Sprinters being eliminated? (May contain SPOILERS)

[Bollo]

It does except you can't really take at face value a tweet made under those circumstances, and he does mumble something about being back stronger next year in the interview.

Anyway, I don't have many sporting heroes. But Cav is definitely one of them.

It wasn't said with any glee and I wish him well, but I'm very skeptical that he can get back to the pointy end of a top-level sprint.

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

Strange to see Taaramae outside the limit, anyone know why?

I picked him in my PTP selection

 

[Paulus]

I don't think that cav's heart has been really in it this year. His start to the season has not gone well with various crashes and injuries. On various interviews he seems to be more interested in his new baby, which is understandable, but as a professional sportsman I think it shows a bit of a change of heart.

 

[Beebo]

I don't think that cav's heart has been really in it this year. His start to the season has not gone well with various crashes and injuries. On various interviews he seems to be more interested in his new baby, which is understandable, but as a professional sportsman I think it shows a bit of a change of heart.

I agree with you. But even a well motivated Cav would still have struggled up those hills, just look at the list of sprinters that have dropped out. That isn’t good for the overall inclusiveness of the race.
The Giro and Vuelta are always difficult for sprinters but the tour is usually more balanced.

 

[Paulus]

Mario Chippolini famously climbed off as soon as the road pointed upwards. He was a great sprinter.

 

[Smokin Joe]

It doesn't seem that long ago that people were complaining they were getting bored with seeing Cav win all the time. You never know what you've got till it's gone, as many will find out when Froome hangs his wheels up. I've followed too many Tours over the years when it was headline news for a British rider to get placed on a stage to complain about an all to brief period of dominance.

 

[Crackle]

Quite a good article in Velonews about why this year saw so many sprinters abandon and the influence of the make up of this years stage profile on it.

https://www.velonews.com/2018/07/to...nce-has-been-so-cruel-to-the-sprinters_472696

 

[Buddfox]

Does anyone know if the sprinters will be doing the Surrey Classic this weekend? I've not been able to find a start list, but given the parcours, World Tour status etc. it would seem to make sense, particularly for Cav

 

[smutchin]

Does anyone know if the sprinters will be doing the Surrey Classic this weekend? I've not been able to find a start list, but given the parcours, World Tour status etc. it would seem to make sense, particularly for Cav

I heard a mention on TV yesterday that Cav would be doing it. Can't remember who said it though. And no idea who else is riding.

 

[smutchin]

Ah! As if on cue, I've just received this press release from the organisers:

VIVIANI AND BENNETT TO RENEW RIVALRY AT THE PRUDENTIAL RIDELONDON-SURREY CLASSIC

· Star sprinters to race one another for first time since Giro d’Italia

· Michael Matthews also racing after recovering from Tour de France illness

Sprint stars Elia Viviani and Sam Bennett will renew a rivalry that lit up this year’s Giro d’Italia at the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic on Sunday 29 July.

Viviani, of Quick-Step Floors, won four stages and the overall points classification at the Giro d’Italia while Bennett, of BORA-Hansgrohe, won three stages including the iconic final stage in Rome.

29-year-old Viviani then went on to win the Italian road race championship meaning he will be wearing the famous green, white and red tricolour on the streets of London and Surrey. That win was his 14th win of a fantastic season.

Irishman Bennett, 27, followed up his success at the Giro d’Italia by winning the Rund um Koln one-day race.

Both men will be looking to be in the mix for victory this year after missing out on last year’s sprint finish which was won by Alexander Kristoff, then riding for Team Katusha-Alpecin. Bennett was eighth and Viviani 11th.

Australian Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb), who withdrew from this year’s Tour de France due to illness, will be back in London for the third year in a row looking to provide competition to Bennett and Viviani. Matthews has finished on the podium on both times he has raced the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic, finishing third in 2016 and 2017.

Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic Race Director Mick Bennett said: “Anyone who watched Elia Viviani and Sam Bennett go head-to-head at this year’s Giro d’Italia will know that these are two of the very best sprinters in the world and two men who are very closely matched.

“We were all thrilled by the duels they had in Italy and it is exciting to announce the two will meet again in the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic - the first time they have raced one another since Sam won the final stage of this year’s Giro d’Italia ahead of Elia in Rome.

“And while we were sad to see Michael Matthews have to withdraw from this year’s Tour de France, we are delighted he is healthy enough to return to the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic for a third year. If he is on form, Michael is a man that everyone else in the field will fear.”

2015 champion Jean-Pierre Drucker, of BMC Racing, is the only previous Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic winner in the field while the 2013 world champion Rui Costa (UAE Team Emirates) also takes part.

Matteo Trentin (Mitchelton-Scott), who enlivened last year’s race with a thrilling break that got to within one kilometre of the finish, returns as does Ben Swift (UAE Team Emirates) who has twice finished on the podium at Prudential RideLondon.

As well as Swift, there are a further 11 Britons racing including two former national road race champions – Peter Kennaugh (BORA-Hansgrohe) and Steve Cummings (Team Dimension Data) – and Alex Dowsett (Team Katusha-Alpecin) who has won five national time trial titles.

Team Sky has five Brits including four talented youngsters – Jon Dibben, Owain Doull, Tao Geoghegan-Hart and Chris Lawless – plus one-day specialist Ian Stannard.

The Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic is the 26th round of the 2018 UCI WorldTour and is live on BBC1 between 15:30 and 18:30 on Sunday 29 July. The full race is live on the BBC's red button from 13:40.

For the full start list of this year’s Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic click here.
https://www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/events/classic/teams/2018-competitors/

 

[Buddfox]

Nice - thanks. Would be great to see a Stannard break for victory!

 

[mjr]

I heard a mention on TV yesterday that Cav would be doing it. Can't remember who said it though. And no idea who else is riding.

I think any riders withdrawing from a race have to get clearance/permission to race again before the first race finishes. I'm not sure whether that applies to eliminated riders like Cavendish, though.