Andy Schleck Discussion thread.

[thehog]

well this thread and it´s content actually makes me wanna ask this question:

Would Andy have won the tour last year if he had rode for Riis? - with or without Franky.

The question of the knee is odd. Surely Hog was aware of the knee problem before he shot his mouth off? Seems vey strange.

 

[jens_attacks]

millar is right.watch out for planche de belles filles
of course the bad news for andy will be rolland and cobo.
but it'll certainly be entertaining

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Andy Schleck ‏@andy_schleck
I m feeling better every day so I m track for TDF!I keep up good work an good motivation and for everybody I m not worried!

 

[webbie146]

millarmind I hope everybody remembers the **** @andy_schleck took a few weeks from now when he makes the TdF fun to watch. I think he'll wreak havoc.

+ 1. Andy will be ready for the tdf like always

 

[The Hitch]

millarmind I hope everybody remembers the **** @andy_schleck took a few weeks from now when he makes the TdF fun to watch. I think he'll wreak havoc.

Yeah, on your old program perhaps Millar.

i thought you hated accusations of doping against riders without proof.


I mean you were pretty vocal.about it.

 

[hrotha]

Millar completely misses the point. People who mock Andy AND know their stuff are fairly certain he'll be good as always at the Tour.

 

[El Pistolero]

i thought you hated accusations of doping against riders without proof.


I mean you were pretty vocal.about it.

That's because I think Andy will not wreak havoc at the Tour in July, so I'm not accusing Andy in any way.

 

[VeloCity]

I can only speak for myself: I don't hate Andy because I love Alberto. I hate him for several reasons, but my love for Alberto isn't one of them.

I like both Andy and Alberto pretty much equally (albeit for different reasons), just seems to me a bit unfair to single out and mock Andy for his whining when Alberto also has a history of whining and making excuses as well. And I have no problem with fans liking one over the other, it's just the complete lack of respect that so often degenerates into personal attacks on Andy that I don't get. I get that people don't like Andy, that's fine, but is it really necessary to degrade the guy?

 

[Fidolix]

The question of the knee is odd. Surely Hog was aware of the knee problem before he shot his mouth off? Seems vey strange.

If he didn´t then they surely have a problem, course Kim Andersen today says it was only a minor injury and nothing worth mention...
Even says the scanning didn´t show anything and it was probably due to overwork lool

Asked if he thought Andy would be fit for the tour, he answered: I have no idea, but I guess so if that is his words... I have nothing to do with Andys program, Im on someone elses...

My own opinion? I think Andy will be fit, but don´t believe he will reach the podium this year.

JB...he has other plans, and I wouldn´t be surprised if neither Andy or Frank are part of them for next season.

 

[thehog]

If he didn´t then they surely have a problem, course Kim Andersen today says it was only a minor injury and nothing worth mention...
Even says the scanning didn´t show anything and it was probably due to overwork lool

Asked if he thought Andy would be fit for the tour, he answered: I have no idea, but I guess so if that is his words... I have nothing to do with Andys program, Im on someone elses...

My own opinion? I think Andy will be fit, but don´t believe he will reach the podium this year.

JB...he has other plans, and I wouldn´t be surprised if neither Andy or Frank are part of them for next season.

You might be onto something here.

Perhaps Hog is going in with Klodi and Horner for the win and is demonizing Andy Contador ‘09 style?

 

[Publicus]

Oh I was just saying that the disparaging of Andy around here is unfair. Let's give him some credit here: he didn't have to attack 60 km out, and it's not his fault that no one initially chased. I'm sure that he was expecting the others to be right on his wheel, yet he went that far out anyway. And even then, when they did start to chase, he still held them off solo, and he was in a world of hurt on that final climb. It was a ballsy move and a ride worthy of the best of Contador, but for whatever reason there's a lot of people who won't give Andy the same credit.

Personally I like both Andy and Alberto and I'd love to see them go head-to-head again with both at top form - be more interesting than an Evans-Wiggins matchup for one thing. I just don't understand the need to question Andy's courage on the bike. I think he's proven that he has guts.

It is worthy of Contador because he ALWAYS races to win. You can't say that about Andy.

 

[Panda Claws]

You might be onto something here.

Perhaps Hog is going in with Klodi and Horner for the win and is demonizing Andy Contador ‘09 style?

Except that Klöden nor Horner seem to be fit either.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Knee problem??

Funny no mention before the Dauphine. He just had this to say. Interesting.

“It was a good experience since I’d never done that before,” Schleck said. “I did something between 25,000 and 30,000 metres of climbing in twelve days – around three cols a day. I was able to ride for six hours without any problem there, but we’ll see at the Dauphiné how that transfers over.”

http://www.1kmtogo.blogspot.com

 

[erader]

Except that Klöden nor Horner seem to be fit either.

nor capable.

 

[VeloCity]

It is worthy of Contador because he ALWAYS races to win. You can't say that about Andy.

Contador does not always race to win, and besides, as last year's Tour showed, trying to win everything is not a very effective strategy for winning the Tour - Alberto was toast after the Giro. And Andy's main job is to try and win the Tour - everything else is secondary.

Anyway, I can't think of a Tour winner who's ever always raced to win - Indurain, Armstrong, Ullrich? Well, Merckx maybe.

 

[airstream]

lol and you honestly believe they would have taken the chance with the big possibility of losing Andy in the top, if not Franky had been up there in the GC aswell?

