Frank Schleck

[redsprocket]

Anybody else think Frank should be co-leader going into the tour for Saxo. I've always felt he's been underrated despite being among the last 4-5 men standing at every mountain stage and doing tons of work for his brother along the way. This year, Andy has been off and Frank seems to of quietly stepped up. And his TT performance at TDS was not terrible. Outside of Contador, I think he can limit losses in TTs to Evans, Wiggins, LL and has proven he is about even w/ the next tier guys, LA, Kloden, Sastre, Andy, etc. He has the ability to outclimb all of the above as well over 3 weeks also.

 

[Thee_chisa]

he loses too much time in TTs and isn't strong enough to gain it back in the mounts.

 

[offbyone]

I think Frank has been an essential co-leader for years. Sometimes it appears as if Andy could have raced smarter if he didn't always wait for frank.

The big question is the TT. Frank's ITT at the TdS was impressive, but it was the first time I remember him not blowing a TT. Can he repeat that at the tour? And can he repeat it with a 51km TT?

 

[ilillillli]

Anybody else think Frank should be co-leader going into the tour for Saxo. I've always felt he's been underrated despite being among the last 4-5 men standing at every mountain stage and doing tons of work for his brother along the way. This year, Andy has been off and Frank seems to of quietly stepped up. And his TT performance at TDS was not terrible. Outside of Contador, I think he can limit losses in TTs to Evans, Wiggins, LL and has proven he is about even w/ the next tier guys, LA, Kloden, Sastre, Andy, etc. He has the ability to outclimb all of the above as well over 3 weeks also.

Bjarne Riis seems to like the co-leader idea with Sastre/Basso, Hamilton/Sastre, etc... over the years. He also seems to be really conservative on attacking with his GC guys (citing Sastre's 2008 frustrations). And finally, he seems to really like finishing with a guy no higher than the second step on the podium.

I'd say likelihood of it hapening: 5/10 "good ideaness" of it happening: 2/10. You've really got to commit to a leader to have a good chance at the GC. In this year's edition, you've really got to decide by stage 7/8 and don't get an extended TT until the penultimate day... slightly too late for a co-leader to rise up.

 

[Christian]

He is definitely stronger than last year. If he can do top-5 with a screwed-up knee then being completely fit and healthy and in better form top-3 is definitely within reach.

I think officially they are co-captain even though everyone expects Andy to be the real captain. It'll show throughout the Tour who's better, who's more lucky (one of them might lose time on the pavés, ...) and that person will then be the leader.

His performance in the TdS time trial was great but I have a hard time seeing him do the same in the TdF time trial. It comes really late and is much longer and flatter ... plus he had absolutely nothing to lose in the TdS, whereas if he were 2nd going into the TdF TT with a small time-margin to the 3rd (as in 2008), I think he might be too nervous to do that well and crack

 

[Archibald]

would like to see both schlecks improve their TT abilities as it would open it up a bit more by producing two good challengers to contador. then comes the drama of which one will go for the win, although I get the feeling that it'd be more of a "after you... no, after you..." type scenario

 

[scribe]

Whoever is strongest, will prevail. Nothing wrong with a team packed full of super GC guys.

 

[ttrider]

yeah i think he should be co leader Andy really annoys me for some reason, i thinks its his armstrong like attitude and display in every other race Franks quite consistent
will surely be a wait and see who is better for saxo scenario personally i believe it will be Frank

Then again i dont think it matters who is there minders on the cobbles i just can't see such thin riders putting down a good performance to not be dropped, i mean bacstedt said its like a pro logue so theyll certainly be worse than contador in terms of power and puttinig it down

 

[The Hitch]

hopefully cancellara can get 30 mins on the paris roubaix stage and put an end to this leader of saxo bank talk.

Failing that it depends on what form andy is on. His form looks poor but they say it will be there for the tour so he probably will be the leader with Frank as backup. If andy however doesnt find his form then frank will be leader. hes only 30 so his best may still be yet to come.

 

[flicker]

Nice work by Fraank yesterday, out of the saddle going for it. I was amazed, I really did not think Fraank could TT. Nice!

 

[issoisso]

As Kim Andersen himself put it....
You have to want it bad, bad enough that you ignore the pain, Frank doesn't and that's not something you learn or acquire.

It's the main reason Riis doesn't trust him. Riis' major strength was determination. That's why he loves Basso so much: Minds alike.

 

[scribe]

hopefully cancellara can get 30 mins on the paris roubaix stage and put an end to this leader of saxo bank talk.

