Andy Schleck Discussion thread.

[kurtinsc]

Unfortunately all you have is a paper victory. Rewatching the actual race footage must be like a nightmare for you. Hopefully ,if you can work on your film editing skills, you can create your own 2010 TdF with:

- Andy not having a terrible prologue
- Andy not slipping his chain
- Andy not having anger in his little belly
- Andy on the podium top step in yellow

Modern technology can make any fantasy a reality.

Just to be clear... you view Floyd Landis as the true winner of the Tour de France back in 2006? Pereiro's win was a fantasy, not a reality?

Because that's the only way I can see it... Alberto 2010 = Floyd 2006 and Andy 2010 = Oscar 2006. Hard to see someone going different directions on those two.

 

[icefire]

Katusha has two aging GT riders. And the only one who has performed this year is not obsessed with the Tour. Andy's agent should try to find a spot for his boy with the Russians.

 

[ElChingon]

Just to be clear... you view Floyd Landis as the true winner of the Tour de France back in 2006? Pereiro's win was a fantasy, not a reality?

Because that's the only way I can see it... Alberto 2010 = Floyd 2006 and Andy 2010 = Oscar 2006. Hard to see someone going different directions on those two.

To extrapolate further, much like Oscar 2006, Andy 2010 is without a team all of a sudden after the post dated win and headed to an unknown team (officially). Extrapolating further (missing the obvious ban-able event), he will move to yet another team the year after where he'll finally retire by the end of 2014! (after a very mediocre/winless two years)

 

[Hmmmmm]

"...highest stage race in the world."

Hmmm. Columbia gets no respect. Neither does Qinghai Lake.

Someone remind me of what Andy accomplished this year. There must be something.

And Wigans calls the fans bone-idle ****ers. Maybe he should have a talk with Little Orphan Andy.

These guys should be involved in politics instead of cycling. The crap that spews from their mouths never ceases to amaze me. I forgot about Andy Schleck a long time ago and quite frankly, I don't really miss him. Now they have to go and remind me that this person who dropped off the radar is still going to be off the radar. Pathetic!

 

[hfer07]

what a pity What a waste of talent as much as I dislike his persona-his skills as a cyclist are undeniable. I cannot believe this downturn in his career-to the point that he's becoming the mockery of Pro-Cycling- & from now on things are going to turn uglier & uglier, because his "refusal" to ride is beyond a medical condition, but rather a denial to ride for a team & management that he distrusts & wants to break apart from....
As some folks already said - we won't see Andy riding in a long time-maybe as far as 2014...

 

[Forunculo]

Since his 2nd (later 1st) at Tour 2010 where he was universally hailed because he took Contador to the limit. And seemed they were at same level then.

But since July 2010

- The famous Pub Tour around Spain with his friend O'grady despite Frank was riding for the GC.

- The bad taste of his exodus from Saxo with trash-talk to Bjarne to justify his exit despite he negated it whole 2010 season.

- The mega-project Leopard ends with two big losses against Gilbert and Cadel in the only two races he did seriously. Arguably stage 18 is his only great stage since Tour 2010.

- Then a merger with RNT with Bruyneel as head of the team. He could finally improve his TT skill and challenge the victory at the Tour.

- An even poorer first half season than he used to do and and injury has been his season 2012. His brother Frank didn't help him fighting with Johan and a positive.

- Now his season is virtually over unless he is back to Lombardia, Worlds and chinese races. Not a likely scenario.

- He has a difficult task because his team is non a team anymore and the rest of the teams have been built around other big riders leaving those with no GC riders not being the best.

 

[The Hitch]

Andy has ****ed me.off many a time with his blind egotistical comments. But im not.going to be hard on him for missing the tour and vuelta through injury and.i certainly won't go hard on him.for.refusing to.ride.for brunyeel.

 

[airstream]

Oh. Andy is my fate and anguish. How to win the Tour with that Froome... Belief is all I have..

 

[Alpechraxler]

what a pity What a waste of talent as much as I dislike his persona-his skills as a cyclist are undeniable. I cannot believe this downturn in his career-to the point that he's becoming the mockery of Pro-Cycling- & from now on things are going to turn uglier & uglier, because his "refusal" to ride is beyond a medical condition, but rather a denial to rider for a team & management that he distrusts & wants to break apart from....
As some folks already said - we won't see Andy riding in a long time-maybe as far as 2014...

Pain doesn't seem to be a medical condition ?

 

[Christian]

Pain doesn't seem to be a medical condition ?

This just again proves how ridiculous the hate towards Schleck has gotten: he cannot ride for more then 3 hours (training speed) and people slander him for "denying" to ride a week-long (?) stage race.

This season he went from illness to injury to broken sacrum yet somehow between all of this he was supposed to get great results. Other riders have missed large parts of a season due to illness and injury before.

I say we slander those. What was with Froome a few years back? Bilhar-what? Never heard of it. Not a real disease - disgrace for cycling. Hushovd pretending to have some sort of virus and packs up early - probably to get better deals on flights to Curaçao. Vino didn't ride the Vuelta after his "fall" in the Tour last year - yet he seemed well fit enough to give a thumbs up from the hospital, so that should tell you something.

