Road Bike, Cycling Forums banner

i have an issue with the term "sprinter"

2K views 31 replies 21 participants last post by  function 
#1 ·
so cav rides 300km and wins the sprint like he was shot out of a freakin gun. so he is the best "sprinter". well he didn't exaclty coast for 300km. he not only rode as well as any non sprinter/climber in the race, he *also* was the best sprinter. i appreciate how a sprinter wins a flat stage of a GT, but a one-day classic is not exactly a sprinters race. why does someone like Cav only get credit for sprinting the last 200m. when does he become a great "all around" racer? I personally may have a fast sprint, but at the end of a race, if my legs are cooked, i have no sprint.
 
#2 ·
When he becomes a threat in the one-day classics (like say Boonen). MSR is still primarily a sprinters race.
 
#3 ·
bauerb said:
so cav rides 300km and wins the sprint like he was shot out of a freakin gun. so he is the best "sprinter". well he didn't exaclty coast for 300km. he not only rode as well as any non sprinter/climber in the race, he *also* was the best sprinter. i appreciate how a sprinter wins a flat stage of a GT, but a one-day classic is not exactly a sprinters race. why does someone like Cav only get credit for sprinting the last 200m. when does he become a great "all around" racer? I personally may have a fast sprint, but at the end of a race, if my legs are cooked, i have no sprint.
you must also have trouble with the term "climber" then. :rolleyes:
 
#4 ·
bauerb said:
so cav rides 300km and wins the sprint like he was shot out of a freakin gun. so he is the best "sprinter". well he didn't exaclty coast for 300km. he not only rode as well as any non sprinter/climber in the race, he *also* was the best sprinter. i appreciate how a sprinter wins a flat stage of a GT, but a one-day classic is not exactly a sprinters race. why does someone like Cav only get credit for sprinting the last 200m. when does he become a great "all around" racer? I personally may have a fast sprint, but at the end of a race, if my legs are cooked, i have no sprint.
Well, he IS getting some credit for being "more than a sprinter", but the race was just Sat. This is the first time he's hung in to challenge for a win in a one-day race of this scale...

He actually referred to the same thing in one of the press conferences. Paraphrasing: "I'm known as a great sprinter, maybe this will help me become known as a great cyclist...."
 
#5 · (Edited)
Coolhand said:
When he becomes a threat in the one-day classics (like say Boonen). MSR is still primarily a sprinters race.
Yeap.

It's either a sprinter's race or a good TTer like Cancellara's to take. A good puncheur can win it but it's not easy.
 
#8 ·
bauerb said:
i guess it likes referring to the winner of an Ironman as a "marathoner". they are right there with the group after a 112 mile bike, but they can just run faster
Isn't drafting disallowed at Ironman competitions, thus meaning you still have to pedal your a$$ off in order to come into the bike to run transition, within a reasonable time?
 
#9 ·
I think what everyone is trying to say is that, as challenging as MSR is, great racers are recognised as such after performing similarly in a multitude of event types. Look at the palmares of modern great all rounders like Boonen, Voigt, Freire, Cancellara etc, those guys can be threats in almost any race.
 
#10 ·
One of old training partners and good friends was one of the best climbers in US. Did the Tour, set records up climbs, etc. One day when we were riding we were talking about what it was like when we first went to Europe and started racing. He went to Spain and I went to Belgium so we were comparing notes. I mentioned how some of these guys who were 140 lbs, were beating me (at 158 or so) in sprints and I couldn't believe it. Well, he said that for a while, he would get dropped on the climbs by the sprinters groupetto. He said they would roll on by him. Anyways, the point is, we all have specialties but we are all bike racers and if you can't make it to the end of the race, you can't win.
 
#11 ·
MG537 said:
Isn't drafting disallowed at Ironman competitions, thus meaning you still have to pedal your a$$ off in order to come into the bike to run transition, within a reasonable time?
Not really- the cheating has reached "rampant" levels of the bike legs. For fun, go to slowtwitch and post a thread asking "is there much drafting on the bike legs?" and watch the fun. Best part is many triathletes are not terribly good bike handlers, especially in packs.
 
#12 ·
Coolhand said:
Not really- the cheating has reached "rampant" levels of the bike legs. For fun, go to slowtwitch and post a thread asking "is there much drafting on the bike legs?" and watch the fun. Best part is many triathletes are not terribly good bike handlers, especially in packs.
A guy I know was doing an Ironman when he realized someone was drafting him and had no interest in passing. He led the guy into a traffic cone.
 
#13 ·
mohair_chair said:
A guy I know was doing an Ironman when he realized someone was drafting him and had no interest in passing. He led the guy into a traffic cone.
Talk about bike handling 101.
 
