Lidl-Trek (no longer Radioshack-Leopard Trek)

[thehog]

It's gotta be difficult for JB, going from the most dedicated and prolific TdF champion, to AC, then to these 2 little primaddona's.

Part of Johan's problem is 2009. Everyone saw what happened and the way he treated Contador. They also saw that Bruyneel doesn't actually have any control over his riders. Never did. If he hung on to Alberto he'd probably have 28 GT world championship DS belts by now. I think JB gets too much praise. He's not that good. Just good at logistics. That's about it.

Riis must be p1ssing himself right now with laughter. His boy got banned but it has to be better than this soap opera.

 

[veganrob]

Really bad, shortsighted decision by Frank. He had a chance to suck it up, do the best race he possibly could and gain respect in racing. Now, nobody will have the two of those dipsh!ts on the same team. Fools.

 

[thehog]

They are blood and family and all that. That is grand but they are grown men who should be independent of each other in a sporting way.

They are both riders who have to do things for themselves every once in a while as well. Andy was'nt here to race so Frank should grow up and get over it and go out and ride and respect the race. Andy can't be there for him all the time either. Frank disrespects the Giro and Andy has disrespected the Vuelta in the past. The way Frank is going around it is like how dare you tell me to ride the Giro. It is like he thinks he is above the race.

I was willing to spare them some flak early on in the season but I have had enough of it now as well. If I did'nt know any better I would think the 2 of them have been injured all season. They have had little or no effect on the racing all season. It is this type of mentality that they have which I despise in this sport.

And Bruyneel is right to split up this cosy Andersen-Schleck axis.

There's only one person the Shlecks listen to and that's their father. If your going to broker a deal you have to do it with Dad. Then Andersen, then the Shlecks. If Riis couldn't get through their thick skulls then Bruyneel had no chance coming in and changing the landscape. Riis worked hard with Johnny Shleck. He got Andy 2nd at the Giro, he won LBL. Frank won Amstel and d'Hurz and the Cancunator just smashed everything. The minute those three along with O'Grady hatched the plan to leave its all been downhill - admittedly downhill slowly as that's the way they decend.

I'm not sure where they go from here.... Riis won't have them back.

 

[JA.Tri]

JB as always demonstrates a total lack of man management skills. Yes he can (appears?) manage logistics but that skill pales into insignificance when compared with appropriately dealing with people.

As discussed previously he did an egregiously bad job of managing AlbertoC/LanceA interaction, just as he has failed (double face palm) managing the Leopard staff situation. From appearances he was unable/unwilling to constructively communicate with Frank on the Giro participation. Further his dealing with the AndyS/FrankS/Andersen paradigm has been pear shaped (it never was spherical)...a right royal SNAFU.

Actually SNAFU appropriately covers JB position...esp the SN.

Aside: I thought JB had responsibilities (legal wise) in USA...how did he manage to leave?

 

[ultimobici]

Makes this s**** letter all the funnier now.
http://handlebarmustache.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/cycling-wiki-leaks-radio-shack-nissan.html
I particularly like point 1.

Dear Frank and Andy,

I am very pleased that you will both be riding on my new team. I wanted to address a few things right away so we get off on the right foot. The goal of this team is to WIN races, we view 2nd and 3rd place as the 1st and 2nd losers. Here are a few new team rules that will go into place at the end of the 2011 season.

1. Ride together all you want in the off season, because next year you will NEVER be in the same race. I will not have either one of you looking around for the other one. Frank you should study up on Italy and Spain. Andy focus on France! During Grand tours, you are not allowed to call, Skype, or send pictures to each other.

2. We will be repossessing all but one of your bikes for the first 3 months of the off season. The only one we are leaving you is a Time Trial bike. You might remember that bike is the one with the funny looking bars that makes the "swoosh swoosh" noise when you ride it. LEARN to ride it and get faster on it! You look like two monkeys humping a futball when you ride a TT. We will fix this!