Hell no, they had to do something, one of them had to try to distance Evans before the TT, and it was a bald but desperate attempt that actually succeeded for once.

No, they always believed more in Andy and played his card to the bitter end. Though, surely that attack was an extreme case.

It was the move of the decade.

I hate him for several reasons, but my love for Alberto isn't one of them.

Great reason to be proud of.

Contempt for Andy is nearly universal even among Contador haters actually.

Naturally. This is the case cos part of the forum treat all riders quite reservedly and critically. For them Andy is one more reason to compete who mocks Schleck more cynically and refinedly than others.

 

[Publicus]

Contador does not always race to win, and besides, as last year's Tour showed, trying to win everything is not a very effective strategy for winning the Tour - Alberto was toast after the Giro. And Andy's main job is to try and win the Tour - everything else is secondary.

Anyway, I can't think of a Tour winner who's ever always raced to win - Indurain, Armstrong, Ullrich? Well, Merckx maybe.

I can only think of one race that he hasn't raced to win (Dauphine) and one stage race (that suited Levi better), but I'll state it differently. Contador is always COMPETITIVE in his races. Certainly wouldn't do any of the things Andy does 90% of the year. Don't believe me, compare their palamares. And this is the principle reason I am a fan: he brings it (even when he's sandbagging--which he does a lot).

And I APPLAUD Contador for racing the Giro and finishing 5th in the Tour. With a stronger team (to keep him at the front), I think he finishes on the podium (at least briefly ). The fact that you think Andy's main job is just to win the Tour sort of gets to my point. If that's his main job, don't enter any other races but the Tour. The 2nd Greatest Stage Racer who's never won a stage race on the road. /rant

 

[LaFlorecita]

I like both Andy and Alberto pretty much equally (albeit for different reasons), just seems to me a bit unfair to single out and mock Andy for his whining when Alberto also has a history of whining and making excuses as well.

Lol Alberto mostly makes excuses before he even starts the race.

Tbh I don't really mind Alberto's whining because it happens so little. My problem with Andy is that he always seeks a way out and that everything that happens is never HIS fault.

And I have no problem with fans liking one over the other, it's just the complete lack of respect that so often degenerates into personal attacks on Andy that I don't get. I get that people don't like Andy, that's fine, but is it really necessary to degrade the guy?

This might come as a surprise to you but I actually used to like Andy back when he still rode some races for the win and he didn't whine on every possible occasion. My respect for him has slowly vanished. He can get it back but some drastic changes to his attitude have to be made.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I can only think of one race that he hasn't raced to win (Dauphine) and one stage race (that suited Levi better), but I'll state it differently. Contador is always COMPETITIVE in his races. Certainly wouldn't do any of the things Andy does 90% of the year. Don't believe me, compare their palamares. And this is the principle reason I am a fan: he brings it (even when he's sandbagging--which he does a lot).

And I APPLAUD Contador for racing the Giro and finishing 5th in the Tour. With a stronger team (to keep him at the front), I think he finishes on the podium (at least briefly ). The fact that you think Andy's main job is just to win the Tour sort of gets to my point. If that's his main job, don't enter any other races but the Tour. The 2nd Greatest Stage Racer who's never won a stage race on the road. /rant

This pretty much sums up my thoughts. Thanks Publicus I couldn't have put it better.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Contador does not always race to win, and besides, as last year's Tour showed, trying to win everything is not a very effective strategy for winning the Tour - Alberto was toast after the Giro. And Andy's main job is to try and win the Tour - everything else is secondary.

Anyway, I can't think of a Tour winner who's ever always raced to win - Indurain, Armstrong, Ullrich? Well, Merckx maybe.

Let's just say there is an immense difference between racing everything for the win and racing nothing for the win except the Tour.

 

[erader]

schleck is full of himself and doesn't have the palmares to back it up. he doesn't appear to get along with management and doesn't have the presence of a team leader. he's more worried about his brother. and he can't TT.

not my idea of a champion.

 

[LaFlorecita]

No, they always believed more in Andy and played his card to the bitter end. Though, surely that attack was an extreme case.

It was the move of the decade.

Well the decade is still long.

Great reason to be proud of.

 

[Christian]

 

[Angliru]

Contador does not always race to win, and besides, as last year's Tour showed, trying to win everything is not a very effective strategy for winning the Tour - Alberto was toast after the Giro. And Andy's main job is to try and win the Tour - everything else is secondary.

Anyway, I can't think of a Tour winner who's ever always raced to win - Indurain, Armstrong, Ullrich? Well, Merckx maybe.

Contador is almost always competitive when he races. Regarding the Giro, are you forgetting that he was at the Giro because the Tour wasn't a definite possibility? Are you foolish enough to believe that if he were actually hoping to do the Giro/Tour double that ideally he would have chosen a year with a such a ridiculously challenging Giro parcours? Amazingly Contador's "toast" was still good enough to scare his opponents by his presence alone.

Regarding Tour winner's who raced to win, does your recall only go as far as the year 2000? Does Hinault ring a bell? Of for that matter Indurain who won the Tour and the Giro twice in the same year? That isn't "racing to win" to you? What about last year's winner, Cadel Evans?

 

[airstream]

Great reason to be proud of being a hater. Very respectful reason.


But we are not forgetting because of who he had to ride the Giro.