Andy Schleck Discussion thread.

[Taxus4a]

Riding comfortable in the bunch on stage where the pack finishes 10mins behind the winner is by no means an indication of good form, more than ever this goes for a GT GC contender.

The climb was hard, the pace was quite good, a lot of people were dropped there, and Andy was in the front with the main leaders.
after that a lot of people rejoin the bunch, was it was a good selection and Andy look in a good shape.
Of course he soft pedaling a day and for that reason is normal...

 

[Afrank]

Very good signs from Andy today. He didn't attack but was hanging in there the whole climb. Which is much better than he has been at any other time this year. He's showing some good form heading into the Tour. Still not sure he can do anything in GC, but he can definitely at least take a stage.

Edit: 15th today, good result IMO.

 

[Gugashwill]

Very good signs from Andy today. He didn't attack but was hanging in there the whole climb. Which is much better than he has been at any other time this year. He's showing some good form heading into the Tour. Still not sure he can do anything in GC, but he can definitely at least take a stage.

Edit: 15th today, good result IMO.

Good to see him not loosing time on the descent.
His climbing might have been better, in my opinion. At least as good/bad as Kreuziger's.
So, tomorrow should be Cancellara's turn at the front for the Leopard. Hard to imagine him thundering up a 9% slope on Sunday.
The Sunday should decide the best men overall.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I think Sky is now massively afraid. Schleck outclimbing Reichenbach bij 9 seconds. Damn.

 

[jens_attacks]

andy is here at 40% compared to le tour. top contender for july i hope !

 

[Miburo]

andy is here at 40% compared to le tour. top contender for july i hope !

Exacly, i still remember that he got dropped hard 2 years ago in tds in a mountain stage. It's prob 30%, Froome better get afraid.

Once rivals, now allies

 

[airstream]

Exacly, i still remember that he got dropped hard 2 years ago in tds in a mountain stage. It's prob 30%, Froome better get afraid.

Once rivals, now allies

No prob with Andy victory in Paris, buddy

 

[Taxus4a]

Andy was OK, 22 seconds in the top is not so much, after, he was alone...but anyway he was in the bus a day thinking in today, and he is behind the leaders...

He has time to improve, we will see...he know were he is with important people in the Tour as Mollema, TVG, Rui Costa or Pinot , thats the good point for him

Looking to the posts I have to say:

He lost almost a minute in a 7 kms descent, yes, he lost a big time, but he was alone and it is not a descent to be alone...descent it is not a big problem anyway for him again..

He did not attack, yes, but he attacked to get the first riders after Mollema attacak, and later was like working for Kreuziger and others...he was in the front of his groups always, but getting back after...he was 15th today, but with a more inteligent ride he could have been in the group of the leader.

Anyway he was just testing, and the stage was impossible.
So it is ok.

 

[roundabout]

He was at 48 seconds at the top. 30 more at the bottom.

I think he did go all out.

 

[webvan]

Best result for Andy since...2011 TDF? It's been a long two friggin' years...but I guess they're behind him now.

 

[Afrank]

The thing that makes his performance today especially good IMO, is that he showed a level of climbing and riding that is better than we have seen in the last 2 years. Being able to climb with the lead group is massively better than getting dropped on the slightest little hill at the start of the year.

He showed he is without a doubt progressing and moving forward today.

 

[Miburo]

The thing that makes his performance today especially good IMO, is that he showed a level of climbing and riding that is better than we have seen in the last 2 years. Being able to climb with the lead group is massively better than getting dropped on the slightest little hill at the start of the year.

He showed he is without a doubt progressing and moving forward today.

his climbing is better than 2 years ago in tds

 

[Afrank]

his climbing is better than 2 years ago in tds

Quiet before the storm then; and now a slightly louder quiet before a slightly louder storm...

 

[JimPanzen]

The more serious contenders for the Tour the better...still rooting for Bertie though But somehow I don't share all your optimism. I know Andy always went from nothing to something within the last 2 weeks prior to the Tour, but I don't expect it this time. Maybe he will suprise me.

 

[Gugashwill]

What do you all think we'll see from Andy on Sunday?
I think, if he's in the right mood, he can do very good.

 

[Taxus4a]

his climbing is better than 2 years ago in tds

That is not true:

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=20564

He was very strong in the last climb, better than today.

