Why Cav's chain came off

Small details can lead to derailment

Dear Lennard,

Why did Cav’s chain come off?

Martin

Dear Martin,

Five meters before the finish line of yesterday’s Stage 5 in Saint-Vulbas, Mark Cavendish sat up to raise his arms and celebrate his impending 35^th Tour de France victory. In doing so, he stopped pedaling and backpedaled slightly, perhaps 5-10 degrees, with his right foot at the top of the stroke. His chain promptly dropped off his big chainring to the outside, and he coasted across the line with it hanging from the tail of his front derailleur.