# Cavendish: "I know I'm an peanut"



## yello (16 Jul 2009)

In the after race interview yesterday, Cavendish got asked a couple of tricky (and critical) questions. He seemed a little stunned; I'm not sure if he was unaware of the stories or not expecting to be asked about them just then.

Apparently, some riders are complaining that he doesn't work in the groupettos. There's also been a suggestion that he doesn't like French riders and had made "racist" comments.

L'Equipe's story this morning touches on it.



> *Certains coureurs évoquent dans L'Equipe de mercredi votre hostilité à la France et aux professionnels français. Quelle est votre réaction ?*
> 
> Je préfère rire de tout cela : je ne suis pas du tout comme ça, tout le monde le sait. J'aurais aimé avoir les noms des coureurs qui ont dit cela pour avoir des explications. Je préfère prendre tout ceci comme un compliment : la presse sort ce sujet car elle n'a rien à dire sur ma façon de courir. Pourtant, je fais des efforts pour apprendre le français, répondre aux questions. Je sais que je suis un connard (''peanut''). (...) Je peux m'énerver mais cela n'a rien à voir avec la nationalité des gens.



Some English links....

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/15072009/3/french-tour-riders-slam-racist-cavendish.html

http://www.bicycle.net/2009/french-riders-have-had-enough-of-racist-cavendish

Hopefully it's a storm in a teacup, the usual kind of paper selling stuff, but I really hope Cavendish can just ignore it and get on with winning stages.

Edit: for some reaction from Cavendish

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/cycling/8153223.stm


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## Haitch (16 Jul 2009)

Apparently Cav was held up on his way to the doping check the other day and, thinking there were no microphones about, started complaining about the "f*cking French".


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## RabbitFood (16 Jul 2009)

ops


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## yello (16 Jul 2009)

Alan H said:


> Apparently Cav was held up on his way to the doping check the other day and, thinking there were no microphones about, started complaining about the "f*cking French".



I hadn't heard/read of that one! There are a *lot* of people milling around at the end of a stage (press, team minders, spectators, etc), all wanting a piece of the rider; it doesn't surprise me one bit that riders will loose their cool in such circumstances.


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## Crackle (16 Jul 2009)

C'mon, don't the French understand that French bashing is an English(sic) national pastime. Even if we like 'em we don't let on. I used to love it when I worked for a French company. Only the ones who worked with me regularly knew I actually liked France and the French, the rest looked a bit weary of my strike and coffee break jokes. Never stopped me though.


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## Bigtwin (16 Jul 2009)

I don't think anyone's ever accused Cav of being the greatest _brain_ in cycling ever. I think there's something of the Beckham about him in the way he interviews. Sooner or later someone will spark and get some "image coaching" delivered no doubt.


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## Haitch (16 Jul 2009)

yello said:


> I hadn't heard/read of that one!




It was reported on the Dutch TdF magazine programme last night. There were also mutterings about riders not liking Cav's victory celebrations: arrogant, new-comer, lack of respect, etc., etc., yawn, etc. Some pundits thought it was good harmless fun, others thought he was setting himself up for a fall. 

Slow news day.


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## RabbitFood (16 Jul 2009)

or is it all jealousy???


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## yello (16 Jul 2009)

I don't think it's what he's said in interviews. I reckon he's getting better at those btw. I actually like his almost childish enthusiasm when interviewed at the moment! No, it's something he's said (and not doing) in the peleton it would seem.

Oh, French tele have taken a delight in interviewing Nocenti with his wife. Actually, they are truly delightful together! She speaks no French but Rinaldo translates for her. It is kind of cute. Anyway, she's taken to wearing yellow t-shirts/sleeveless tops which the camera likes to pour over.... of course, the fact she just happens to have a fair bosom (shall we say) has NOTHING to do with it!!

I'll see if I can find a picture....


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## yello (16 Jul 2009)

Alan H said:


> lack of respect



That's the kind of vibe I'm getting.


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## Scoosh (16 Jul 2009)

We're waiting ....


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## yello (16 Jul 2009)

You mean YOU'RE waiting!!

I think her name _might_ have been Laura... not sure, I wasn't paying too much attention to her name!


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## Haitch (16 Jul 2009)

yello said:


> You mean YOU'RE waiting!!




Nope, I think scoosh is speaking for quite a few of us.




_Edit: 'Your search - "Laura Nocenti " - did not match any documents.'_


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## RabbitFood (16 Jul 2009)

here we are boys

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/96th-tour-de-france-gt/stages/stage-12/photos/79273


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## bonj2 (16 Jul 2009)

They don't seem to have said what he's actually alleged to have SAID that's racist.


