Andy Schleck Discussion thread.

Page 239 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
Schleck rides on the same team as a previous GT podium finisher. The said GT podium finisher would be lucky to break the top 80 now.

And the idea that a rider who can still finish top-20 at the Tour is going to ride his last ever Tour at 29 is moronic. But then again the poster suggesting it is generally not very bright even on the best of days.
 
Sep 21, 2009
2,978
0
0
webvan said:
Hope he doesn't do anything "drastic" to try to live up to his past status...

Come to think of it there aren't too many riders who went from top GT dog to zero...Fignon had a few difficult years but he still managed to get some results during them.

Cobo says hello!
 
movingtarget said:
I think Fignon had knee problems or achilles.

Yes, Fignon had significant injuries and underwent surgery on his achilles in 1985. At the 1988 Tour he had a six-foot long tapeworm. Even so, during his "bad" years of 1986-1988 (I don't count 1985 because he had good results until he missed the rest of the season because of his surgery that year), Fignon had results such as:

1986: 1st Fleche, 7th overall Vuelta
1987: 3rd overall Vuelta and a stage win; 7th overall Tour and a stage win; 6th LBL; 3rd overall Paris Nice
1988: 1st MSR; 3rd Paris Roubaix; 13th Ronde

In other words, even during his years in the wilderness, Fignon had results that were incomparably better than anything Andy has shown since 2011.
 
webvan said:
Come to think of it there aren't too many riders who went from top GT dog to zero...Fignon had a few difficult years but he still managed to get some results during them.

The closest one I could think of was my American compatriot Bobby Julich. After his dramatic 3rd place finish in the TDF, he spent most of the rest of his career (when not crashing out of races) riding in the autobus more often the not. He did have a late career resurgence with Riis, winning Paris-Nice once and performing well in TTs.
 
Mar 9, 2013
572
0
0
Had the pleasure of meeting Andy once. Genuinely nice guy. Wish him all the best. What I took from the SS interview was the point Andy made about the current state of a WT cyclist dedication. If Andy has that only he will know?

If he wants to ride a good tour/comeback. To me this one is it. Real TT late in race and Hilly. Would i be shocked if he comes out flying? No
Would I be shocked if he DNF? No
Wish him well? Hell Yes!!!!
 
Mar 13, 2009
5,245
2
0
Beech Mtn said:
Andy better get busy and catch up. Maybe Lux TT championships again, if he can bribe Jungels to stay home that day :p

TT championships are going on right now, Andy and Fränk did not sign up for them, as the previous years. Jungels, Gastauer and Didier are the only PT riders, then maybe Drucker (not sure), Tom Thill, Pit Schlechter, Joel Zangerlé (Leopard Development Team)
 
shalgo said:
Yes, Fignon had significant injuries and underwent surgery on his achilles in 1985. At the 1988 Tour he had a six-foot long tapeworm. Even so, during his "bad" years of 1986-1988 (I don't count 1985 because he had good results until he missed the rest of the season because of his surgery that year), Fignon had results such as:

1986: 1st Fleche, 7th overall Vuelta
1987: 3rd overall Vuelta and a stage win; 7th overall Tour and a stage win; 6th LBL; 3rd overall Paris Nice
1988: 1st MSR; 3rd Paris Roubaix; 13th Ronde

In other words, even during his years in the wilderness, Fignon had results that were incomparably better than anything Andy has shown since 2011.

Yes, certainly no comparison to Andy.
 
Really ? Don't remember that, will have to check out his book again. He certainly would have had a different career if his tendon hadn't been struck by a pedal by accident in early 1985...and hadn't had a crash in an unlit tunnel in Italy at the 1990 Giro.
 
Aug 15, 2012
1,065
0
0
shalgo said:
Yes, Fignon had significant injuries and underwent surgery on his achilles in 1985. At the 1988 Tour he had a six-foot long tapeworm. Even so, during his "bad" years of 1986-1988 (I don't count 1985 because he had good results until he missed the rest of the season because of his surgery that year), Fignon had results such as:

1986: 1st Fleche, 7th overall Vuelta
1987: 3rd overall Vuelta and a stage win; 7th overall Tour and a stage win; 6th LBL; 3rd overall Paris Nice
1988: 1st MSR; 3rd Paris Roubaix; 13th Ronde

In other words, even during his years in the wilderness, Fignon had results that were incomparably better than anything Andy has shown since 2011.

I suppose frank could be considered a 6' tape worm since he's always up his brothers ***, so maybe the comaprison *is* apt.
 
Aug 16, 2011
10,819
2
0
Andy 3rd in Lux champs. Seriously is there any other conclusion we can take from this other then he's back and ready to unleash hell across the mountains of France?

No? there isn't? I didn't thinks so. :cool:
 
Mar 9, 2012
1,027
0
0
murali said:
is it too much to hope that Andy would do a top-25 in TdF?

Kidding?

He's clearly better than last year.
The Question is, how things will develop in France. If he stays at the front in GC after the opening week, he might get a protected role before they hit the mountains.
 
Mar 13, 2009
5,245
2
0
Afrank said:
Andy 3rd in Lux champs. Seriously is there any other conclusion we can take from this other then he's back and ready to unleash hell across the mountains of France?

No? there isn't? I didn't thinks so. :cool:

It is obviously a pretty easy race because there are only about a dozen professionals of which 3 are on his team and 4 are on Continental level. But it sounds like Andy did a pretty good race, was alone out front for around 30km, and then still finished in the first group with Fränk and Gastauer while all other professional riders finished further back
 
Aug 16, 2011
10,819
2
0
Christian said:
It is obviously a pretty easy race because there are only about a dozen professionals of which 3 are on his team and 4 are on Continental level. But it sounds like Andy did a pretty good race, was alone out front for around 30km, and then still finished in the first group with Fränk and Gastauer while all other professional riders finished further back

Did him, Frank, and Gastauer brake away from the others, or did they just end up being the last ones left after the other Trek rider pulled off?

edit: nvm above, answered in the championships thread.

Also, did Andy set up Frank for the win at all?
 
Nov 26, 2012
3,216
0
0
so is it okay to hope for andy to do well or is it same old?:confused:

i just want to see him among the top10 in a GT before he retires.
 
Mar 13, 2009
5,245
2
0
murali said:
so is it okay to hope for andy to do well or is it same old?:confused:

i just want to see him among the top10 in a GT before he retires.

Both his Suisse performance as this race are much better than last year. So I think it is justified to hope for a strong performance in the Tour. But since his official role is being a helper for Fränk and Zubeldia, he might not improve on GC compared to last year