Let's start a "discussion thread" (to remain politically correct) about them!

 

[Michele]

Since his 2nd (later 1st) at Tour 2010 where he was universally hailed because he took Contador to the limit. And seemed they were at same level then.

But since July 2010

- The famous Pub Tour around Spain with his friend O'grady despite Frank was riding for the GC.

...

I've heard rumors from a reliable source that this "problem" might be bigger than what it appears on media.

 

[hfer07]

Pain doesn't seem to be a medical condition ?

It does and he's entitle to take time off to get fully healed. The problem here is the PR approach to his current condition, because It was said by the media that he had come back to training & felt better-therefore he was looking forward to resume the season in the USA. IF his condition is that critical-then say it from the beginning & avoid pulling the plug at the very last minute, so speculations are avoided.

 

[T-Nielsen]

I've heard rumors from a reliable source that this "problem" might be bigger than what it appears on media.

Do elaborate on this.

 

[The Hitch]

Do elaborate on this.

he is saying some people say Andy is an alcoholic and it might be holding him back. If Michele says the source is reliable then there is probably something to it, but we dont know how much. Certainly ANdy seems to me to be a guy who can when he gets hisself focused on the tour again would be able to leave behind any such problems. Wiggins afterall also had some problems with this but when he got something to aim for would leave it behind.

 

[T-Nielsen]

he is saying some people say Andy is an alcoholic and it might be holding him back. If Michele says the source is reliable then there is probably something to it, but we dont know how much. Certainly ANdy seems to me to be a guy who can when he gets hisself focused on the tour again would be able to leave behind any such problems. Wiggins afterall also had some problems with this but when he got something to aim for would leave it behind.

Name me one thing you do not do better being a little bit ****ed.

Regarding the people who are a little upset (don't think it is the right word but for the lack of a better) I think they should cool it in this case. It is always fun (and even easier) to knock Schlecks, but the guy actually broke the junk in his trunk. You can't expect a man to be in any racing shape if he is unable to sit in the saddel and train.

 

[Christian]

he is saying some people say Andy is an alcoholic and it might be holding him back. If Michele says the source is reliable then there is probably something to it, but we dont know how much. Certainly ANdy seems to me to be a guy who can when he gets hisself focused on the tour again would be able to leave behind any such problems. Wiggins afterall also had some problems with this but when he got something to aim for would leave it behind.

I like to consider myself as rather well-informed on Schleck stories and rumours that never appear in the media. I have never heard this and don't think there is any truth to it. I might be wrong and it would be interesting to find out more about Michele's source but in any case I think it's very unlikely

 

[jens_attacks]

hopefully he will be back in 2013 healthy and ready to attack(doesn't matter that only for 23 days)

 

[Vino attacks everyone]

hopefully he will be back in 2013 healthy and ready to attack(doesn't matter that only for 23 days)

23?!?!?

you mean 6 I hope (5 mtf in the tour and LBL)

 

[The Hitch]

I like to consider myself as rather well-informed on Schleck stories and rumours that never appear in the media. I have never heard this and don't think there is any truth to it. I might be wrong and it would be interesting to find out more about Michele's source but in any case I think it's very unlikely

Im not saying the source is reliable because of anything about Andy, i never did think anything as such about Andy and in and of itself i wouldnt believe the story.

Im saying that i think the source might be reliable because Michelle is a mostly fact based poster rather than opinion based, who through what i understand to be active participation over decades in the higher levels of Italian amateur cycling, is heavily tuned into the Italian domestic scene and through that has channels to the pro one.

 

[BroDeal]

I think we have seen the apogee of the Schleck bros. By hook or crook, Andy has his TdF win, for whatever it is worth, and does not have the motivation to do anything else. Come LBL next year and it will be more than a year and three quarters since he raced at a high level.

 

[No_Balls]

Since the moment Andy arrived on the big screen i knew, simply knew, he was destined to be the new Ullrich. Talent in spades but they really dont know how to canalise it the best way. And the people around them for this task seems to be lacking. All they knew is that they had a huge talent and when depending on it too much they thought they could avoid hard training and dedication (im not saying they dont have any nor that they didnt train hard). Instead they started drinking, going at night clubs etc. because they knew they always had the talent to fall back at. But there were always equal talents out there who were more dedicated, trained harder, better while their own careers halted or even turned backwards.

Ulle can be forgiven since his palmarés are good but god should know how good it could have been had he not enjoyed a little too much of the good in life besides riding a bike. What Andys excuses are is written in the stars but he is in a very important stage of his career/life. He cant afford to gamble any more.

 

[nowhereman]

"Andy Schleck discussion thread" Just wondering... there hasn't been anything to discuss for quite some time. Did I miss something?

 

[simo1733]

Which if any team do you think could make the most out of Andy's talent.

 

[Christian]

Which if any team do you think could make the most out of Andy's talent.

LEOPARD TREK (the old version) IMO ...

 

[Climeon]

Which if any team do you think could make the most out of Andy's talent.

Sky, never going to happen though