Does Andy need to drop Frank if he wants to win the Tour?

[Amsterhammer]

A serious question - should blood be thicker than anything else or, as a professional wanting to achieve the highest goal possible in your sport, should you consider riding in a team that doesn't include your brother?

I'm not trying to split them up, but clearly Andy has a great deal more potential to win a Tour. What might have happened on the Ventoux if he hadn't waited for Frank so often? If Andy gets a better shot in a team without his brother, should he take it?

My view is that I think AS has immense potential if he can improve his tt a bit more. I really like the boy and I'd like to see him win a Tour, so I'd like him to do whatever it takes that will give him the best chance of doing so.

Discuss.

 

[ThisFrenchGuy]

It was nice of him and while I agree Andy cannot drag Franck forever to the finish line, he didn't have much to win in the Ventoux, except maybe the stage. He was not stronger than Contador this year, and I think it is the only stage where he was really held back. The other days, Franck was useful for Andy.

In future years, if he has a lot to gain by going alone, he should do so and I think he is very much aware of that. In Verbier, he went to chase Contador alone.

He could afford his decision in Ventoux, so that was nice of him. I would rather have more fireworks, but that's as a spectator.

 

[tifosa]

Does Andy need to drop Frank if he wants to win the Tour?


Yes. It pained me to watch him constantly turn around seeking his brother. Little bird needs to leave the nest and fly.

 

[uphillstruggle]

I think that AS had figured out he could not lose AC on ventoux so decided to go back and help his brother out to get on the podium. If it had been closer between AS and AC Shleck would have gone for it a little more yesterday but as it was there was more chance of frank cracking LA.

Frank will become more of a domestique for his bro in the comming years - not a bad one if you ask me.

I really hope A. schleck win a tour he was great to watch this year.

 

[pedaling squares]

Frank will become more of a domestique for his bro in the comming years - not a bad one if you ask me.

I can see Frank playing the uber-domestique role and going for select stages when it doesn't threaten Andy's position. If they can play this one right Andy could be a real threat to the MJ for several years.

 

[klodifan]

It was nice of him and while I agree Andy cannot drag Franck forever to the finish line, he didn't have much to win in the Ventoux, except maybe the stage. He was not stronger than Contador this year, and I think it is the only stage where he was really held back. The other days, Franck was useful for Andy.

In future years, if he has a lot to gain by going alone, he should do so and I think he is very much aware of that. In Verbier, he went to chase Contador alone.

He could afford his decision in Ventoux, so that was nice of him. I would rather have more fireworks, but that's as a spectator.

I totally agree. Frank will work for Andy in the years to come if they stay together.

 

[richwagmn]

Yes.

Looking forward to Andy next year. I'm sure the guy is gonna work super hard on his time trialing.

Plus, like Contador, he wants to win races besides the TDF which is super refreshing after LA's TDF only focus.

 

[Cobber]

He does...... and if some serious mountain stages were earlier in the tour (or if he was closer to AC - maybe without a TTT) I am sure he would have had a go on Ventoux. I think he realised yesterday that Frank getting 3rd was more likely (not higher priority) than himself making up 4 mins on AC.

 

[ThisFrenchGuy]

Just to make myself clear, I was dissapointed yesterday that Andy was held back, but after giving it a bit of tought, I can understand why he did.
As I pointed out in my previous message, he also did go alone when it was called for, as in Verbier.

Franck has also been quite useful as an helper and was most of the time able to look for himself.

 

[Señor_Contador]

In my opinion... I'd say keep him.

On the Le Grand-Bornand stage they had Contador isolated. And the Spaniard looked like a lost little kid looking for his mommy.

 

[Cobber]

I'm not trying to split them up, but clearly Andy has a great deal more potential to win a Tour. What might have happened on the Ventoux if he hadn't waited for Frank so often? If Andy gets a better shot in a team without his brother, should he take it?

Sorry - misunderstood your post before. I think they should stick together on the same team. They seem to get along really well and Andy probably gets strength from that. I am also pretty sure that any team that wanted to sign Andy as a GC hope would take Frank as well.

 

[Hugh Januss]

NO! Frank is one of the top 10-15 climbers in the world, and who can you trust more than your own brother (well outside of that Cain and Abel thing I heard something about once). At any rate Frank will be a dedicated and valuable helper for Andy in the mountains for years to come. The fact that Andy spent the entire day yesterday trying to help Frank advance his placing along with the fact that Frank can't timetrial well enough to be a major tour contender himself will just cement that relationship in the future.

 

[ThisFrenchGuy]

In my opinion... I'd say keep him.

On the Le Grand-Bornand stage they had Contador isolated. And the Spaniard looked like a lost little kid looking for his mommy.

Kloden is Contador's mother?
He didn't seem lost, just surprised (and sorry) to lose his teammate.

But yeah being 2-on-1 on a rival is a good thing. Franck seems able to play the super-domestique or "lieutenant" role, which has a lot of uses for a leader.

EDIT: Misunderstood the OP question as well: drop him in another team? My previous posts are an answer: no. Andy seems to be able to know when he can help him and when he has to go alone. Franck knows his place, as well.

