A. Schleck out of the Tour

[pugdog]

First, apologies to Andy Schleck on my part. He's a tough guy to have continued riding as he did with such an injury. Hopefully, apart from being the Terror of the Vuelta, he will now see that no opportunity must be missed to race to the best of one's ability, since one can never tell what can happen.

Contador-Schleck both angry at the Fates in the Vuelta, could be interesting

 

[trevim]

I see what you did there.

Wow! I see it now too! It wasn't intentional although it may suit him. It's just an expression we use in Portugal

 

[The Hitch]

he will go for the worlds, he is very committed to them and would have ridden them even last year if not for his tooth ache..

Would like to see him in races like Montreal, quebec, Beijing, Lombardia. But he really doesnt care about them so I doubt he will make an impact.
Cant see him not racing the Vuelta but most likely he will lose time early on and become a domestique for Fuglsang, Horner or Monfort.

Whether Andy stays in the vuelta or not depends on what the ds policy to having post stage fiestas is.

Also could you explain the gap comment http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showpost.php?p=901187&postcount=89

 

[norwegian]

Bad news for the race. Maybe Frank can step up and be The Schleck.

 

[cineteq]

I am allowed to have that opinion no matter how firmly you disagree with it. Get off that closet

Indeed, you're entitled to have a biased opinion, sorry about that.
ps: I don't have a closet

 

[The Hitch]

yet Andy is particularly poor on short uphill finishes so he may be up against it.

Based on what do you say that.

Andy has won lbl podiumed it, has come 2nd on muur challenged in lombardy, Olympics

 

[JimPanzen]

This sucks. I don't like Andy but you never wish a rider an injury that prevents him from racing (although Andy seemed to have that kind of injury the whole season ).

I was really looking forward to see, if he actually has the balls to go all out in the mountains and put serious time in his competitors.

 

[Kwibus]

Allthough I'm not his fan at all it's still a bloody shame he won't compete.

This could be a very very boring TdF.

 

[Froome19]

What does the Tirreno have to do with the Tour?

I say Nibali will probably not attack in the mountains, and if he will, probably fail. If he succeeds, good for him, but I don't expect it.

I am allowed to have that opinion no matter how firmly you disagree with it. Get off that closet

I was replying to apost which says that nibali doesnt attack in the mountains but only downhill so I replied he attacked on a mountain in Tirreno.

Whether Andy stays in the vuelta or not depends on what the ds policy to having post stage fiestas is.

Also could you explain the gap comment http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showpost.php?p=901187&postcount=89

Andy was partially dropped on the uphill if my memory serves me correctly but that is redundant as we are talking about Andy's mountain climbing. I was just clearing up about the reason for the time gap as it was due to the descent.
Technically though he wasnt dropped on the descent indeed

 

[veganrob]

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.

Totally agree with you. Alberto loves to race and wants the competition.

 

[Froome19]

Based on what do you say that.

Andy has won lbl podiumed it, has come 2nd on muur challenged in lombardy, Olympics

This discussion has been had many times before and I have always maintained that the reason Andy does so well in those races is due to his amazing recovery, he has the most left in his legs at those races and that is why he does so well in them.
It is something which Andy and Frank themselves have mantained.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

I'm sorry for Schleck as well. He was one of the few who could challenge the ITT guys.

I fear we might witness a boring Tour as well as quite a few riders will probably eye the opportunity to finish 4th, 6th, 9th or whatever and be satisfied with that for some reason, not realizing that this might be their best opportunity ever to win or podium because AC and AS aren't there.
Some pure climbers might decide to target the KoM competition instead of the GC, knowing they don't stand a chance because of the many ITT kilometres.

I mean, if we're relying on Gesink, Menchov and VDB to do the attacking, things aren't exactly looking entertaining.

 

[Publicus]

This is what happens when you place all of your eggs in one basket. Hopefully Andy draws the correct lesson from all of this and approaches next year differently. I don't see him riding the Vuelta. Perhaps the stage race in Colorado, but he won't want to be on the receiving end of that a$$-kicking that is awaiting anyone thinking of racing the Vuelta this year.

I wish him a speedy recovery and hopefully going forward he takes a more serious approach to his chosen profession beyond the Ardennes and Tour de France.

