated by the broom wagon or, whisper it, citing illness or injury. The TV interviews with Cavendish and Alessandro Petacchi were quite different with both saying “I’m going home this evening”.
The rules of sprinting
As much as I like the internet and Twitter, the ability to replay the final moments of a sprint – or another incident in a race – means debate rages for hours after the race. In fact, I don’t mind debate as this is often an exchange of views and you can learn things and sometimes change your mind.
No, it’s the online skirmishing, the sniping that gets to me. Last summer’s Tour de France saw “Chain-gate” as well as the Renshaw headbutt. More recently debate over Hushovd’s role in Paris-Roubaix raged long after the municipal staff swept up the Roubaix velodrome. It’s not so much the chat, it’s the way a certain move is seen because people prefer certain riders and thus certain behaviour is excused… or inexcusable.
At the risk of reheating yesterday’s mini controversy over the finishing sprint between Alessandro Petacchi and Mark Cavendish, here’s a wider look at the rules on sprinting.
Cavendish wins “his” race
It’s not been the easiest start of the season for Mark Cavendish. Normally sprinters look to rack up wins in the early season, profiting from a time of year when the high mountains are closed to traffic, yet alone bike races. But he’s only had one win in Oman and other times have seen plenty … Read more
Did Sanchez brake in the sprint?
A curiosity. Yesterday’s sprint between eight riders saw Andreas Klöden get the better of Samuel Sanchez. Some were surprised to see Klöden win, he is famous for being slow in a sprint finish. But he had a good lead out from a Tony Martin keen to boost his GC chances and Radioshack team mate Janez … Read more
Brownian motion in the bunch
Particle accelerator Brownian motion is the term used to describe random motion of particles suspended in a fluid. For example, introduce a drop of dye into a glass of water and the colour will spread in a different way each time as the molecules “dance” through the water in a random way. For me, the … Read more
Graeme Brown – a dirty sprinter?
Yesterday saw Robbie Hunter (Garmin-Transitions) winning the second stage of the Vuelta a Murcia. The South African beat Rabobank’s Aussie Graeme Brown. Soon after crossing the line Hunter twittered: So another good day in the office!I’m pretty happy.Brown not happy after the stage said I put him in the barriers.what a joke!!! Maybe that’s why … Read more