2021, Tour de France. Who, what, where.

[lostboy]

Well i guess the thought on everyones mind watching/reading today is "can Cav make 34 wins..."



It's the obvious question and i guess the obvious answer of "possibly". There's certainly no reason he can't yet....so it'll be a long afternoon for him and the team of chasing down breaks i guess. The big problem may be, how much help they will or won't get in that.

Deceuninck–Quick-Step will be working their arses off for him to make it happen. Even Alaphilippe has been pulling for him. Cav has become the story of the Tour with Pogacar having put the GC to bed so early so it's their opportunity to get ridiculous coverage and - and I'm so pleased to say it - Cav is in great form.

[Noggin]

Wow!!! What a shot!! What a place to watch!!!

[Ditchfinder]

Alaphillippe was in the break yesterday and looked broken when WvA buggered off up the road so can't see him helping too much today but the rest of DQS had a steady ride in with Cav in the Grupetto so

I hope he gets the record done before Paris TBH or the pressure might be too much especially as no one needs to defend anything on the run in to Paris so they can all set up for the Sprint

[weeksy]

Sagan has pulled out... Not that he seemed much of a threat to Cav in some ways, but he's a quick strong boy so you never know.

[weeksy]

That's funny... Wiggins just been chatting to Andre Greipel who's in the break and a notoriously quick sprinter

"I don't know what i'm doing here in the break, no-one is going to take me to the line"

[weeksy]

Flat one again today...

Griepiel wasn't taken to the line... Pollit showed his big teeth grimace and powered away for the win.. I'm assuming DQS let Alap have his crack at the stage yesterday maybe due to Cav being tired and they'll be firing again today.

[lostboy]

Did you see Pollit's time for the last 10 miles?! 19'10" - from a breakaway, at the end of the stage. Now try and do that!!

[weeksy]

lol i can't do 29... let alone 19... but i'm not a pro

[lostboy]

He's only fucking done it!!!

[weeksy]

Go on! That wasn't textbook as far as leadouts go. But damn fine from Cavendish

[weeksy]

Eddie doesn’t seem that impressed by Mark equaling his record…..

“Merckx, speaking to the Italian media, was less impressed. “Of course there’s a difference between us,” the Belgian, now 76 said. “I won 34 Tour stages by winning sprints, in the mountains, in time trials and going on the attack on the descents. Let’s not forget the five yellow jerseys I’ve got at home plus the 96 days I wore it. Does that not seem much?”

[Ditchfinder]

Makes him look a bit of a dick imo - Cav's never claimed to be better than or equal to Merckx, always acknowledged that they were different. I hope he gets 1 more now

[MingtheMerciless]

I hope he gets 1 more now

So do I, also Merckx Wiki page makes for interesting reading regarding err chemical additives in the tank.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddy_Merckx#Doping

[crust]

Me too. Cavendish always comes across really well, very honest and upfront.

Nice to see the whole team, even Alaphilippe doing so much to help him and him pushing himself so deep to reward them for their efforts.

For me the one of the unsung heroes here is Morkov, I reckon he could have won that stage, very selfless to give up a TDF stage win for a team mate to get the record, said very nice things about Cavendish afterwards as well.

The little man doing epic things.

[weeksy]

lumpy lumpy lumpy. One for the break or one for the GC guys ? I see Pogacar and UAE just sitting on INEOS and waiting again today.. Let the breaks go and if they pull them back at the end, so be it.. but why go deeper and deeper unless you have to... So Pogacar will sit as long as possible.

[weeksy]

Just watching and laughing here, they're climbing a 6% climb, 11km in length and averaging 35km/h up it! I can barely hit 35km/h on the flat and sustain it for 1-2km, let alone up a blood hill and 140km into a race and 15 days into a race!

[Noggin]

They are sodding incredible aren't they?

[Ditchfinder]

It's ridiculous, there's a climb near me that I struggle to get up on my mtb on a 30t front 42t rear gear combo. When the tour of Britain came through a few years back they were chatting whilst going up it at 15-18mph

[MingtheMerciless]

There’s a long straight and slightly downhill road segment near Beachy Head, I’d beasted myself down it with a howling tailwind and got in the Strava top 10, then the Tour of Britain came through………

[lostboy]

Me too. Cavendish always comes across really well, very honest and upfront.

Nice to see the whole team, even Alaphilippe doing so much to help him and him pushing himself so deep to reward them for their efforts.

For me the one of the unsung heroes here is Morkov, I reckon he could have won that stage, very selfless to give up a TDF stage win for a team mate to get the record, said very nice things about Cavendish afterwards as well.

The little man doing epic things.

Morkov didn't back off - that was one of the reasons why it was a lot closer and more nerve wracking than it should have been. Lead out guys don't soft pedal until the main man comes by, they can't afford to as they're protecting their man from the opposition coming around. Cav came by so late because he'd lost the wheel momentarily that Morkov didn't soft pedal at all - which is why he ended up second rather than fifth.

Morkov is a very good sprinter in his own right but he's not in Cav's class and he (and the team) know it.