Mark Cavendish, the Usain Bolt of Cycling

Sprinter Mark Cavendish wins the final stage of the 2009 Tour de France onto the Champs Elysées, bringing his Tour de France career total to ten and his 2009 Tour de France total to an unprecedented six. In doing so, his team, Columbia-HTC, shows why they've won more races than any other team in professional cycling thus far this year.

[@joshw3591]

Goosebumps. Every time.

[@TheMissingBeatle]

No, Usain Bolt is the Mark Cavendish of the track.

[@Toastybear1]

there are two speeds in road sprints- everyones speed, and then cavendish's speed, its unbelievable how much acceleration he gets at the finish- bear in mind they're doing 60-80 kmh before hand....!!

[@ManxAndy]

toasty bear ....and to add to that, he has to do all the hard stuff up and down the mountains as well.....then the team have to bring him forward for the final sprint......👍🇮🇲

[@osfan25]

That final turn doomed the Garmin team. They all had to slow to make the turn, while Cav and Renshaw were able to go full gas right through it.

[@DanielSong39]

He won by more than 10 meters.

[@sandynathan]

Decent tactics by hincapie too to peel off and split between garmin and HTC. Put the Garmin team in an impossible position

[@SRobinson1485]

He's a cycling legend

[@Orcanislupus]

Hincapie sets this up. This is what experience gets you. Renshaw delivers consistantly... trust! Cav does what he does better than the rest... go faster! The other team's guys had to break in the last corner because they took bad lines. I think.

[@lifeofholly6213]

That was awesome. I got butterflies even though I've seen it about 10 times.. :D

[@279okiap]

Марк, пожалуй, был лучшим из лучших.

[@melissaflick9041]

I remember that day well.

[@nonfictionone]

that's the best of the best, and there's only one guy in the screen at the finish line. it looks like a club sprint where everyone else decides not to sprint. It is truly incredible. He is easily, easily, the best sprinter I have ever seen. Yes I know it's a good leadout, but when he starts sprinting, all the other 'best sprinters in the world' go backwards as if they are time trialists.

[@golfnut20]

Weird move, jumping ship to BMC, but as long as they can secure a place in the Tour I reckon Cadel's got a shot at the yellow jersey. Having Hincapie is a huge asset.

[@RapidRire]

he couldn't have asked for a better lead out than that

[@gamafolken]

theeeeeeeeeeee besssssssst!

[@AP-wd6dv]

Masterclass from hincapie at the flamme rouge

[@charvey101]

I'm a big fan of Mark Cavendish but its wrong comparing him to Usain Bolt, completely different dynamics. Bolt is a pure sprinter, he's all about power for short distances. A more appropriate comparison would be someone like Chris Hoy or Jason Kenny.
Cavendish is an endurance rider, he has a phenomenal sprint kick towards the end of a long race but Bolt simply couldn't run 10,000m and then sprint to the finish, he's not built for it. Mo Farah is more akin to Cavendish, he's got the physique to go the distance and turn on the power at the end.

[@jazzcyclist]

Of course you've made some good points, and for the most point I agree with you, but there's one major difference between cycling and running, and that's drafting/wind resistance. If drafting in cycling was as minimal as it is in track and field, Cavendish couldn't dream of ever winning a stage in the Tour de France, or pro cycling road race for that matter. Physiologically speaking, Chris Hoy may be the cycling equivalent of Usain Bolt, but Fabian Cancellara is the cycling equivalent of Mo Farah, not Cavendiish. Anyway, "Usain Bolt of cycling" makes for a much better title than "Mo Farah of cycling".

[@charvey101]

jazzcyclist I don't dispute your point, but the article was about Cavendish and its the best comparison I could come up with.

[@logpos]

Looks like Garmin made the break a little too early yes? But Cavendish and team-mate made a really impressive breakaway with a really wide margin! :D

[@toferc]

Agreed!

[@siddi54]

he is really the Usain Bolt if Cycling !

[@Green-eyedGirl19]

You got it right. I can't understand why George left the team. I'm in Greenville, SC
and after the USA Pro I was so excited. Then we hear that George was going to BMC...what the....

[@captainotter]

Hincape + Cavendish the best combo :)

[@ManxAndy]

Емил Табальов Renshaw would have something to say about that....lol. 👍🇮🇲

[@lennard]

bolt is the only person who could probably keep with him!

[@joannix]

umm don't know if he's the Usain Bolt of Cyclung but for sure he's the best sprinter i've ever seen!!!

[@alloskating]

Bolt is the only sprint. Mark runs a marathon before he sprints ... it does not Bolt

[@InternationalBrother]

Cavendish drafts for 199.8 km of a 200 km stage and sprints the last 0.2 km.

[@ManxAndy]

InternationalBrother still has to do the mountains though.....

[@thenewey]

@3HolterBrothers surprised he didnt make a complaint to make himself the winner.

[@pollemol1]

Garmin came ahead way too early, they had only 2 man ahead of Tyler Farrar in the last 2.7km.

[@jary1844]

Wiggins => Hagen => Cavendish = TGV of cycling in year 2012

[@acme181169]

Usain bolt isn't in the same league as Mark Cavendish. I'll bet Cav can do 100m within 140% of Bolt but I doubt Bolt could even cross the line in a typical TdF stage.

[@InternationalBrother]

This makes no sense at all.

[@brauljo]

Damn is there no light in that tunnel? 3:45

[@abone2pick]

Chris hoy is the Usain bolt of cycling. Cavendish is more like Michael Johnson.

[@thenewey]

@lifeofholly same here lol

[@StannosWorld]

No.

[@michelbruno4435]

electrique bicycle for all the english "champions".

[@simonbild67]

pity he is a total berk though