Cav's on a diet: Here's why

[toby123]

Cav says that he's lost 4kgs (http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cavendish-on-a-diet-for-olympics). This should help for the Olympics (see profile attached). The closer we get to the race, the more it seems that people are realising that it is by no means 'flat'.

 

[ianrauk]

Cav says that he's lost 4kgs (http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cavendish-on-a-diet-for-olympics). This should help for the Olympics (see profile attached). The closer we get to the race, the more it seems that people are realising that it is by no means 'flat'.

I've ridden the route a few times and apart from Shere Hill and Box Hill 9 times (And the pros won't find the hills the slightest bit hard work) it is flat.

 

[raindog]

a leaner meaner Cav - crikey

 

[Herzog]

I would have thought that pro cyclists would be avoiding ready-meals anyway.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

It may be affecting his power though - he was beaten again in a straight up spint today on stage1 of the Ster ZLM Tour, this time by both Marcel Kittel and Mark Renshaw...

 

[Keith Oates]

IF the weight loss is affecting his power then he would be best to give the green in the TdF a miss this year and concentrate his training for the Olympic title. He could still get some sprint finishing stages in the TdF and maybe pull out when the mountains come into play!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Herzog]

IF the weight loss is affecting his power then he would be best to give the green in the TdF a miss this year and concentrate his training for the Olympic title. He could still get some sprint finishing stages in the TdF and maybe pull out when the mountains come into play!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think a lot of people assume that's what will happen.

 

[raindog]

I hope whoever is advising Cav about this knows what they're doing.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

I hope whoever is advising Cav about this knows what they're doing.

I hope the loss of power - if there is one, because the team said the loss was down to misreading the route map and thinking there was a bit further to sprint than there actually was - will be temporary, i.e. they are concentrating on losing weight, then keeping it constant whilst reconvering the power.

 

[Alun]

I don't see how a top Pro rider can lose weight, without losing required muscle, so it must surely affect his power and sprint ability. Otherwise why has he been carrying it around with him?

 

[Flying_Monkey]

And Cav was beaten into second by Greipel today. That will hurt even more than yesterday, because Cav has been pretty dismissive of Greipel in the past. If it's not the weight loss that's causing him to lose form, then he may have other problems... but I think it's good for him. If he's going to keep getting better, he's got to get beaten and have bad times too.

 

[smutchin]

Might this be part of a plan to turn him into a bit more of an all-round rider (à la Thor Hushovd) than a pure sprinter? It would probably improve his chances of winning the green jersey again.

He's not going to be able to rely on having that explosive burst of speed forever anyway, and there are some very impressive young sprinters coming up fast behind him - Sagan being the obvious example.

d.

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Might this be part of a plan to turn him into a bit more of an all-round rider (à la Thor Hushovd) than a pure sprinter? It would probably improve his chances of winning the green jersey again.

I think that's absolutely what it is, and if he's got any sense and wants greater longevity as a top cyclist, it makes sense. He will not be able to rely on his astonishing leg-speed alone for the rest of his career.

 

[gb155]

I can't sprint anywhere like as fast as I could at 17stone but I'm slightly better on the hills and much much better all round

I think this is what we are seeing here with cav

Not that the 2 of us can be compared

 

[smutchin]

You're too modest, gb155.

d.