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## peanut (16 Jul 2009)

looks like another bimbo like that Jordan ..over painted, mouthy, inyaface bimbo. why do women shave their eyebrows and then paint some weird ones on with a pen ? looks completely ridiculous imo


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## Chuffy (16 Jul 2009)

Bigtwin said:


> I don't think anyone's ever accused Cav of being the greatest _brain_ in cycling ever. I think there's something of the Beckham about him in the way he interviews. Sooner or later someone will spark and get some "image coaching" delivered no doubt.


More Rooney than Beckham.


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## yello (16 Jul 2009)

bonj said:


> They don't seem to have said what he's actually alleged to have SAID that's racist.



The unknown comment was apparently made to, or heard by, an unnamed rider and reported anonymously.... so an all-in-all creditable story! I have no doubt there is some substance to the story. After all, we've all made remarks we would admit to being unwise.

Manola! Blimey, Laura wasn't even close! Perhaps I was subconsciously thinking Croft... for some unknown reason  That's not a very flattering picture of her to be fair. She does look made up and gobby in that one. But she and Rinaldo are kind of sweet together. I suspect him being so affable, speaking French and being generally humble makes them a camera loving couple.


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## rich p (16 Jul 2009)

yello said:


> The unknown comment was apparently made to, or heard by, an unnamed rider and reported anonymously.... so an all-in-all creditable story! I have no doubt there is some substance to the story. After all, we've all made remarks we would admit to being unwise.
> 
> Manola! Blimey, Laura wasn't even close! Perhaps I was subconsciously thinking Croft... for some unknown reason  That's not a very flattering picture of her to be fair. She does look made up and gobby in that one. But she and Rinaldo are kind of sweet together. I suspect him being so affable, speaking French and being generally humble makes them a camera loving couple.



Lara Croft not Laura, Yello!

We had a Mexican woman staying with us last year and she had had a her eyebrows removed and false ones tattoed on

On the Eurosport interview immediately after the race last night when he was told that a lot of people thought the uphill finish wouldn't suit him, he replied," Who said that, foreign people?"
Strange answer.


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## PpPete (16 Jul 2009)

yello said:


> The unknown comment was apparently made to, or heard by, an unnamed rider and reported anonymously.... so an all-in-all creditable story! I have no doubt there is some substance to the story. After all, we've all made remarks we would admit to being unwise.
> 
> .



French Eurosport say it's Roman Feillu here


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## yello (16 Jul 2009)

Tell Laura/Lara I love her!

Thanks for the link porkypete. It refers to the 'f*cking French' incident that Alan H mentioned too. I think there's a little bit of lost in translation about the remark though; they've translated it to "Putains de Français" which is, imo, undoubtedly an insult... Cavendish's remark sounds like one of frustration rather than primarily intended to insult.


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## Haitch (16 Jul 2009)

porkypete said:


> French Eurosport say it's Roman Feillu here




A sportif writes:

Je serai pas étonné qu'il lui arrive un petit accident au "f*cking Roastbeef"...


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## wafflycat (16 Jul 2009)

So he's upset the French.. don't be overly surprised if adverse 'results' start coming out in the future then.


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## mad al (16 Jul 2009)

RabbitFood said:


> or is it all jealousy???




Got it in one I'd say


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## yello (16 Jul 2009)

wafflycat said:


> So he's upset the French.. don't be overly surprised if adverse 'results' start coming out in the future then.



Oh come on! Let's have none of that nonsense! He's maybe pissed off a few French people (he has a few Brits I hasten to add) but I don't quite see Sarkozy drafting new legislation over it!

It's newspaper tittle tattle. That's all. Don't go making something out of nothing.


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## rich p (16 Jul 2009)

Can someone translate the nuance in this bit please
_
Mais il en faudrait plus pour faire perdre son sourire au Britannique_.

Is it, "It'll take more than that to wipe the smile off the Brit's face"?


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## yello (16 Jul 2009)

rich p said:


> Can someone translate the nuance in this bit please
> _
> Mais il en faudrait plus pour faire perdre son sourire au Britannique_.
> 
> Is it, "It'll take more than that to wipe the smile off the Brit's face"?



The short answer is no, I can't! It'd help to see it in context but I do think you've added a bit in your translation; 'wipe the smile of his face' carries a threat or anger that I don't really see. I read something like...

'we need to do more to stop the smiles...'

...'la Britannique' could be Cavendish or just 'the British' generally, dunno. Probably the former. As I say, context.

