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Brailsford eyes up Cavendish…or does he?

Team Sky boss sings Cav’s praises, but is he going to sign him?

According to the Daily Mail, Team Sky boss Dave Brailsford wants to sign Mark Cavendish to Team Sky.

The Mail quotes Brailsford, “Who wouldn’t want Cav? He’s one of the biggest names in the sport, if not the biggest. He has an X Factor few have. He speaks his mind and he has huge lows and highs. But he always ends up smiling, the guy is a born winner and cycling’s very happy to have him.

“…We could devote our energies to someone like Cav in the sprints and then switch priorities back to Brad when we hit the mountains, where Cav just has to finish the stages.”

Whether this means Brailsford will make a move to sign Cavendish is anyone’s guess, of course. Cavendish has a year left on his HTC-Columbia contract but that didn’t stop them signing Bradley Wiggins from Garmin.

Lifelong lover of most things cycling-related, from Moulton Mini adventures in the 70s to London bike messengering in the 80s, commuting in the 90s, mountain biking in the noughties and road cycling throughout. Editor of Simpson Magazine (www.simpsonmagazine.cc). 

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13 comments

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bikeandy61 | 13 years ago
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As all us "experts" know in this day it is virtually impossible to construct a TdF team that can support both green and yellow jersey contenders successfully. So I assume DB was either talking down to the general press or maybe playing mind games with someone. Or trying to. I suspect that the journalist has just strung together the parts of DBs responses that suited his/her needs or understanding.

While Sky probably does need some wins to justify it's budget it's stated aim is a Tour winner in 5 years. Cav could bring exposure through wins but rather like the US the man in the street only has a vague understanding of what the Yellow jersey means. A green jersey win would be of no general interest. Would lance be the superstar he is if he'd won 7 green jerseys competitions?

Plus unless there have been real problems in the HTC camp, and other than the Greipel situation there is no evidence of, I really don't think Sky would hae any pull for Cav.  39

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handlebarcam | 13 years ago
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Wow, a Daily Facist piece about cycling which, despite being "published" a couple of days, still has no comments posted to it about bloody cyclists not paying road tax. What is the world coming to? Have they no pride in their work? I guess he is an athlete, so allowed to ride as long as he does so only on foreign roads, and checks there are no immigrants clinging to his frame when he crosses back over the English Channel (sorry Le Pond.) I'm sure their average reader would still huff and puff if stuck behind him while he is out training on the Isle of Man's roads.

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crunch61 | 13 years ago
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I dislike Team Sky already this season - hope cav stays away from them  39

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demoff | 13 years ago
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Cav would have to be monumentally insane to sign for Sky.

Smacks of desperation by Brailsford that they are under pressure to get a few wins already.

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gandberg | 13 years ago
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Reading the Daily Mail gives you cancer.

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The Good Shepherd | 13 years ago
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If it's in the Daily Mail it must be true.

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eddie11 | 13 years ago
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please don't let skys money let this happen. Does Dave Brailsford know nothing about cycling?

you can't simply switch domestiques between stages. Granted cav proved that he doesn't need a leadout train in the last tour but he still needed men knackering themselves on the front all day to get the breakways back. These same guys are then going to be fat use in the mountains for brad.

Plus for some reason i don't want every single brit rider in the peleton bar millar racing for one team. lets spread us around.

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dave atkinson | 13 years ago
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Cav could always switch teams and still use the HTC train, he was practicing hopping another team's leadout at the end of the tour i noticed  1

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antonio | 13 years ago
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Hang about, didn't Brad say when he went to Millar's team, Garmin, it was because he did not want to be just Cav's lead out man.

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skippy | 13 years ago
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When you have money to throw around , why not buy out Cav's contract? Of course you will need other riders to form the leadout but they are not as expensive!

Could be that the german will be happy to step into Cav's shoes and may even get a pay hike into the bargain.

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martyntr | 13 years ago
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Then Boassen Hagen would throw it away by riding on the barriers....

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KirinChris | 13 years ago
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Cause Sky did such a good job setting up Boassen Hagen didn't they.

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wild man | 13 years ago
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Why would Cav want to leave a team entirely dedicated to him?

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