 

[scribe]

Phil Ligget said this on Versus. And I didn't agree with it. As a tandem, they are very formidable when both are at their best.

 

[indurain666]

A serious question - should blood be thicker than anything else or, as a professional wanting to achieve the highest goal possible in your sport, should you consider riding in a team that doesn't include your brother?

I'm not trying to split them up, but clearly Andy has a great deal more potential to win a Tour. What might have happened on the Ventoux if he hadn't waited for Frank so often? If Andy gets a better shot in a team without his brother, should he take it?

My view is that I think AS has immense potential if he can improve his tt a bit more. I really like the boy and I'd like to see him win a Tour, so I'd like him to do whatever it takes that will give him the best chance of doing so.

Discuss.

Well when AC went in Verbier he went out in hot pursuit and left Frank. In Colombiere, he couldn't and since he couldn't shake AC, why keep trying? Same in Ventoux, he was not going to shake AC, he tried. So 2nd place was secured, 1st was gone. He tried to help Frank. If AC or Wiggins would have attacked he would have gone, I am sure

 

[Escarabajo]

It was nice of him and while I agree Andy cannot drag Franck forever to the finish line, he didn't have much to win in the Ventoux, except maybe the stage. He was not stronger than Contador this year, and I think it is the only stage where he was really held back. The other days, Franck was useful for Andy.

In future years, if he has a lot to gain by going alone, he should do so and I think he is very much aware of that. In Verbier, he went to chase Contador alone.

He could afford his decision in Ventoux, so that was nice of him. I would rather have more fireworks, but that's as a spectator.

+1..................

I am sure that if Andy has a chance to drop Contador to go for the win in the tour he would take it regardless of his brother. His brother Frank is a great climber, and those are rare nowadays. So, I don't see any problem in riding together in the same team.

 

[luckyboy]

Andy needs to improve TTing before thinking about that


On a Schleck-related note, during the podium, Liggett & Sherwen were discussing whether they would be going to Radio Shack

 

[scribe]

It's difficult to imagine, but don't think it is so far-fetched. Next year could find another all-star group riding in support of a young Andy Schleck. In the back of everyone's minds, including Lance, he knows he cannot unseat Contador himself.

I can see it now. A train of the Schlecks, Levi, Kloden, and Armstrong, all not allowing Contador in their slipstream.....

 

[elapid]

On a Schleck-related note, during the podium, Liggett & Sherwen were discussing whether they would be going to Radio Shack

But at least one of them (or both?) stated that he very much doubts it and that they would most likely stay with SaxoBank.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

NO! Frank is one of the top 10-15 climbers in the world, and who can you trust more than your own brother (well outside of that Cain and Abel thing I heard something about once). At any rate Frank will be a dedicated and valuable helper for Andy in the mountains for years to come. The fact that Andy spent the entire day yesterday trying to help Frank advance his placing along with the fact that Frank can't timetrial well enough to be a major tour contender himself will just cement that relationship in the future.

+1

With Alberto being 4+ minutes ahead of Andy - and Frank so close to the podium it was a pretty unique position. If the margin from Andy was closer or Frank was outside the podium I think then Frank would have been happy to be his superdomestique.

So, to answer the original question- no, as they make an awesome package.

 

[forty four]

he could not drop ac anyway so why not help his bro for a podium spot his placing was already protected.

 

[blaxland]

They will stay together at Saxo for a few more years especially cause of the young riders coming through (Jacob Fulgsang-Good Climber)

 

[patrick767]

Why ever would he do that? He's got a truly super-domestique in Frank and waiting on Vertoux certainly didn't cost Andy a shot at the win. He was over 4 minutes down and realized he couldn't shake Contador. It got to the point where even if he finally did manage to pull away from Contador further up the mountain, it wasn't going to be nearly enough time. So yes, then he backed off and helped Frank.

 

[scribe]

I agree with much of what Ligget said. But the idea of Andy moving on from his brother (which is what he insinuated post race) isn't on my list.

 

[patrick767]

I can see it now. A train of the Schlecks, Levi, Kloden, and Armstrong, all not allowing Contador in their slipstream.....

I don't think it'll happen next year. Armstrong did well enough after several years off that it looks like he wants to keep training and come back as a team leader next year. Taking the Schlecks wouldn't work there. Though as well as LA did and despite his comment of being an "old fart", he doesn't seem to want to acknowledge the impact being nearly 38 years old must have had. Next year of course he will be almost 39 at the Tour.

When he said his performance was a little disappointing in the last time trial because of the tough mountain stage the day before, I immediately thought, yeah, that's one thing that happens as you get older. The recovery time gets longer. The much younger Contador was able to go from that brutal mountain stage to winning the time trial the next day. A younger Armstrong did similar feats.

At any rate, I expect next year LA will ride as a team leader. Then he'll probably retire again. If Radio Shack looks like a good deal at that point, I wouldn't be surprised if he continued in some advisory capacity and tried to bring more top riders to the team. The Schlecks? Who knows.