Tour de France 2024 - this time it’s personal

Stunning result for Cav & an undeniablely great piece of cycling history.

Media wankfest incoming so off goes Discovery.

Just when you thought Rob Hatch couldn't get more insufferable…

Regardless, it was a class win from Cavendish, he had to swerve through a dozen gaps on his own in the final 500m and took the victory by a good distance. That's just pure talent and instinct. Sam just didn't get through the gaps, he might well have taken Pedersen out of it, trying to avoid the Cofidis rider who was all over the shop also. Messy sprint, delighted for Cav all the same

All credit to Cav and his record but that was a fair aul 'change of line' he pulled in last few hundred metres immediately followed by a crash (and epic bunny hop) .Was that legit ?Surely just because youre in front you cant swerve all over the road ?There wasnt even a shortening of the road /bend to cut for any obvious gain .He seemed to just want to get anyone behind him out of his slip stream (?)Would be a brave commisaire would disqualify him I guess…

Who was in the crash does anyone know ?

Yeah its an epic sprint finish that will probably be studied in detail for years to come.That Movistar rider Cav bumped out of the way was glued to his wheel immediately after and I say hopped up on rage /adrenaline. Anyway I always thought that 'failure to maintain a straight line ' sprinting put you at (certain?) risk of disqualification.

There are so many variables including wind direction, how comfortable you are in the group getting the optimal draft etc. racing in a bunch can be surgy too so you’ll need to spend some time sprinting but some time freewheeling too.

As a practical example I did a TT on a road bike at the weekend with effectively no wind. To maintain 40km/h I needed to do 345w for 40 mins

The next day to do 42km/h for 3 hours 10 I only needed to do 240. So a very rough guide of being at least 30% easier which is generally the accepted estimate

Wont know till I see an overhead but it looks like Cavendish comes the whole way across the road and takes a whole bunch of people across with him like they are being sucked up by a hoover which leads to De Lie blocking Bennett who blocks those behind him.

They are getting a bit lax on the old straight line rule recently.

I think the sprint was fine - unless some egregiously deviates from their line to block someone off no penalty should be incurred imo

Serious balls needed to be a sprinter - I definitely don’t have the nerve for it

odds on Cav finishing the tour? I know he’ll want to but much easier to pull the pin on the hard mountain stages now he has the record

No chance he quits. As you say, it's not in his nature. You don't win that many stages if you have even the slightest hint of a thought like that.

ThThe Greatest day in the entire history of all sport.... ! He said something to that effect; I said to my wife here that it sounded like watching WWF wrestling commentary in the '90s when Hulkamania was en vogue. But regardless I'm still delighted for Cav

Delighted for Cav. I used to not like him at one stage, but I came to see him differently in recent years, and I'm glad he didn't retire after last year's bad luck. My favourite place in the world is Laxey too, so I'm glad I've come around to see the local lad in a positive light.

Really enjoying the race so far this year.

Phil Liggett was in tears on the US commentary I am told.