3. Andy this one is directed at you: We will have a bonfire at our training camp; bring every picture/note/piece of Best Friend stuff you have from your relationship with Alberto. To be honest, he thinks you're a fool and he makes fun of you every chance he gets. He actually referred to you as "mi perra" over race radio. (Google it - it's not kind.)

4. If you are going to do your "traditional" off season dolphin swims, make sure there is no one there to take pictures. Swimming with a porpous is completely emaskulating. Grow 2 pairs and swim with sharks if you need to get closer to nature. Don't say a word about Boonen swimming with the dolphins; he pulls more girls than most rock stars and wins cobbled classic races.

5. Scarves...lose them, ALL of them!

6. Andy this is another one for you - if you win a stage you are never allowed to "post up." It looks as though you are having a seizure and we can't use the pictures for any PR purposes.

7. We will have an in-depth class for both of you about social media and the topic of WINNING! I never want to see another Tweet like "We are ____ (fill in with words like happy, satisfied, content) to get 2nd and 3rd at ____ (fill in race/stage Amstel, the TDF, etc.)

8. Only one of you can ride in the Luxembourg championship races. You can decide between the two of you, but trying to figure out which one of you has those jerseys gives me a headache. Plus, there are only like 5 riders from your country so it doesn't matter much anyway; it's not like you're Belgian!

9. Yes, you will be riding SRAM again. Get over it; our mechanics know WTF they are doing and you will be fine.

10.Please try to pay attention when training. No music, texting, or no handed riding. I don't want to see pictures of your skinny bodies all bloody and damaged. You two look like you escaped from a prison camp half the off season.

PS: Find out when and where Johhny Hoogerland trains and ride with him!


Kindest regards,
JB

 

[Don Johnson]

Why do the posters here want the Schleck Bros. to be the Triplets of Belleville?
Seriously, I brought the DVD to my Uncles' home, he is 77, and an artist, and he commented, 'This is a documentary on a group of cyclists who were kidnapped, to give their blood to dope other cyclists', I thought about it saw the animated film, never heard about the kidnapping, and realized, my God, he knows what he is talking about. My Uncle is an artist, has seen a lot, and I was shocked at his insight on the film and yet, ironically, I see a whole group on this forum, agreeing with the premise of the Triplets of Belleville....

 

[movingtarget]

There's only one person the Shlecks listen to and that's their father. If your going to broker a deal you have to do it with Dad. Then Andersen, then the Shlecks. If Riis couldn't get through their thick skulls then Bruyneel had no chance coming in and changing the landscape. Riis worked hard with Johnny Shleck. He got Andy 2nd at the Giro, he won LBL. Frank won Amstel and d'Hurz and the Cancunator just smashed everything. The minute those three along with O'Grady hatched the plan to leave its all been downhill - admittedly downhill slowly as that's the way they decend.

I'm not sure where they go from here.... Riis won't have them back.

BMX .....if they can handle the jumps.

 

[Christian]

Bruyneel: "Gave up, left the team high and dry"

Do you think the injury was a pretense to abandon early?

I think that the injury was not sufficient to give up. I am very disappointed that he gave up. Most of all I am disappointed that he gave up on himself and left the team high and dry. He did not insist too much to continue the Giro"

It is no secret that he did not want to race it in the first place ....

I hope that is not the reason why he abandoned. That wouldn't be good at all.

Already mid-week there was a rumour that he would give up on Sunday or at least not start again after the rest day ...

I also heard this rumour. And I asked him today (Sunday) whether this was true. He negated it and said it wasn't true.

Frank Schleck had a rather good beginning to the Giro. What happened then?

He had all possibilities to make a good race. For a time, this was the case. After the TTT his morale was high, then after the crash he lost mental strength. But riders are not machines.

What is his further program?

After his abandon, we must adjust the program. He will now do the Tour of Luxembourg and the Tour of Switzerland.

