Hugh Porter was the co-commentator, he was a pretty good cyclist back in his day but as a commentator he's about ten years overdue for retirement... but there is a shortage of commentators who actually know anything about cycling over here.
I can see where they were coming from - probably the strongest looking riders in the race broke away and the English and Dutch teams looked like the only organised, strong teams so it did seem likely they'd stay away unless at least 3 or 4 other teams really pulled together. Though they did go over the top making it sound such a sure thing.



He is very good for that - if he wins he sees it as paying back his team mates for having faith in him and working so hard and if he loses he takes the blame for letting them down. I do sometimes wonder how healthy a personality he is with the pressure he puts himself under when things don't go right.
I think in fairness to Cavendish he can do a good job without support but he doesn't get put in a position to show it very often because he's been with such strong support for the last few years so it isn't that easy to judge - at the WC though he was on his own at the end and won despite looking too far back and boxed in at one point. Having said all that, I guess it depends what you mean by winning without support - Cavendish is a more pure sprinter than Freire and Zabel who were stronger all around so they could cope better with climbs etc to get to the finish.




Hopefully we will have good and deserving winners in both time trials tomorrow and everyone can try to forget Vino.