Failing that it depends on what form andy is on. His form looks poor but they say it will be there for the tour so he probably will be the leader with Frank as backup. If andy however doesnt find his form then frank will be leader. hes only 30 so his best may still be yet to come.

That's not a bad strategy if Canc actually had a week to recover.

 

[The Hitch]

That's not a bad strategy if Canc actually had a week to recover.

he does. They are flat stages mostly for the week after that so his team can protect him.
Unfortunately the peleton will not let him get 30 mins on that stage as they know he is dangerous.

 

[Christian]

You have to want it bad, bad enough that you ignore the pain, Frank doesn't and that's not something you learn or acquire.

You mean the guy who did half a season, won Tour de Luxembourg overall and queen stage, queen stage and came in fifth overall in Tour de France with a phucked up knee?

My favourite quote is of Rolf Alldag (I think): "Quäl dich, du Sau!" ("Torture yourself, you pig!")

 

[scribe]

he does. They are flat stages mostly for the week after that so his team can protect him.
Unfortunately the peleton will not let him get 30 mins on that stage as they know he is dangerous.

Canc gets what he wants. If he can ride that stage the way he might a classic.....there is nothing a 20 year all star peleton can do to stop him. Just the same, what's the most he could get on the group? 3 minutes? The real GC guys would take that out of him in a single mountain stage.

 

[klmorgan]

This years TdF route, with the real lack of TT kms (around 60kms total), really means that those who are quality climbers have the ability pull big time and not lose it is the are not top TT riders. Frank's TdS performance, shows that he can do this, and really means that he has a big shot at the title. He clearly has the form, and hopefully Riis will put faith in him. The only real thing that can hold him back is Andy, and hopefully both of them will ride in a way that maximises their own and the team's chances of winning.

 

[Straßenrennen]

My favourite quote is of Rolf Alldag (I think): "Quäl dich, du Sau!" ("Torture yourself, you pig!")

think it was Bolts who said that, although that is a nasty quote to translate successfully heh.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Frank's purpose

Personally I'd be happy to see Frank repeat the service he provided last week in TdS:- simply demoting LA by one place on the podium in TdF would be fine by me - but perhaps that might be too much to ask for from such a nice guy?

 

[workingclasshero]

Personally I'd be happy to see Frank repeat the service he provided last week in TdS:- simply demoting LA by one place on the podium in TdF would be fine by me - but perhaps that might be too much to ask for from such a nice guy?

if he wants that well paid job at radioshack and guaranteed status as joint team leader with his brother next year, he'll stay comfortably in the spot behind armstrong

 

[Cerberus]

Personally I'd be happy to see Frank repeat the service he provided last week in TdS:- simply demoting LA by one place on the podium in TdF would be fine by me - but perhaps that might be too much to ask for from such a nice guy?

I'm sure he'll be happy to do that, but only as a personal favour to you.

 

[Christian]

think it was Bolts who said that, although that is a nasty quote to translate successfully heh.

Yeah you're right it was Bölts, and it doesn't really translate well, that's true

 

[JPM London]

Anybody else think Frank should be co-leader going into the tour for Saxo. I've always felt he's been underrated despite being among the last 4-5 men standing at every mountain stage and doing tons of work for his brother along the way. This year, Andy has been off and Frank seems to of quietly stepped up. And his TT performance at TDS was not terrible. Outside of Contador, I think he can limit losses in TTs to Evans, Wiggins, LL and has proven he is about even w/ the next tier guys, LA, Kloden, Sastre, Andy, etc. He has the ability to outclimb all of the above as well over 3 weeks also.

He is and I don't think it's ever been planned to be different... As someone else mentioned Riis has always played on more than one card. His problem last year was his knee - close to quitting the tour, but hung in there for a 5th. Pretty awesome.

Apart from that I think they're both coming in with good form for the tour and will be able to contend. My bet on top of that is that there'll be a third Saxo rider in top 10, prob Fuglsang but failing that Chris-Anker Sorensen.

 

[TourOfSardinia]

I wrote:

Personally I'd be happy to see Frank repeat the service he provided last week in TdS:- simply demoting LA by one place on the podium in TdF would be fine by me - but perhaps that might be too much to ask for from such a nice guy?

to which Cerberus replied

I'm sure he'll be happy to do that, but only as a personal favour to you.

But not now though

Get Well Soon Franck Please

 

[Christian]

If you've ever wondered, this is what Fränk's collarbone looks like now:

(from his twitter)

 

[Cerberus]

Get Well Soon Franck Please

Let's hope he does, as it turn out though, since Frank is no longer able to, 38 other riders have agreed to perform the aforementioned podium demotion service for him, so that part works out fine.