It could just be the equivalent of saying something like 'he is too good for us, we need to do more'!


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## dmoan (16 Jul 2009)

rich p said:


> On the Eurosport interview immediately after the race last night when he was told that a lot of people thought the uphill finish wouldn't suit him, he replied," Who said that, foreign people?"
> Strange answer.



I thought he said 'Internet Forum people', not 'foreign people' ...


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## yello (16 Jul 2009)

dmoan said:


> I thought he said 'Internet Forum people', not 'foreign people' ...



 Nice one!


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## dmoan (16 Jul 2009)

yello said:


> Nice one!



I thought it was quite apt at the time!


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## rich p (16 Jul 2009)

dmoan said:


> I thought he said 'Internet Forum people', not 'foreign people' ...



You could well be right - it did have the 'internet' word now that you remind me and I may have misheard the forum/foreign bit in his scouse/manx patois!


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## andy_wrx (16 Jul 2009)

Back to Mrs Nocentini







No, if that wasn't a good picture of her earlier, I don't think this is a flattering one either...

Don't they call hair like that a 'Croydon facelift' ?


But this is quite amusing in a touching kind of way...
http://walshworld.wordpress.com/200...iest-yellow-jersey-in-tour-de-france-history/


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## Ben M (16 Jul 2009)

The Frogs don't seem to understand that he's British, and thus saying "****ing French" is really quite mild, nothing like as bad as they deserve!


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## Brahan (16 Jul 2009)

I'm sure it was 'internet forum people'. I'm watching the tour at the moment....what a brilliant job these guys have.


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## yello (16 Jul 2009)

andy_wrx said:


> Don't they call hair like that a 'Croydon facelift' ?



At least she's not wearing a shell suit


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## PpPete (16 Jul 2009)

yello said:


> At least she's not wearing a shell suit


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## PpPete (16 Jul 2009)

Alan H said:


> A sportif writes:
> 
> Je serai pas étonné qu'il lui arrive un petit accident au "f*cking Roastbeef"...



Quel Dommage ! Romain Feillu a abandonné....


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## nigelnorris (16 Jul 2009)

Minor quibble; talking about 'the ****ing French' isn't racism, it's xenophobia.


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## rich p (16 Jul 2009)

nigelnorris said:


> Minor quibble; talking about 'the ****ing French' isn't racism, it's xenophobia.




Cav's not very clever; he thinks racism is what racers do


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## Bigtwin (16 Jul 2009)

nigelnorris said:


> Minor quibble; talking about 'the ****ing French' isn't racism, it's xenophobia.



It's calling a spade a spade. Which isn't racist either....


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## Chuffy (16 Jul 2009)

Bigtwin said:


> It's calling a spade a spade. Which isn't racist either....


Depends if you're saying it to the chap's face or not.


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## yello (16 Jul 2009)

No, it's not when refering to gardening implements. I think some are more inclined to call it a shovel in some regions though.


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## youngoldbloke (17 Jul 2009)

nigelnorris said:


> Minor quibble; talking about 'the ****ing French' isn't racism, it's xenophobia.



+1, but not minor at all, too often 'racist/racism' used, when xenophobia/nationalism is the case. Important point - remember many of us Brits will have Norman ancestors.


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## PpPete (17 Jul 2009)

youngoldbloke said:


> +1, but not minor at all, too often 'racist/racism' used, when xenophobia/nationalism is the case. Important point - remember many of us Brits will have Norman ancestors.



Go back far enough - and you can argue that the Normans were not French at all.


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## briank (17 Jul 2009)

porkypete said:


> Go back far enough - and you can argue that the Normans were not French at all.



Correct.
The Normans were Norsemen ie Vikings who settled there.
Makes Thor a kind of a Frog then, but he still can't jump better than Cav!


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## yello (17 Jul 2009)

I'm getting confused. Can we not just got our insults sorted?


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## Haitch (17 Jul 2009)

Them's all foreigners, that's all you need to know. Especially that Johnny Hushovd in our Mark's jersey.


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## Chuffy (17 Jul 2009)

Alan H said:


> Them's all foreigners, that's all you need to know. Especially that Johnny Hushovd in our Mark's jersey.


But 'our' Mark is a Scouser Manx man. So is he one of ours or not?
Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn...


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## peejay78 (19 Jul 2009)




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## Globalti (22 Jul 2009)

I can see Cav in 40 years, cantankerous, mouthy and opinionated, trimming the hedge at his Isle of Man bungalow and complaining loudly about bloody foreigners. It's the IOM character.


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