Two Words: Mark Cavendish

Long-time club teammates battled
for the rainbow Jersey.

Frantic. Maniac. Terrifying. Blinding. Breathless.

That describes the final 500 meters of the 2011 World Cycling Championships.

If you haven't seen it, you're missing a finish for the ages.

Uphill, after a final right-hand turn into the final strait, the final bunch sprint was always going to go to the man with the most power.

"Of course," you say, "isn't that always the case?"

Nope.

Sometimes luck has her say. Sometimes guile plays its part. Sometimes it's pure speed. Sometime it's power. And rarely, it's because of a team. The rainbow jersey doesn't always go to the fastest...but it always goes where it is most deserved.

In 2009 Cadel Evans won, with a clever attack at precisely the right moment. He soloed to victory as the other contenders squabbled among themselves.

In 2010 Thor Hushovd won from a small group, using his massive power to carry his massive carriage over the final climbs in Geelong. Power and guile won the day Down Under.

This year was predicted to be a day for the sprinters. The course was largely flat, and it was certainly not difficult enough to cause a selection. The final ramp to the finish, however, was reminiscent of several stages in the past two Tours. It had enough slope to slow the final sprint, making the effort longer than a classic flat sprint. As a result, while many believed that Cavendish could win, others pointed to the possibility of Hushovd repeating last year's triumph.

Predictions are like opinions, everyone has one. And they're usually worth less than the paper they were written upon.

Cavendish won because he is an amazing talent, and because he was the undisputed leader of an eight-man team from Great Britain. That team worked. They controlled the race all day, and they protected Cav until that final turn. Much like the HTC-Columbia train that dominated sprints over the past few years, Great Britain lined up and drove the pack.

Cavendish said after the race: "There couldn't be another
result, after the way the guys rode today. We had
eight of the best guys in the world...They took the
race on from start to finish and we won."
Truer, more graceful words have seldom been
uttered by a newly-crowned World Champion.

It was lovely to watch.

It was inspiring.

And it is a new chapter in the ongoing saga: "Cycling Is a Team Sport."

So, back to Cavendish.

In the final 500 meters, he found himself alone and boxed-in by the remaining contenders. His experience pointed the way, and his 1600+ watt legs powered him. He had to start his kick earlier than is his preference, and if the race were just a few meters longer, he would have been passed by his club teammate Matt Goss.

But if wishes were fishes we'd never do dishes.

And the win went to the most deserving: the fastest rider from the best team. party in Piccadilly!

So, look out world! Cycling's enfant terrible is in the rainbow jersey!

Chapeau!

(And doesn't this make the 2012 Olympics even MORE interesting?)