Mark Cavendish: Difference between revisions
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Cavendish won four further stages in the [[2008 Tour de France]], his first coming in stage 5 from [[Cholet]] to [[Châteauroux]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/7497203.stm| title=Cavendish wins Stage 5 of Tour De France| publisher=BBC Sport| date=2008-07-10}}</ref> He won again on [[2008 Tour de France, Stage 1 to Stage 11#Stage 8|stage 8]], [[2008 Tour de France, Stage 12 to Stage 21#Stage 12|stage 12]] and [[2008 Tour de France, Stage 12 to Stage 21#Stage 13|Stage 13]], making him the first British rider to collect four stages in a single Tour. <ref>{{cite news |url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/18072008/58/tour-de-france-cavendish-hits-four.html |title=Cavendish Makes it 4 Tour Wins |date=2008-07-18 |accessdate=2008-07-18|publisher=Eurosport}}</ref> Overnight, at the age of just 22, he became the "fourth most successful British professional in history", said ''[[The Independent]]''.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=The Independent|title=Cavendish out on his own with fourth win|author=Alasdair Fotheringham|date=2008-07-19}}</ref> |
Cavendish won four further stages in the [[2008 Tour de France]], his first coming in stage 5 from [[Cholet]] to [[Châteauroux]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/cycling/7497203.stm| title=Cavendish wins Stage 5 of Tour De France| publisher=BBC Sport| date=2008-07-10}}</ref> He won again on [[2008 Tour de France, Stage 1 to Stage 11#Stage 8|stage 8]], [[2008 Tour de France, Stage 12 to Stage 21#Stage 12|stage 12]] and [[2008 Tour de France, Stage 12 to Stage 21#Stage 13|Stage 13]], making him the first British rider to collect four stages in a single Tour. <ref>{{cite news |url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/18072008/58/tour-de-france-cavendish-hits-four.html |title=Cavendish Makes it 4 Tour Wins |date=2008-07-18 |accessdate=2008-07-18|publisher=Eurosport}}</ref> Overnight, at the age of just 22, he became the "fourth most successful British professional in history", said ''[[The Independent]]''.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=The Independent|title=Cavendish out on his own with fourth win|author=Alasdair Fotheringham|date=2008-07-19}}</ref> After Stage 14, Cavendish abandoned the Tour to concentrate on the Beijing Olympics. |
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The rest of his season was also succesful, with a total of eleven further race wins, including three each at the Tour of [[Ireland]] and the Tour of [[Missouri]], winning his only points classification of the season at the latter. At the [[2008 Tour de Romandie|Tour de Romandie]], Cavendish won the [[prologue]] [[time-trial]], beating compatriot Bradley Wiggins and emphasising his short-distance time-trial abilities. |
The rest of his season was also succesful, with a total of eleven further race wins, including three each at the Tour of [[Ireland]] which he abandoned on the final day, and the Tour of [[Missouri]], winning his only points classification of the season at the latter. At the [[2008 Tour de Romandie|Tour de Romandie]], Cavendish won the [[prologue]] [[time-trial]], beating compatriot Bradley Wiggins and emphasising his short-distance time-trial abilities. |
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==Personality== |
==Personality== |
Revision as of 00:45, 18 December 2008
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Personal information | |
---|---|
Full name | Mark Cavendish |
Nickname | Cav Manx Express Little Cowboy Cannonball |
Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) |
Weight | 69 kg (152 lb) |
Team information | |
Current team | Team Columbia |
Discipline | Road and track |
Role | Rider |
Rider type | Sprinter |
Major wins | |
Template:FlagiconUCI World Championship, Madison (2005, 2008) Tour de France, 4 stages (2008) Giro d'Italia, 2 stages (2008) Grote Scheldeprijs (2007, 2008) | |
Medal record |
Mark Cavendish (born Douglas, Isle of Man 21 May 1985[1]) is a Manx and British racing cyclist who rides for UCI ProTeam Team Columbia. Originally a track cyclist in the madison, points race, and scratch race, he became a road racing cyclist in 2007. He made his track debut for Great Britain in the 2004 Moscow World Cup. As a road cyclist, he has risen to prominence as a sprinter. In the 2008 Tour de France he won four stages, unprecedented in British cycling. Cavendish started racing informally at 12, as a mountain-bike rider.[2] He lives in Manchester and Tuscany[3], Italy.