#15 ·
Agree with OP. If it was 180k or so thats one thing. But over a 300k course, there were legendary non-sprinters who couldnt handle the so called easy pace. Being there at the end of 300k with a smallish group means that you were ALSO the best sprinter. The stat sheet on Cav has changed man. Unless he gets injured he is going pummel some records.
 
#16 ·
none

bauerb said:
so cav rides 300km and wins the sprint like he was shot out of a freakin gun. so he is the best "sprinter". well he didn't exaclty coast for 300km. he not only rode as well as any non sprinter/climber in the race, he *also* was the best sprinter. i appreciate how a sprinter wins a flat stage of a GT, but a one-day classic is not exactly a sprinters race. why does someone like Cav only get credit for sprinting the last 200m. when does he become a great "all around" racer? I personally may have a fast sprint, but at the end of a race, if my legs are cooked, i have no sprint.
None of these guys are "sprinters." A sprinter weighs 200 pounds and hits 40+ mph on a track bike. These are all endurance riders, some of whom are just a bit faster at the end of a long ride.
 
#17 ·
Creakyknees said:
back on topic... I'll stop calling Cav a sprinter when he wins a TT, or a seriously hilly race (doesn't even have to be a classic)

And if he's the talent I suspect he is, it won't be long. See Kelly, Sean.
He won the prologue time trial of the Tour of Britain in 2007, and the prologue time trial of the Tour of Romandy last year.

(Granted, they were both VERY short time trials, so not much more than extended solo sprints).
 
#19 ·
sure

danielc said:
I'm pretty sure that some of these 'sprinters' are hitting 40+mph at the finish line. I believe Cippolini use to do this.
Yes, with a good lead out. Not quite the same as accelerating to 40+ from a track stand on a track bike, though. I think you get my point, anyway, don't you? They are the quickest among endurance riders. Were any of them also track sprinters?
 
#20 ·
Fixed said:
Yes, with a good lead out. Not quite the same as accelerating to 40+ from a track stand on a track bike, though. I think you get my point, anyway, don't you? They are the quickest among endurance riders. Were any of them also track sprinters?
Ya, I wonder if they could accelerate to those speeds on their own. There are a bunch of sprinters who have track backgrounds, Cavendish and Zabel come to mind...and that's where my knowledge on the subject ends.
 
#21 ·
could be wrong

danielc said:
Ya, I wonder if they could accelerate to those speeds on their own. There are a bunch of sprinters who have track backgrounds, Cavendish and Zabel come to mind...and that's where my knowledge on the subject ends.
I could be wrong. They could be sprinters who just happened to work on their endurance to enable them to stay with a group up climbs until the finish when they do their thing for 10 seconds.
 
#22 ·
Cav has never won a road race from anything other than a bunch sprint as far as I know, until he wins from a group smaller than the main group on the road (doesn't even matter if it's on top of a mountain), he's a sprinter.

FWIW, 40mph is commonplace in road finishes. Track sprinters could go much faster with multiple gears. ;-)
 
#23 ·
danielc said:
Ya, I wonder if they could accelerate to those speeds on their own. There are a bunch of sprinters who have track backgrounds, Cavendish and Zabel come to mind...and that's where my knowledge on the subject ends.
Their track backgrounds are points/madison/pursuit backgrounds. Not track sprinter.

BTW, when Cipo was thinking about making a bid for the Olympics on the track, it was as a pursuiter. Cavendish is a 4:20 pursuiter. That's the crossover.
 
#24 ·
Give Cav a break. He's only 24 years old and still developing. Winning the MSR was a huge step forward for him.
My bet is that he'll go on to become one of the all time greats. In the meantime he's the man to beat when a race/stage comes down to a sprint. 17 wins last season (4 in the TdF) and carrying on where he left off this season.
 
#25 ·
i remember an article in Pro cycling? where cav stated "im not that good at endurance....yet" paraphrased. by that compared to the gun riders he is at level below but can beat them in a sprint. i agree with above comments a sprinter untill a small group win.
 
#26 ·
Im trying to think of one person who thought he could be in a major sort out in a 300k race and sprint for the win. Crickets. Now that he does it, people are talkin about "small group wins". I dont even like him and I think he's getting the shaft! This was not a bunch of 150 odd people rocketing down main street france after 180k flat day. Major sort out over 300k + climbs at the end that clearly the majority of the pelotin could not handle, and he's "just a sprinter". Tough crowd, tough crowd. This race was precisely the type of race people said he could not win. BTW wouldnt it be easier for Cav to beat a small group in a sprint? No lead out yes, but most of those small groups end up cat and mouse anywho, he would eat the likes of Flecha or Jens alive. Now Fabian might just ride away but he's a freak. i guess he's a sprinter until he wins on ventoux!!!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top