Andy Schleck Discussion thread.

[norwegian]

If Andy podiums at le Tour, it is definitely one for the clinic.

Or, does this guy just not want to ride hard most of the year?

Such a poor wee soul he is

I think you should take this another place.

 

[El Pistolero]

Knowing the clinic, anyone finishing on the podium is one for the clinic.

You mean the first 30 of any race.

 

[thehog]

If Andy podiums at le Tour, it is definitely one for the clinic.

Or, does this guy just not want to ride hard most of the year?

Such a poor wee soul he is

Based on this interview I think he's been told not to race and hold back: http://www.sporza.be/cm/sporza/videozone/MG_sportnieuws/MG_wielrennen/1.1318353

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Yep, it's amazing what this guy achieved already, lacking the ability to suffer .....come on, that's ridiculous

timetrialing is maybe 20% about position and 80% about suffering. great example was solers timetrial in which he won vuelta burgos 2007. HORRIBLE position, yet he managed to be 5th and won the race. there are also other examples like gonchar and botero that didn';t have greta positions but had a mind to suffer beyond anything.

a great example is schleck in 2010 timetrial in which he rode amazingly. you think he had a better position all of a sudden? of course not. he was in the mode to suffer hard

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Stage 18 of last years tour?

what does that have to do with timetrialing?

 

[jens_attacks]

well it's not like ryo is saying it,bjarne said it a couple of times too

In my opinion, will power is maybe the biggest talent you can have. It’s not enough to have a big physical talent; you need will power, and he has that too. He has everything,” said Riis.

of course,he's talking about alberto.
andy i think is pretty much close to alberto in talent.
we'll see this july if really wants the tour.

 

[airstream]

the funny thing is so called experts find instant explanations for any case. even team managers could feel envious of such an unique ability. the guy is not able to suffer properly. what can be easier?

Andy did his standart prologue. sadly, his nature can not develop enough power in a short distance.

 

[Froome19]

what does that have to do with timetrialing?

That he is willing to put himself through the pain.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

That he is willing to put himself through the pain.

in a mountainstage yes. not in a timetrial. 2 completely different things

 

[Cimber]

That he is willing to put himself through the pain.

apples and oranges.

The chicken has made alot of early solo attacks which lasted to the finish, that didnt make him a good TTer.

 

[Froome19]

apples and oranges.

The chicken has made alot of early solo attacks which lasted to the finish, that didnt make him a good TTer.

Yes but the principle stands that he is capable of putting himself through the pain, something which you have to do in both circumstances, so I dont believe that is the cause for his poor Time trialling.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

apples and oranges.

The chicken has made alot of early solo attacks which lasted to the finish, that didnt make him a good TTer.

the best example is andrea tafi.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Yes but the principle stands that he is capable of putting himself through the pain, something which you have to do in both circumstances, so I dont believe that is the cause for his poor Time trialling.

 

[Caruut]

apples and oranges.

The chicken has made alot of early solo attacks which lasted to the finish, that didnt make him a good TTer.

Yes, but you have to consider that while climbing ability depends greatly on power/weight, TT ability depends on power/frontal area. Andy is going to have a much better power/frontal area than Chicken, so you can't really say either way. Essentially, we have no idea just how bad Chicken's ITT would have been without the ability to suffer.

Of Andy's rivals, he is heavier than Contador, Evans and Menchov. There must be some explanation why he can't at least TT as well as them. I think it's a combination of position and mentality, but I also think it's important to note that maintaining a good TT position isn't that comfortable, so the two are somewhat linked.

 

[rzombie1988]

Yes, but you have to consider that while climbing ability depends greatly on power/weight, TT ability depends on power/frontal area. Andy is going to have a much better power/frontal area than Chicken, so you can't really say either way. Essentially, we have no idea just how bad Chicken's ITT would have been without the ability to suffer.

Of Andy's rivals, he is heavier than Contador, Evans and Menchov. There must be some explanation why he can't at least TT as well as them. I think it's a combination of position and mentality, but I also think it's important to note that maintaining a good TT position isn't that comfortable, so the two are somewhat linked.

Rasmussen is a much better climber than Andy. Rasmussen dropped Contador twice in a week. Andy hasn't done that once in 4 tries. Rasmussen is also much more skilled at breakaways and solo attacks.

 

[Hayabusa]

I wouldn't worry about Schleck just yet, it was only a 5km prologue and he hasn't had a lot of races in his legs (though that is probably a self-imposed disadvantage), I wouldn't bet again him getting a top 5 in the tour, the parcours however is against him.

TT technique he has to work on, but his focus should be on attacking in the mountains first, he has the skills to do it but needs to work on his mentality. He showed he could do it well last year, now he needs to do it on a regular basis.

 

[Angliru]

Yes but the principle stands that he is capable of putting himself through the pain, something which you have to do in both circumstances, so I dont believe that is the cause for his poor Time trialling.

So he has the natural ability, the willingness and ability to suffer, then what do you think is holding him back? It can't just be his height because Tom Zirbel is fairly tall and is a good time trialist. I've heard that having a degree of flexibility is a plus in be able to put forth a good time trial effort especially in the longer distances. Also I heard a recent study on the radio regarding flexibility that says some are born with a natural and greater degree of flexibilty than some and that there is only so much one can do to enhance it.

 

[Froome19]

Rasmussen is a much better climber than Andy. Rasmussen dropped Contador twice in a week. Andy hasn't done that once in 4 tries. Rasmussen is also much more skilled at breakaways and solo attacks.

Andy raced a Contador who in theory was older and therefore stronger than Rasmussen's

 

[Froome19]

So he has the natural ability, the willingness and ability to suffer, then what do you think is holding him back? It can't just be his height because Tom Zirbel is fairly tall and is a good time trialist. I've heard that having a degree of flexibility is a plus in be able to put forth a good time trial effort especially in the longer distances. Also I heard a recent study on the radio regarding flexibility that says some are born with a natural and greater degree of flexibilty than some and that there is only so much one can do to enhance it.

Maybe he doesnt have the ability, like is generally seen with climbers?

 

[Zam_Olyas]

putting youreself through pain?

 

[Angliru]

Maybe he doesnt have the ability, like is generally seen with climbers?

Purito appears to have shown improvement in the discipline and he would have been seen as a fine example of your reasoning prior to this season.

 

[LaFlorecita]

*facepalm* Oh Andy...

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

*facepalm* Oh Andy...

Hardly unexpected .

 

[Forunculo]

Andy Schleck has been working on his time trialing, apparently to the detriment of his climbing.

 

[Sylvester]

Young Andy Schleck, ranked 958th in the 2012 CQ ranking with 20 points, hailing from small cycling nation Luxembourg and riding for the third tier team RadioShack-Nissan-Trek, defended himself quite well in the second stage of the big Dauphiné Libéré, featuring a lot of experienced World Tour teams fielding many of their top riders. He was dropped from the peloton on the last serious climb of the day, but eventually managed to beat over 30 other riders including Kvachuk, Kostyuk, Lindeman, Dehaes, Grabsch and young Leigh Howard, taking a glorious 138th on the stage. Not too shabby. Andy is now quietly sitting in 144th place overall and is widely expected to finish this Dauphiné after his strong performance of today, thus increasing his CQ value by 25%.