Early cycling
Cavendish started cycling on a BMX bike, then on a mountain bike. He said: "I was always riding a bike, getting dropped in little races. My mum would laugh at me, and I said it was because all my mates had mountain bikes, so I asked for a mountain bike for my 13th birthday and got one. The very next day I went out and beat everyone."[2]
It was at that time that Cavendish met David Millar on the Isle of Man. Cavendish said:
He had come to ride a race. I've got a photo of him at home. He turned out really pleasant, giving me a racing cap and some photos of himself. Let's just say that that increased my desire even more. I had always wanted to be a racing cyclist. The Tour de France, when I was young, was everything. It was the only event shown on television. Those images, the suffering and the happiness, the sport. I particularly remember Guerini's win on the Alpe d'Huez after he had ridden into a photographer.[4] A few years later I was in my first race as a stagiaire [apprentice] with T-Mobile. It was unreal."[1]
Amateur cycling
Cavendish worked in a bank for two years after leaving school.[1] He said:
When I realised I could live on that, it changed a lot of things. I worked from 16 to 18 to put money aside, putting the the bike to one side. I didn't want to be a good junior. For me, to be world junior champion counted for nothing. My aim was to become a professional. When I'd got enough money, I left for the British track school. I started to progress, to learn, and also to win fairly quickly, it's true.[1]
He won a gold medal in the 2006 Commonwealth Games scratch race, riding for the Isle of Man; and gold medals in the 2005 world championship madison and 2005 European championship points race. He began road racing in 2005, riding the Tour of Berlin and Tour of Britain. Cavendish was taken to the UCI track world championship in Los Angeles to get experience racing as a senior, he was teamed with Rob Hayles in the 200-lap madison. They had not raced together before. They finished one lap ahead of the field to claim the gold medal, ahead of the Dutch and Belgian teams, giving Britain its fourth gold at the championships. It was Cavendish's first world champion's jersey.[5]
Cavendish began 2006 with the Continental team, Team Sparkasse. In June, he won two stages and the points and sprint competitions in the Tour of Berlin.[6]
He rode for the Isle of Man on the track at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, riding the scratch race. He lapped the field with four others. He passed Rob Hayles in the sprint, with Ashley Hutchinson of Australia second and James McCallum of Scotland second. The race time was 23m 5s, an average 51.9kmh.
Professional cycling
His success at the Tour of Berlin led to a post as a stagiare with T-Mobile from August until the end of the season.[7] His best result for T-Mobile in 2006 was in the Tour of Britain, where he came second three times and won the points classification. It brought a full professional contract for 2007 and 2008.[8]
Cavendish began 2007 "laboriously", said the daily sports paper, L'Équipe[3]. It quoted one of Cavendish's team-mates, Roger Hammond: "To be honest, he started the season so catastrophically that the staff were wondering what they could enter Mark for so that he could finish the race."[3]. He won the Grote Scheldeprijs, the Four Days of Dunkirk and the Volta a Catalunya and that brought selection for the Tour de France. He crashed in stages 1 and 2.[9][10] and abandoned on stage 8 as the race reached the Alps, having taken two top-ten placings but unhappy not to have had a top-five placing.[11] His debut season continued with 10 stage wins, ahead of Robbie McEwen's record eight in his first season as a professional, one behind Alessandro Petacchi.[12]
Then the pattern changed. "Everything fell into place," L'Équipe said.[3] Cavendish took his 11th win in early October, the Circuit Franco-Belge, to equal Petacchi's record. Among the wins were three in UCI ProTour events, the two in the Volta a Catalunya and one in the Eneco Tour of Benelux. Following his win there, Cavendish said:
I'm an old-school sprinter. I can't climb a mountain but if I am in front with 200 metres to go then there's nobody who can beat me."[13]
In 2008 Cavendish returned to the track, winning the Madison World Championships in Manchester with Bradley Wiggins, as Great Britain topped the medal table. [14][15] He returned to the track for the Olympic Games in Beijing, retiring from the 2008 Tour before stage 15 to prepare for the Olympics in August.[16] He and Team Columbia manager[17] Bob Stapleton agreed that riding the Alps was a risk to his hopes.[18] But Cavendish, with Bradley Wiggins, failed to win a medal, finishing joint eighth in the madison. He was the only British track cyclist not to win a medal.[19]Cavendish was left frustrated and the friends did not speak for months.[20] Following the Olympics, Cavendish remained angry with British Cycling for giving insufficient attention to the madison, though Chris Boardman stated that Cavendish's professional commitments also interfered with his build up to the Olympics. In November 2008, Cavendish revealed that he had no further plans to return to track cycling. [21]
On the road, Cavendish won his first stages of a grand tour, by picking two victories in the 2008 Giro d'Italia.[22]
"Cavendish is the fastest in the world in the last 50 metres of a sprint."
Daniele Bennati, May 2008[23]
Cavendish won four further stages in the 2008 Tour de France, his first coming in stage 5 from Cholet to Châteauroux.[24] He won again on stage 8, stage 12 and Stage 13, making him the first British rider to collect four stages in a single Tour. [25] Overnight, at the age of just 22, he became the "fourth most successful British professional in history", said The Independent.[26] After Stage 14, Cavendish abandoned the Tour to concentrate on the Beijing Olympics.
