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UCI checks Mark Cavendish's TdF Stage 2 bike for hidden motor

Commissaires demonstrate sense of humour - and bravery - as Manx rider criticised by own manager after losing sprint

You can’t accuse UCI commissaires of lacking a sense of humour, or bravery – yesterday evening, after Mark Cavendish was pipped to the line at the end of an incident-packed Stage 2 of the Tour de France, his was one of five bikes scrutinised for hidden motors.

The Etixx-Quick Step rider had led out the sprint but was overhauled just shy of the line by stage winner André Greipel of Lotto-Soudal, with Tinkoff-Saxo’s Peter Sagan taking second and Fabian Cancellera of Trek Factory Racing edging Cavendish for third to take the yellow jersey of race leader.

According to a report in La Marca, Cavendish’s Specialized Venge was among the bikes that were checked for evidence of motorised doping, which as we reported last week is an issue of ongoing concern to the UCI, and one that was highlighted in the Cycling Independent Reform Commission’s report earlier this year.

Cavendish was criticised by team manager Patrick Lefevere after the stage for easing up as he realised the stage win was beyond him in the final metres – something that almost certainly cost team mate Tony Martin the overall lead, as Cancellara snapped up the bonus seconds for third place.

“I am not happy at all,” said Lefevere. “Probably this was our last chance to take the yellow jersey. Cavendish stopped sprinting and this costs Tony the jersey."

The Manx rider, who is out of contract at the end of the season, was presumably unaware of his team manager’s views when he tweeted after the stage: “Look at this photo. If I could hang on for 3rd, I could hang on for the win ... Some imbeciles think cycling is a computer game. Problem is, social media & TV are platforms for them to be heard.”

He also blamed team mate Mark Renshaw for going to early in the finale, leaving him with 400 metres to ride alone into a headwind with Greipel and Sagan on his wheel.

Cavendish’s reaction to his bike being checked after the stage for a hidden motor isn’t known, but it’s probably fairly easy to guess.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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21 comments

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teaboy | 8 years ago
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Etixx had 4 riders and Cav in the front, and managed to lead out with just Renshaw. The train organisation faltered, so Cav had to go earlier than was sensible. He does normally take a few days to warm up, but Greipel's looking great...

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RobD | 8 years ago
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Isn't it quite often the case that Cav misses out on the first sprint stage of a tour (obviously discounting last year anyway) and then seems to warm up into it?
I don't understand Etixx pushing so hard on the front, they'd be very unlikely to drop Cancellara from their group, there were other teams with a lot more to gain over all that could have been made to do a lot more of the work towards the end. It's almost like they've only got a plan A and that when the situation might not call for that plan anymore, nobody is giving them a new plan.

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ninj4fly | 8 years ago
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Mind games for lesser pay check.

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Martyn_K | 8 years ago
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Forget the talk of Cav sitting up when he was beaten. If Tony Martin really wanted the yellow jersey then where was he? Spartacus ain't that great a sprinter and managed to position himself well in order to get 3rd. I'm sure Tony Martin, a guy that can churn out power on a 58 chain ring, could have got up there if he really wanted it.

Etixx got the tactics wrong, even BMC stated that they could not believe they pushed so hard keeping the break up the road.

The good news is that Nibbles looked desperate when the break went and there was a distinct lack of Astana team mates to help at one point. After their ever present riding hard in the Giro they deserved to get a bit of a kicking.

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Big Ron | 8 years ago
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As a pro or even any level of sports person, surely you'd wanna go as hard as you can until that line is crossed?

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Acliffalay | 8 years ago
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I expect sprinting into a headwind at 250 metres, with Greipel getting a free leadout from you is not the best position to be in.

Regardless of what team orders were, he was sprinting to win, if someone pips you to third, it probably didn't even register until after the finish.

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Nixster | 8 years ago
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Unless I'm mistaken both Sagan and Spartacus were solo in the front bunch (chapeau to both) and yet both still beat Cavendish over the line. Which does make it seem more like a team screw up as Abudhabichris suggests than Cav alone blowing it.

Curious what Lefevre's instructions would have been to Cav to justify what he said. 'Finish better than third', 'whatever happens make sure you beat Cancellara'?

Seems like being wise after the event for him to be so openly critical although I can understand his frustration.

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BikeBud | 8 years ago
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Renshaw did go early.

Lefevre talks rubbish - remember his comments that Stannard should have worked in the break when outnumbered by THREE Etixx riders?!

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ColT | 8 years ago
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400m? Look again. Renshaw dropped him off at about 250metres.