(Rojas climb with Contador a week later in spanish Championship)

1 Tour de Suisse, Mountains classification

19 Tour de Suisse

And he lost time the first small climb in the Tour.

There is a difference, but we could be optimistic with him anyway...

 

[Miburo]

That is not true:

http://www.cqranking.com/men/asp/gen/race.asp?raceid=20564

He was very strong in the last climb, better than today.

(Rojas climb with Contador a week later in spanish Championship)

1 Tour de Suisse, Mountains classification

19 Tour de Suisse

And he lost time the first small climb in the Tour.

There is a difference, but we could be optimistic with him anyway...

IIRC that was in a breakaway, no? I don't think other GC riders did something then besides he wasn't even catching up to De Gendt really who was in a breakaway, not really that impressive.

 

[Taxus4a]

IIRC that was in a breakaway, no? I don't think other GC riders did something then besides he wasn't even catching up to De Gendt really who was in a breakaway, not really that impressive.

It was in a breakaway that got the stage.
He was the strongest in the breakaway, always pulling. He take 30 second to De gendt in a medium climb, who had a very good day, and we saw in Stelvio how are his good days.
He was stronger that TdS, you have to see his final place in GC, top 20.

 

[phanatic]

It was in a breakaway that got the stage.
He was the strongest in the breakaway, always pulling. He take 30 second to De gendt in a medium climb, who had a very good day, and we saw in Stelvio how are his good days.
He was stronger that TdS, you have to see his final place in GC, top 20.

I agree with this. Also, wasn't that the stage where Andy joined an early break that was caught and subsequently bridged to the successful break on his own?

 

[Glocknerkoenig]

I get the feeling Andy might lose a lot of time early on in the tour (not on purpose) then go for stages.

I'd be happy with that. I think his legs are coming good, but to be consistent over 3 weeks is a whole different ball game.

 

[Taxus4a]

I agree with this. Also, wasn't that the stage where Andy joined an early break that was caught and subsequently bridged to the successful break on his own?

I think so...

Today was the expected for him, he always has a peak in April, and later stop and rebuilt for the Tour (this year stopped less), with some good moments in TDS. He used to have a bad day traying to be in the front, he had it in California and he has here in Crans montana, but not so bad... and today he was one of the top ten climbers.
But is a day, it was better what Dombrowski did. Andy did the same as Dombroski last time he did this Albula pass, with a solo attack that Gesink overpass him.

That time I remenber all the people said: Andy is a lazy, he had to win here easily.. he has big talendt he just mind the TDF, and It is curious now, the same people probably that didnt understand his bad start of the season for an illness, now see him very well, in the hope he could help Contador or someone to beat Froome.

I like Andy, I like Froome, I hope the best for Andy , and he could do it very well in the Tour, we dont Know, it is a new situation for him two years without a GT, but reallity is that he is not as well as other years in TDS, he is close (and some people maybe is surprised about) and he did the expecting for a man recovering that was in the front in Liege, IMO.

I am confident with him, but this Tour is a big challenge for him.

 

[webbie146]

Schleck: “I am feeling good. It’s coming slowly. I don’t miss too much in being able to go with the best on the climbs so it’s a good sign. We were present in every breakaway today with the goal in mind of winning the stage. The second goal was for me to go really deep in order to test where I am. It was a long stage with the climbing at the end, so it was a good day to do that. Initially I could go quite easily without suffering too much, but in the last kilometer where it flattened out I lost some time there. But the rest of climb I felt really good. It was a good test and I’m happy with the results. My training is done now and the remaining days are just staying safe on the bike. Days like today give me a boost for my confidence too. It’s a good place to be.”

Hmm could he actually podium in the tdf?

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

His ascent was actually faster than 3 years ago. Schleck then went on the attack initially but faded badly. He own time then was 20s slower

 

[webbie146]

His ascent was actually faster than 3 years ago. Schleck then went on the attack initially but faded badly. He own time then was 20s slower

So if I understand correctly he actually climbed 20 seconds faster then in 2010?

 

[jens_attacks]

His ascent was actually faster than 3 years ago. Schleck then went on the attack initially but faded badly. He own time then was 20s slower

of course always remember that are other factors too, i think this year was raced extremely fast the stage, at 40 km/h . headwind too. but when gesink won, i remember that the headwind was stronger

overall though andy is back

and he will have a nice little present for fuglsang in le tour, drop him on every ascent