# Cav defintely not going to Sky



## gizzard (Oct 5, 2005)

And here's why: Sky has a pretty settled squad based primarily around stage racers with Wiggins, Boasson Hagen, Lofkvist (and Kennaugh waiting in the wings). Okay, Boasson Hagen is pretty much an all-rounder. I think it's extremely unlikely that Brailsford will employ Cavendish (together with one or two of his current train like Bak and Eisel) as it will be very difficult for fight on both the GC and sprint fronts in the grand tours. They can do one or the other, but not both. Fact.


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## baker921 (Jul 20, 2007)

gizzard said:


> it will be very difficult for fight on both the GC and sprint fronts in the grand tours. Fact.


Not necessarily, although I agree that fighting for both jerseys would be a step too far. This years TdF was atypically tough in that even the "sprinter" stages were pretty hilly. Also with a dedicated HTC sprint team the whole peloton sat back and left it to them to do all the work.
Cavendish has won a Green jersey now and may be happy to just pick off stage wins on the flatter stages. If he does not contest the Green there will be added incentives for other teams to share in pulling back the breaks. Also not putting all the teams hopes on Wiggins' shoulders will spread the load and if Cav gets some wins help the whole teams morale. I appreciate that fatigue is cumulative but at this level winning is as much a mental thing as a physical one. I think on balance Cavendish could, if used carefully, add far more than he takes in terms of the teams GC chances.


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## gizzard (Oct 5, 2005)

baker921 said:


> Not necessarily, although I agree that fighting for both jerseys would be a step too far. This years TdF was atypically tough in that even the "sprinter" stages were pretty hilly. Also with a dedicated HTC sprint team the whole peloton sat back and left it to them to do all the work.
> Cavendish has won a Green jersey now and may be happy to just pick off stage wins on the flatter stages. If he does not contest the Green there will be added incentives for other teams to share in pulling back the breaks. Also not putting all the teams hopes on Wiggins' shoulders will spread the load and if Cav gets some wins help the whole teams morale. I appreciate that fatigue is cumulative but at this level winning is as much a mental thing as a physical one. I think on balance Cavendish could, if used carefully, add far more than he takes in terms of the teams GC chances.


That argument stacks up until you start looking at the various permutations for a grand tour team. You have nine riders, minus Cav and Wiggins, which leaves seven. Cav will need at least four for his train, which leaves a maximum of three for Wiggins in the mountains and nowhere for someone like Boasson Hagen. Personally I can't see that happening. Cav is also a huge personality, the likes of which Sky has operated well without so far. If you were Brailsford, would you want to jeopardise that? Sure, chasing the stage wins is tempting, but it’s not as simple as that. But then again, I’m probably completely wrong and Cav has already inked his Sky contract.


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## jhamlin38 (Oct 29, 2005)

If sky can bag Cav, they will. Throw team chemistry out the window. Throw a GC contender in Wiggo out the window. They'll take cav and his sprint prowess over Wiggo, who's going into his third year with the squad, and only a Dauphine to his palmares.
I'm still pulling for wiggo in the vuelta though.


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## gizzard (Oct 5, 2005)

jhamlin38 said:


> If sky can bag Cav, they will. Throw team chemistry out the window. Throw a GC contender in Wiggo out the window. They'll take cav and his sprint prowess over Wiggo, who's going into his third year with the squad, and only a Dauphine to his palmares.
> I'm still pulling for wiggo in the vuelta though.


Ouch. As a DS, you wouldn't get many Chrsitmas cards!


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## asgelle (Apr 21, 2003)

gizzard said:


> And here's why: ...


Mark Cavendish to Team Sky? And Other Tranfer Ruminations | Boulder Report | Bicycling.com


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

jhamlin38 said:


> If sky can bag Cav, they will. Throw team chemistry out the window. Throw a GC contender in Wiggo out the window. They'll take cav and his sprint prowess over Wiggo, who's going into his third year with the squad, and only a Dauphine to his palmares.
> I'm still pulling for wiggo in the vuelta though.


I agree. Wiggins is overrated. Cav will deliver wins, for sure. Wiggo is flaky at best.


