A. Schleck out of the Tour

[Cimber]

To be honest this is good news. His form and the Tour route means that he wouldnt win anyway. Instead he can now focus hardcore on the Vuelta and we wil get a huge showdown between Contador and Schleck. Am starting to get more excited about the Vuelta than about the Tour

 

[Froome19]

First it was his knee, now his back (I thought it was Horner's back that was bad.)

Forgive me if I doubt, and it very well may be in misguided, but the parcours of the Vuelta this year suit both Andy Schleck and Chris Horner much better.

Truth or dare, this may end up being better in the end.

Klöden is the only guy who can really be a possible GC in the TdF this year for Radio Shack Nissan Trek becasue of the long time trials.

RSNT are getting some kind of press out of it anyway.

Bushman beat me to the punch.

Personally I dont think you can lie concerning such an injury..

 

[DominicDecoco]

To be honest this is good news. His form and the Tour route means that he wouldnt win anyway. Instead he can now focus hardcore on the Vuelta and we wil get a huge showdown between Contador and Schleck. Am starting to get more excited about the Vuelta than about the Tour

The more pure climbers in the Tour the better. This is nothing but bad news. The vuelta route is 20 minutes of fun in the last kilometres on 6-7 stages. Even a battle between Andy and AB can't make up for that.

 

[BillytheKid]

It won't be an epic battle because Andy won't stand a chance. And noway that Vuelta win would be rated higher than a Tour win.

But much better to show there than to fail big time in two long ITTs.

 

[HL2037]

Perhaps we are seeing the end of the Tour as the biggest GT of the year. TdF tends to be less about cycling and more about politics and media wars and therefore not so interesting as it once was. If this could mean more exposure to the Vuelta, as it has happened to the Giro in later years, it might not be a bad thing.

 

[Froome19]

Perhaps we are seeing the end of the Tour as the biggest GT of the year. TdF tends to be less about cycling and more about politics and media wars and therefore not so interesting as it once was. If this could mean more exposure to the Vuelta, as it has happened to the Giro in later years, it might not be a bad thing.

In modern day sport:
Event with more media> Event with less media

 

[BillytheKid]

The more pure climbers in the Tour the better. This is nothing but bad news. The vuelta route is 20 minutes of fun on 6-7 stages. Even a battle between Andy and AB can't make that up.

Pure climbers don't ITT well on two long and flat courses. I disagree.

 

[Panda Claws]

The question is: Can Andy Schleck motivate himself for the Vuelta or not?

 

[vcampbell]

To be honest this is good news. His form and the Tour route means that he wouldnt win anyway. Instead he can now focus hardcore on the Vuelta and we wil get a huge showdown between Contador and Schleck. Am starting to get more excited about the Vuelta than about the Tour

I don't think that there will be a showdown. There will be max a race for the second place. I don't say this because I'm a Contador fan, but we have seen last year at the Giro what can Alberto do, when he is racing for himself. Maybe he will miss ~6 month of racing, but we always see that he trained in moutains in France, in Spain, and who knows where.

 

[markene2]

The question is: Can Andy Schleck motivate himself for the Vuelta or not?

+1. I don't think he can, just look at the previous years. This season is over for Schleck unless he can be motivated for the World Champs.

 

[HL2037]

In modern day sport:
Event with more media> Event with less media

Maybe it's time for some oldfashioned sport then.

 

[BillytheKid]

The question is: Can Andy Schleck motivate himself for the Vuelta or not?

Perhaps his true motivation is to take on Contador again. Berto must be a little nervous now. Schleck has already defeated him during last year's Tour.

 

[Froome19]

I don't think that there will be a showdown. There will be max a race for the second place. I don't say this because I'm a Contador fan, but we have seen last year at the Giro what can Alberto do, when he is racing for himself. Maybe he will miss ~6 month of racing, but we always see that he trained in moutains in France, in Spain, and who knows where.

Why do you use the example of that Giro and not the example of the 2010 Tour where the only rider who could challenge Contador was Andy...

Of course no one can challenge Contador besides for Andy (possibly Rujano) so they never stood a chance at the Giro, it was easy domination.

 

[hughmoore]

Andy's dad just confirmed it.

That his son is a pusssy.

 

[roundabout]

Maybe it's time for some oldfashioned sport then.

Oldfshioned sport at the Tour has consistently been bettter than the oldfashioned sport at the Vuelta the last few years.

 

[vcampbell]

Why do you use the example of that Giro and not the example of the 2010 Tour where the only rider who could challenge Contador was Andy...

Of course no one can challenge Contador besides for Andy (possibly Rujano) so they never stood a chance at the Giro, it was easy domination.

Why? It's very very easy. Because there wasn't any external factor what motivated him. Remember 2008, when they didn't invited him to the Tour? Last year the chance was really great that they will ban him before the Tour, so he started the Giro without thinking, he attacked where there was a moutain. The Tour was a bit different because of the crashes, and the route of the Giro.
So what do you think which race will be closer in his head to this years Vuelta, last years Giro, or Tour 2010?

 

[HL2037]

Oldfshioned sport at the Tour has consistently been bettter than the oldfashioned sport at the Vuelta the last few years.

I sometimes find it hard to see any sport at all at the Tour.

 

[BillytheKid]

Too many here are disappointed becasue they won't get to see Andy humiliated by the ITT.

Yes the Vuelta's not the TdF, but it gains more if it's a rematch between Contador and A. Schleck. This year could be different.

 

[hughmoore]

Pure climbers don't ITT well on two long and flat courses. I disagree.

Pure climbers dont do well on short ITT courses either. Or courses that have downhill sections.

What was his excuse last year, ITT was only 43km.

He had 3370 km to attack Evans and failed.


Hugh

 

[red_flanders]

My initial reaction is that I don't believe the Schlecks.

 

[BillytheKid]

Pure climbers dont do well on short ITT courses either. Or courses that have downhill sections.

What was his excuse last year, ITT was only 43km.

He had 3370 km to attack Evans and failed.



Hugh

Less time to loose in the short ones, so the gains on the climbs become more significant.
Two long ones and he's off the podium.

 

[Cimber]

Perhaps his true motivation is to take on Contador again. Berto must be a little nervous now. Schleck has already defeated him during last year's Tour.

On the contrary. I think Berto hopes Andy will show up. I think Andy might be scared of doing the Vuelta cos of Berto.

About last year the only reason Berto didnt win was fatigue from the Giro. In the Vuelta he will be hungry and motivated beyond imagination. And Andy knows that. I do hope he will take up the challenge though.

 

[Limony]

Hi, I didn't want this to be my first post, but I have to say I am dissapointed if ASchleck misses TDF. I hope he can recover fast.
I think watching TDF is much more fun with him, and he is always dangerous as far as not injured.

 

[issoisso]

The title of this topic should be "Andy Schleck out for the season".
Because after all, that's how he sees it

 

[Marcus135]

Karma took away the one thing Andy loved because he treated the other races in the calendar like s*#t . Serves him right, he just wastes season after season on this race. He should just forget it and move on.