Forget the yellow, I'd have thought sprinting *through* the line would be a prerequisite for someone with green jersey aspirations. What if he ends up a couple of points behind Sagan in Paris? Points lost to Spartacus on stage 2 I tell ya.  3

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djcritchley | 8 years ago
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I'm with abudhabiChris on this one, QuickStep managed to mess up an ideal situation for a stage win.

Whether Cav should have kept pushing depends on what the manager's orders were. If he's worth his salt he'd be aware of the possibility of retaining yellow and one would hope he'd communicate this to his team.

Quickstep may only be going for stage wins but sprinters sitting up when they're beaten doesn't really inspire me as a fan.

Chapeau to Fabian Cancellara though for being such a talented and astute rider.

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Simmo72 | 8 years ago
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Did Lefevere give out detailed instructions to keep sprinting no matter what. If so then Cav made a mistake, but so did the team for cocking up the lead out. The thing is its easy to criticize when sitting on a sofa drinking beer and not riding in hours of rain and wind at speed.

All will be forgotten. Greipel is sprinting well, always pleased to see him get a tour stage win.

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Toro Toro | 8 years ago
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Why would they want to stay under it? It's a minimum, not a maximum.

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NOC40 | 8 years ago
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it's high time the UCI reduced the 6.8kg weight limit. technology's moved on, and it's pretty clear that 6.8 is too high if they think you can put on a battery and motor and still stay under it.

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KirinChris | 8 years ago
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Quick Step had the most riders in that small lead group yesterday - Cavendish, Renshaw, Uran, Kwiatkowski, Martin. Yet they blew the sprint and they blew marking Cancellara.

There was no reason for them to drive the break - their main rival was in it with them.

Add that to the spring classics where three of them were unable to defeat one Ian Stannard, and various other places where they are unable to turn numbers and form to their advantage.

It starts to look like a problem within the team - whether that's communication, briefing, lack of leadership or whatever. And for that the blame has to be with the management.

They have the best riders but the worst.

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don simon fbpe | 8 years ago
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Looking forward to the fallout from this.  16

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Kadinkski | 8 years ago
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He's such a selfish twat, the way he gave up was disgusting. He's got no place in a team event - I'd sack him if I was the manager.

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Al__S replied to Kadinkski | 8 years ago
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Kadinkski wrote:

He's such a selfish twat, the way he gave up was disgusting. He's got no place in a team event - I'd sack him if I was the manager.

Well, there's your career as a world tour team manager over before it starts.

The team made a couple of mistakes- Renshaw going to early (and thus having to swing off, spent, early) and Cavendish easing off, as he probabl;y normally would, when he realised he was beat- but he would have no idea till looked across that Cancellara had done so well.

Sitting up wasn't selfish, it was instinctive- and any other sprinter would have done so.

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Kadinkski replied to Al__S | 8 years ago
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Al__S wrote:

Well, there's your career as a world tour team manager over before it starts.

The team made a couple of mistakes- Renshaw going to early (and thus having to swing off, spent, early) and Cavendish easing off, as he probabl;y normally would, when he realised he was beat- but he would have no idea till looked across that Cancellara had done so well.

Sitting up wasn't selfish, it was instinctive- and any other sprinter would have done so.

I don't think Renshaw went too early, the distance out seemed to be standard for that pairing - its what they always do. Fair enough that Cavendish got reeled in, you win some, you lose some, I've got no problem with that. What makes me angry is that he gave up on 3rd place (and I agree it would have been instinctive) but he would have known that this was their best chance of getting the yellow, it would have been communicated to him multiple times. But no, he doesn't get the glory, so screw the team.

Anyway, I intend to keep an eye out on Monster for a position as a world team manager and one day I'll put my money where my mouth is.

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HoldTheWheel replied to Kadinkski | 8 years ago
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Even Renshaw admitted he went early. Cav likes to be dropped off with 200-250 to go in good conditions, less in a headwind, as this was.

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Chris James replied to Kadinkski | 8 years ago
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Kadinkski wrote:

I don't think Renshaw went too early, the distance out seemed to be standard for that pairing - its what they always do. Fair enough that Cavendish got reeled in, you win some, you lose some, I've got no problem with that. What makes me angry is that he gave up on 3rd place etc.

I have to say that when I saw the finish on the highlights last night I thought Cav hit the front extremely early and I started looking out for the distance markers in case I was wrong.

He basically gave Greipel a perfect leadout, and Andre is far too good to pass that opportunity up.

As regards to you getting angry, that seems a strange reaction.

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STiG911 replied to Kadinkski | 8 years ago
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Kadinkski wrote:

He's such a selfish twat, the way he gave up was disgusting. He's got no place in a team event - I'd sack him if I was the manager.

If sprinting the best part of 400 yards then losing because your team mate has cut out early would earn someone a sacking, it's probably best that it's not your decision.

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