The rest of his season was also succesful, with a total of eleven further race wins, including three each at the Tour of Ireland which he abandoned on the final day, and the Tour of Missouri, winning his only points classification of the season at the latter. At the Tour de Romandie, Cavendish won the prologue time-trial, beating compatriot Bradley Wiggins and emphasising his short-distance time-trial abilities.
Personality
"I don't consider myself lucky to be a professional. I'm a pro because I worked for it.
I'm not a pro because I was lucky, but I'm lucky to be where I am."
Mark Cavendish, 19 July 2008[1]
Cavendish has been described as confident, even arrogant.[27] He said:
When journalists at the Tour de France ask me if I am the best sprinter, I answer 'Yes', and that's seen as arrogance, but if they don't ask me, I don't say I'm the best sprinter in the world.[28]
The fact is, you look at the replays of my wins at the Tour, and I'm the fastest sprinter. I'm stating a fact. It's not just me saying 'I'm the fastest sprinter' without backing it up - I'm stating a fact, you know?
I don't see how that can be seen as arrogance when it's just telling the truth. But people can take me as they want? I don't give a shit really.[2]
Outside races, he is seen differently. "In ordinary life, he's a polite guy, a gentleman. He's the kind of guy who doesn't call you to moan in the way that most riders do. He rings to ask how you are or what you're doing," said Brian Holm, his directeur sportif.[3]
Riding style
The magazine Vélo described Cavendish as "a ball of nerves" when he raced.[28]. Its editor, Gilles Comte, said:
Cavendish has, above all, learned to make himself compact during effort. In full sprint, he doesn't move his shoulders or his head... He reminds you of kilometre riders when they're at full speed. And Frédéric Grappe[29] enthuses: 'I'm sure that in a kilometre he could ride 1m 5s, maybe 1m 4s, certainly, certainly.' [28]
The Briton adds to his ball of nerves a position very advanced on the bike, with his shoulders right above the bars. Frédéric Grappe compares him to an athletics sprinter pushing on the starting blocks. He said: 'Doing that, he optimises the muscular chain of his lower members to get the greatest possible power to the pedals.'[28]
What Cavendish has learned on the 'safety' of the track he has produced, entirely naturally, on the road. If the road had been his natural environment, he would never have learned to ride with his head so lowered, defying danger, because a part of his unconscious would have stopped him. A psychological brake would have operated to save him from dangers that the eye often sees too late.[28]
Career highlights
Major track results
- UCI Track World Championships
- 2005 - Los Angeles, 1st, Madison (with Rob Hayles)
- 2008 - Manchester, 1st, Madison (with Bradley Wiggins)
- Commonwealth Games
- 2006 - Melbourne, 1st Scratch Race
- UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics
- 2005 - Manchester, 2nd Team pursuit
- 2005 - Manchester, 3rd Madison
- 2005 - Sydney, 3rd, Madison (with Tom White)
- 2005 - Sydney, 2nd, Team pursuit 4:11.728/4:10.735, (with Brammeier, White, Clancy)
- 2007 - Beijing, 2nd, Madison (with Bradley Wiggins)
- European Track Championships
- 2005 - 1st Points race
- 2005 - 4th Scratch Race
- British National Track Championships
- 1999 - 1st Under 14 Omnium
- 2001 - 2nd Points Race - Junior
- 2001 - 3rd Scratch Race - Junior
- 2003 - 1st Kilo - Junior
- 2003 - 2nd Scratch Race - Junior
- 2003 - 2nd Sprint - Junior
- 2004 - 1st Team pursuit (with Chris Newton, Paul Manning & Tom White)
- 2004 - 2nd Madison (with Ed Clancy)
- 2005 - 1st Team pursuit (with Ed Clancy, Steve Cummings & Geraint Thomas)
- 2005 - 3rd Scratch Race
- 2008 - 1st Madison (with Peter Kennaugh)
- Others
- 2004 - 1st Bremen UIV Talent Cup Madison (with Geraint Thomas)
- 2004 - 1st Munich UIV Talent Cup Madison (with Matt Brammeier)
- 2004 - 1st Revolution 6 Madison Kilometre, (Current record Holder) 57.457s (with Ed Clancy)
- 2007 - 1st Revolution 16, 15km Scratch Race
Major road results
- 2003
- 2nd British National Road Race Championships - Junior
- 2004
- 1st, Tour of Britain Support Circuit race, Westminster
- 2005 - Team Sparkasse
- 1st, Stage win, Tour of Berlin