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## gizzard (Oct 5, 2005)

asgelle said:


> Mark Cavendish to Team Sky? And Other Tranfer Ruminations | Boulder Report | Bicycling.com


The humble pie is in the oven but I'll only start eating when either cyclingnews or velonews report for certain that Cav is Sky-bound.


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## zsir (Nov 14, 2008)

Cav is going to Liquigas.... well somebody who can podium needs to go to liquigas. they have "the worlds fastest race bike" afterall!


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## moonmoth (Nov 8, 2008)

55x11 said:


> I agree. Wiggins is overrated. Cav will deliver wins, for sure. Wiggo is flaky at best.


Perhaps. But if the UK is anything like the USA, stage wins don't mean much. If Tyler Farrar was ever fortunate enough to win a handful of stages at the TdF, nobody would care here. Oh sure, he'd get plenty of credit in RBR but it doesn't matter unless it's for the GC. Maybe it's the similar in the UK.


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## baker921 (Jul 20, 2007)

moonmoth said:


> Perhaps. But if the UK is anything like the USA, stage wins don't mean much. If Tyler Farrar was ever fortunate enough to win a handful of stages at the TdF, nobody would care here. Oh sure, he'd get plenty of credit in RBR but it doesn't matter unless it's for the GC. Maybe it's the similar in the UK.


Probably true. We're having 'lympic tester sessions at present. Last week beach volley ball got a lot of TV coverage ( and no I''m sure 90% of male viewers don't care if they have a ball at all), this week a lot of coverage of basketball. I know its popular in US but the last time Britain competed was 1948, yes we were the hosts and got an automatic in! On Sunday the road race circuit was trialed, Cav won and must have a shout for gold next year, TV coerage zero!


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

zsir said:


> Cav is going to Liquigas.... well somebody who can podium needs to go to liquigas. they have "the worlds fastest race bike" afterall!


Peter Sagan has had a few wins (more this year alone than some whole teams) and is showing signs to be more like a Philippe Gilbert... Vincenzo Nibali podiumed in the last three grand tours he did (3rd twice in the Giro, Vuelta winner)... Some teams need podium placers a lot more than Liquigas. Too many people think of Basso when they think Liquigas but they actually have a great team with many young promising riders.

I just don't see Cav there...


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## Mike T. (Feb 3, 2004)

I'm saying that Cav is going to Rabobank with Renshaw and the delay of announcing it is just making it that much more of a bombshell.


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## coop (Jun 8, 2008)

Wiggo is a GC contender? 3 years ago the guy couldn't make it over a mole hill. While he has become a better climber, I'd be more willing to put him in the likes of a Tony Martin. I don't think anybody really fears Wiggo in the Grand Tours.


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## moabbiker (Sep 11, 2002)

Perhaps Sky, for short contract due the '12 Olympics which is days after Paris. I can see Cavendish pulling out early after racking up a few early stage races to save himself from exhaustion. Normally riders don't care much about the Olympic road race but Cavendish comes from a country preoccupied with athletes defining themselves by winning gold medals or you're a nobody. No better place than London to launch himself into knighthood if he can pull it off. Anyways, this allows Wiggo plenty of room to do his yellow jersey pursuit without Cavendish getting in the way too much.


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## albert owen (Jul 7, 2008)

I've said it before. Going to Sky would be very bad for Cav, because:
1 - He would be less motivated as a pampered star and celebrity in his "home" team.
2 - The current Brit members would resent him - this is a National characteristic.
3 - He and Wiggins really do not like each other.
4 - He loses his train.
5 - Sky are mostly about style rather than substance - this season's improved performances notwithstanding.
6 - He needs a powerful boss figure to keep him from ballooning. No one at Sky has the strength to push him around.


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## RRRoubaix (Aug 27, 2008)

albert owen said:


> ...2 - The current Brit members would resent him - this is a National characteristic...


Is this because he's too successful?
Too... brash/loud/obnoxious, etc...? Like, American-style cocky...?
Or because he's a Manxman?


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

Cavendish to Sky is almost a sure thing. Brailsford wants him, Sky has the budget (and Cav is outspoken about being underpaid). Wiggins will not even figure into the decision.


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## jasono (Dec 27, 2009)

Cav to Leopard Trek


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