Quote:"It's a shame he is not here, but what can I do," the 26-year-old Van der Poel said about Poulidor, while holding back tears after his maiden Tour stage win following a blazing attack.

Poulidor, who died in November 2019, took part in 14 Tours from 1962-76, finishing in second place overall three times and third five times. Nicknamed "Poupou" and "The Eternal Runner-up," Poulidor was adored by French fans but could never win the famed yellow tunic worn by the race leader after each stage.

"I imagine how proud he would be," said Van der Poel, whose father, Adri, was also a professional cyclist and wore the yellow jersey for one day in 1984.

Quote:On Tuesday at the Tour de France, the tears of sadness made way for those of happiness after the "Manx Missile" posted a 31st stage win at cycling's biggest event.

"Just being here is special enough. I didn't think I would ever get to come back to this race," said Cavendish, the greatest sprinter in the race's history.

The 36-year-old veteran sat on the road and cried after his triumph in the fourth stage. He was congratulated by teammates, who worked hard in the stage finale to put Cavendish in an excellent position for the sprint.

(06-29-2021 11:15 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Mark Cavendish posts 31st stage 4 win in Tour de France return

After what he's been through and how long he's waited to get back, this was nice to see as well...

Quote:On Tuesday at the Tour de France, the tears of sadness made way for those of happiness after the "Manx Missile" posted a 31st stage win at cycling's biggest event.

"Just being here is special enough. I didn't think I would ever get to come back to this race," said Cavendish, the greatest sprinter in the race's history.

The 36-year-old veteran sat on the road and cried after his triumph in the fourth stage. He was congratulated by teammates, who worked hard in the stage finale to put Cavendish in an excellent position for the sprint.

(06-30-2021 09:35 AM)GoodOwl Wrote:  ITT today. A little wet to start, but drying out as they go along.

(06-30-2021 01:48 PM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  Yeah, it's a good story and and exciting race finish but I'm not the biggest Cavendish fan - I was definitely rooting for the breakaway. All great sprinters have to be cocky and aggressive but in his heyday Cav was an arrogant and entitled tool who was defensive and rude to anyone who didn't kiss his ass. Ask reporters who covered him back then. Eddy Merckx has more class in his little finger than Cavendish has in his entire body - I'll be sad if Cavendish break's Merckx's record for stage victories (which still seems unlikely but now looks at least possible).

Hopefully the last few years have humbled him a bit...

(06-30-2021 03:15 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  But perhaps you're more right than wrong on your points above. We'll never know as those athletes of yesteryear functioned in a different environment than today's do.

Quote:Back in the race for the first time since 2018, the British sprinter has regained some of the luster of his youth to dominate the field again.

After winning Stage 4 on Tuesday to start his unexpected comeback to the top, the best sprinter in the history of the race took a step closer to Belgian great Eddy Merckx's record of 34 stage wins.

Cavendish, known as the Manx Missile, received a late call-up last month as a replacement for Sam Bennett, the best sprinter of last year's Tour.

In addition to Merckx's record, Cavendish's next goal will be to win the best sprinter's green jersey in Paris. Lefevere said he does not want to set targets for Cavendish's aging legs since reaching the French capital after crossing the Alps and the Pyrenees is already a big challenge for his protégé.

Mathieu van der Poel kept the race leader's yellow jersey at the end of the 160.6-kilometer (100-mile) transition stage in central France with an eight-second lead over defending champion Tadej Pogacar. The main contenders enjoyed a quiet day in the peloton, conserving energy for the Alpine stages this weekend. There were no significant changes in the overall standings.

(07-01-2021 01:59 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Well, Brookes, Cavendish had himself another good day

(07-04-2021 09:26 AM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  Indeed. That ride by Pogacar was historic. The race is over; it will now just be the fight for 2nd and 3rd.

Dude is 22.

(07-04-2021 10:48 AM)GoodOwl Wrote:  

(07-04-2021 09:26 AM)Brookes Owl Wrote:  Indeed. That ride by Pogacar was historic. The race is over; it will now just be the fight for 2nd and 3rd.

Dude is 22.

well....
Primoz Roglic & Mathieu van der Poel Withdraw From Tour de France