 

[DominicDecoco]

I've heard Andy himself mention a stage with a uphill finish as: "Aeeeeehhhh... You know... This kind of finish doesn't suit me"..

 

[iZnoGouD]

Who will replace him?

 

[Fetisoff]

I actually wonder who's the most upset forum member right now - airstream or LaFlorecita

Who will replace him?

Johan Bruynell

 

[BillytheKid]

This is what happens when you place all of your eggs in one basket. Hopefully Andy draws the correct lesson from all of this and approaches next year differently. I don't see him riding the Vuelta. Perhaps the stage race in Colorado, but he won't want to be on the receiving end of that a$$-kicking that is awaiting anyone thinking of racing the Vuelta this year.

I wish him a speedy recovery and hopefully going forward he takes a more serious approach to his chosen profession beyond the Ardennes and Tour de France.

You really think, barring significant injury, that he would blow of the whole year without a grand tour ride. He still has to earn his salary and a Vuelta ride would actually be good going into next year.

The question is the how significant is the injury. I suspect it's a hairline, because those can often go undetected for a while. If it where more, it would have been known right away. He will have to go light on training for about 4 weeks, but could have block of 6 weeks to prepare.

I guess we will just have wait to see how it pans out.

 

[irongrl]

This is not cycling anymore. It's a soap opera.

Really is starting to look like it with all the drama the last few days.

 

[Fidolix]

If hes injured hes injured, nothing to do about it.

Now I only feel real sorry for Andy that he have to meet a mad as hell Contador in the Vuelta, poor guy to end his season with such a humiliation on top of everything else. Bertie be gentle, hes just a kid...

 

[The Hitch]

This discussion has been had many times before and I have always maintained that the reason Andy does so well in those races is due to his amazing recovery, he has the most left in his legs at those races and that is why he does so well in them.
It is something which Andy and Frank themselves have mantained.

Fleche Wallone is a shade over 200k and soft pedal to the muur. Dont see how superior recovery could have possibly compensated for lack of explosive uphill kick in such a scenario.

 

[Publicus]

You really think, barring significant injury, that he would blow of the whole year without a grand tour ride. He still has to earn his salary and a Vuelta ride would actually be good going into next year.

The question is the how significant is the injury. I suspect it's a hairline, because those can often go undetected for a while. If it where more, it would have been known right away. He will have to go light on training for about 4 weeks, but could have block of 6 weeks to prepare.

I guess we will just have wait to see how it pans out.

Unless August suddenly becomes July, then yes I expect that he will basically sit out the season (i.e., show up for races, but not be motivated and get dropped on cat 4 climbs--there will be several MONTHS before the Ardennes, so he has plenty of time ).

 

[johnnycash]

+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.

+2.

Outside of cycling, no-one's ever heard of the Vuelta. Those who compare the race with the TdF have blinkers on. Andy won't be up for the Vuelta, I think its safe to say he's proven he lacks backbone for anything but the biggest of races. Quite ironic that he may have actually broken his back.

AC would smoke him anyway, would be quite amusing to see what excuses AS/JB would come up with though.

I think this is pure fear based on the humiliation he would have suffered at the hands of CE/BW in July.

 

[Publicus]

I actually wonder who's the most upset forum member right now - airstream or LaFlorecita



Johan Bruynell

I can't see La Florecita being upset by this at all. Airstream, on the other hand, just had his (cycling forum) world crash around him.

 

[Froome19]

I can't see La Florecita being upset by this at all. Airstream, on the other hand, just had his (cycling forum) world crash around him.

No for Airstream this is an opportunity for Andy to beat Contador once and for all..
LaFlorecita should be scared

 

[BillytheKid]

Unless August suddenly becomes July, then yes I expect that he will basically sit out the season (i.e., show up for races, but not be motivated and get dropped on cat 4 climbs--there will be several MONTHS before the Ardennes, so he has plenty of time ).

I have nothing left to say. We will have to wait and see. Bruyneel will want results if possible.

It will depend on the nature of the fracture, like I said, I've seen hairline fractures repair without incident and fairly quickly.

But it's all speculation. Anything beyond a hairline fractue and it would have been known right away and much more serious. He rode on several more days with it?