- 1st British National Circuit Race Championships (Otley)
- 2006 - T-Mobile (Stagiare) and Team Sparkasse
- 1st, Stage 3, Course de la Solidarité Olympique
- 1st, Points classification, Tour of Britain
- 2nd, Tour of Berlin
- 1st, Stage 4
- 1st, Stage 5
- 2007 - T-Mobile
- 1st, Grote Scheldeprijs
- 1st, Points classification, Four Days of Dunkirk
- 1st, Stage 3,
- 1st, Stage 6,
- 3rd, Stage 2
- 1st, Points classification, Volta a Catalunya[30]
- 1st, Stage 2, Volta a Catalunya
- 1st, Stage 6, Volta a Catalunya[31]
- 1st, Stage 4, Ster Elektrotoer[32]
- 1st, Points classification Post Danmark Rundt
- 1st, Points classification Eneco Tour of Benelux
- 1st, Points classification Tour of Britain[38]
- 1st, Sprints classification Tour of Britain[39]
- 1st, Stage 3, Circuit Franco-Belge
- 2008 - Team Columbia
- Three Days of De Panne
- 1st, Stage 2
- 1st, Stage 3A
- 1st, Grote Scheldeprijs
- 1st, Prologue, Tour de Romandie
- 1st, Stage 5, Ster Elektrotoer
- Giro d'Italia
- Tour de France
- Tour of Ireland
- 1st, Stage 1
- 1st, Stage 2
- 1st, Stage 3
- Tour of Missouri
- 1st, Points Classification
- 1st, Stage 1
- 1st, Stage 2[43]
- 1st, Stage 6
References
- ^ a b c d e L'Équipe, France, 19 July 2008
- ^ a b c Procycling, UK, October 2008, p59
- ^ a b c d e L'Équipe, France, 13 July 2008
- ^ A spectator had stepped out from the side of the road to take a picture. Guerini assumed he would step back but he didn't.
- ^ BBC 28/3/05
- ^ "Cavendish shows he's the fastest in Berlin". British Cycling. 2006-06-06.
- ^ "Cavendish to Tour of Britain". T Mobile.
- ^ "Cavendish signs with T-Mobile". T Mobile.
- ^ Le Point, 15 July 2007
- ^ "Hoping for Happy Camping in Compeigne". T Mobile.
- ^ Mark Cavendish (2007-07-16). "'My race is over. I was trying to do things I am physically incapable of.'". The Guardian.
- ^ "Cavendish scores eighth season win". T Mobile.
- ^ www.cyclingnews.com, August 24th, 2007
- ^ BBC Cavendish and Wiggins strike Gold in Madison
- ^ BBC Watch Cav and Wiggins Victory
- ^ "Britain's Mark Cavendish pulls out of Tour de France before 15th stage". Canadian Broadcast Corporation. 2008-07-21.
{{cite news}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - ^ T-Mobile ended its sponsorship and Columbia took over the team.
- ^ sport.be, 12 July 2007.
- ^ "Cav and Wiggins Miss Out on Medal". BBC Sport. 2008-08-19. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
- ^ "Wiggins eyes new Madison pairing". BBC Sport. 2008-10-22. Retrieved 2008-10-22.
- ^ The forgotten man Lweis, Tim; The Observer; 23-11-08; Accessed 08-12-08
- ^ Cavendish secures Giro stage win 13-05-08; BBC Sport; Accessed 14-05-08
- ^ Cavendish edged out of Giro stage BBC Sport; 22-05-08; Accessed 23-05-08
- ^ "Cavendish wins Stage 5 of Tour De France". BBC Sport. 2008-07-10.
- ^ "Cavendish Makes it 4 Tour Wins". Eurosport. 2008-07-18. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
- ^ Alasdair Fotheringham (2008-07-19). "Cavendish out on his own with fourth win". The Independent.
- ^ "Cavendish primed for Tour success". Eurosport UK. 2008-07-04. Retrieved 2008-07-13.
- ^ a b c d e Vélo, France, August 2008, p34
- ^ Coach and physiologist attached to the French national and to professional teams.
- ^ Rogers GC runner-up behind Karpets
- ^ Cavendish doubles up
- ^ British Cycling
- ^ Stage 1 Result
- ^ Stage 4 Result
- ^ Stage 6 Result
- ^ ENECO Tour Stage 2 Results
- ^ ENECO Tour Stage 5 Results
- ^ Tour of Britain Points competition final standings
- ^ Tour of Britain Sprints competition final standings
- ^ Prologue Stage Result
- ^ "Stage 1 Stage Result". www.tourofbritain.com. 2007-09-10. Retrieved September 11.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ Stage 5 Stage Result
- ^ http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/2008/sep08/missouri08/?id=stages/missouri082
External links
- 1985 births
- Living people
- Manx cyclists
- Track cyclists
- Commonwealth Games gold medalists for the Isle of Man
- Commonwealth Games competitors for the Isle of Man
- Cyclists at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
- Giro d'Italia stage winners
- Manx Tour de France stage winners
- World cycling champions
- Cyclists at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Olympic cyclists of Great Britain
- British Tour de France stage winners