A. Schleck out of the Tour

[LaFlorecita]

You should say "main" goal. This is shaping up to be much better.

He can't afford to miss most of a season w/o a GT. He's a GT rider.

It could be great for the Vuelta.

He doesn't care about la Vuelta. He'll never ride it for the win.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Well, I almost meant "LaFlorecita, the forum member", and not "Fleur Something the Human Being".
And LaFlorecita, the forum member, will not have much to talk about here at the Tour De France, from the looks of it, especially if airstream completely disappears after Frank loses 10 minutes somewhere in an early stage

I will be in the Alberto thread, full of anticipation for his return.

 

[saunaking]

How much.luck can.wiggins get?

You have to be good to be lucky

 

[LaFlorecita]

You can't keep it fixed to one race. Schleck is among the few who could challenge an on-form Alberto. Hope it happens. It could be good.

Why would that be good?

 

[hrotha]

You should say "main" goal. This is shaping up to be much better.

He can't afford to miss most of a season w/o a GT. He's a GT rider.

It could be great for the Vuelta.

Nope, it was his only goal. Now he'll probably do the Vuelta if only to have one GT in his legs for 2013, but I fully expect him to say he's not fully recovered yet and can't contend the overall, and that he's there just to prepare for the WC and, maybe, if the gods are generous, Lombardy.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

they just showed where schleck was injured. Looks like he broke his behind to me

 

[roundabout]

4-6 weeks to heal, no cycling

 

[Fetisoff]

So judging by this

Willkommen zum Live Ticker von Andy Schlecks Pressekonferenz. Der Luxemburger Radprofi wird gleich erklären, warum er bei der Tour de France nicht mitfahren kann.

Die Diagnose war ein Schock, "aber ich bin ein Stehaufmännchen".

(Thanks, CHRISTIAN for the link)

It is official now?

 

[hrotha]

Why would that be good?

Because some of us watch cycling because we like good racing, not because we're obsessed with a particular rider winning at all costs. If Candy suddenly saw the light and started competing throughout the whole season, that would be awesome for all cycling fans.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Because some of us watch cycling because we like good racing, not because we're obsessed with a particular rider winning at all costs. If Candy suddenly saw the light and started competing throughout the whole season, that would be awesome for all cycling fans.

Okay thanks for explaining.

 

[saunaking]

Lots of complaining about the tour here - boring, sky train, blah blah blah.

I don't get it. Yesterday the consensus was AS had no chance, his form has been poor, he has been unlucky, his team is in disarray and there are too many ITT kms.

Now he's out and the consensus is there is going to be nobody to challenge Sky.

Which is it?

Anyway, sucks that he's out but we're less than 3 weeks away and I am excited.

edit - oh and i really hope he tries the Vuelta

 

[Fetisoff]

Frank actually performing at the Tour de Suisse makes perfect sense now

 

[Marco Pantani]

Andy just said, he wants to ride the Olympics, go for GC at Vuelta, WC nd Lombardy.

 

[roundabout]

Andy just said, he wants to ride the Olympics, go for GC at Vuelta, WC nd Lombardy.

First is impossible, second is very unlikely.

 

[saunaking]

Schleck at presser "Main goal is still the Vuelta"

 

[Marco Pantani]

First is impossible, second is very unlikely.

Olympics will be more about being there, i guess. Can't compete for a medal for sure.

 

[hrotha]

Lots of complaining about the tour here - boring, sky train, blah blah blah.

I don't get it. Yesterday the consensus was AS had no chance, his form has been poor, he has been unlucky, his team is in disarray and there are too many ITT kms.

Now he's out and the consensus is there is going to be nobody to challenge Sky.

Which is it?

Anyway, sucks that he's out but we're less than 3 weeks away and I am excited.

edit - oh and i really hope he tries the Vuelta

The consensus was that Andy couldn't win, but he would have to try, and that would spice things up a lot. He would bring in a certain factor of surprise and randomness in a Tour that Sky have otherwise calculated to the milimeter. Kinda like Contador last year when he was out of contention but still was key in eliminating Voeckler and, maybe, in tiring Candy enough for him not to be able to challenge Evans.

Andy gets on my nerves because he only attacks when he's convinced it's his only choice if he wants to win, but most of the climbers we have left don't even do that.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Andy just said, he wants to ride the Olympics, go for GC at Vuelta, WC nd Lombardy.

Olympics: Impossible to win
Vuelta: Impossible to win
WC: Impossible to win
Lombardy: Impossible to win

 

[Fetisoff]

Olympics: Impossible to win
Vuelta: Impossible to win
WC: Impossible to win
Lombardy: Impossible to win

WC, and possibly Lombardy, if the stars align, a no more "impossible" for Andy than this Tour would have been. Unlikely - sure, but not impossible

 

[Marco Pantani]

Olympics: Impossible to win
Vuelta: Impossible to win
WC: Impossible to win
Lombardy: Impossible to win

Yeah I know, Contador will win each..........apart from the Olympics, obviously

 

[LaFlorecita]

WC, and possibly Lombardy, if the stars align, a no more "impossible" for Andy than this Tour would have been. Unlikely - sure, but not impossible

Very unlikely then. Which is what I call impossible. Jesús could win Paris-Roubaix. It is very unlikely, but if everyone crashes out it's possible.

 

[roundabout]

Olympics will be more about being there, i guess. Can't compete for a medal for sure.

Only if he recovers. I don't know how many places Lux have, but I wouldn't want Andy to take one of them to pull out after 160km or something.

 

[saunaking]

Vuelta: Impossible to win

Impossible is nothing.

 

[roundabout]

Very unlikely then. Which is what I call impossible. Jesús could win Paris-Roubaix. It is very unlikely, but if everyone crashes out it's possible.

Worst analogy ever.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Yeah I know, Contador will win each.......

1) Alberto can't even ride the Olympics because he's still banned.
2) I have expressed several times that I can't see Alberto winning WC and/or Lombardia.