And the Tour de France?

It is a long way to go until then. At this point no one in our team has achieved what we expected. Only Fabian Cancellara, before he crashed. All the others did nothing. Right now, not a single rider is set to do the Tour."

Not one?

Not one!

There seems to be a need to do some talking, internally ...

Yes, we must get together and talk. I have several things to say, internally. I am very dissatisfied. What day is today? 20th of May. And what is our balance of accounts? Zero. It is zero. And that has to change. It is our responsibilty that it changes.

But the whole team has disappointed so far.

In order for a team to function and to get results, the most important thing is that the leaders, the captains ride well. They have to act like leaders, and we have not seen that this season. Maybe with the exception of Chris Horner at Tirreno Adriatico.

Do you understand that the general dissatisfaction is growing?

Of course I understand the people that are dissatisfied. I am not proud either of what we have shown so far.

Did you expect your task at Radioshack-Nissan to be so difficult?

No, I did not expect that. But sometimes things can turn around quickly. A few nice wins, and everything looks differently. Take the Tour of California team, for instance. They tried everything yesterday, absolutely everything, and even though they did not win, they can be proud of themselves. In the future, I want to see that every rider can be proud of himself. That has not been the case very often this season, it's as simple as that. Only the classics-team, which was supposed to help Fabian Cancellara, could do it.

What else do you miss?

We are missing the killer instinct.

We saw it this week at Flèche du Sud. A word to Bob Jungels?

That team has the enthusiasm. They have the will to fight.

(...)

http://www.tageblatt.lu/sport/story/-Aufgegeben--das-Team-im-Stich-gelassen--28924277

 

[HL2037]

No, I did not expect that. But sometimes things can turn around quickly. A few nice wins, and everything looks differently. Take the Tour of California team, for instance. They tried everything yesterday, absolutely everything, and even though they did not win, they can be proud of themselves. In the future, I want to see that every rider can be proud of himself. That has not been the case very often this season, it's as simple as that. Only the classics-team, which was supposed to help Fabian Cancellara, could do it.

http://www.tageblatt.lu/sport/story/-Aufgegeben--das-Team-im-Stich-gelassen--28924277

I wonder if Bruyneel never left his team "high and dry". I wonder if he can be proud of himself. Watch out for the boomerang, Johan.

 

[online-rider]

They are blood and family and all that. That is grand but they are grown men who should be independent of each other in a sporting way.

They are both riders who have to do things for themselves every once in a while as well. Andy was'nt here to race so Frank should grow up and get over it and go out and ride and respect the race. Andy can't be there for him all the time either. Frank disrespects the Giro and Andy has disrespected the Vuelta in the past. The way Frank is going around it is like how dare you tell me to ride the Giro. It is like he thinks he is above the race.

I was willing to spare them some flak early on in the season but I have had enough of it now as well. If I did'nt know any better I would think the 2 of them have been injured all season. They have had little or no effect on the racing all season. It is this type of mentality that they have which I despise in this sport.

And Bruyneel is right to split up this cosy Andersen-Schleck axis.

I think it's quite common for riders to ditch the Giro to get ready for the tour, or ditch the veulta to get ready for the worlds. Its been that way for many years now. Riders wont jeapordize themselves just to "respect" the giro. JB probably told him to throw in the towell.

 

[roundabout]

Doesn't seem that Hog has much of a plan going. He probably thinks that he has done evrything right and it's the riders who are letting him down. I am sure sitting down and talking would make all the difference.

 

[Angliru]

There's only one person the Shlecks listen to and that's their father. If your going to broker a deal you have to do it with Dad. Then Andersen, then the Shlecks. If Riis couldn't get through their thick skulls then Bruyneel had no chance coming in and changing the landscape. Riis worked hard with Johnny Shleck. He got Andy 2nd at the Giro, he won LBL. Frank won Amstel and d'Hurz and the Cancunator just smashed everything. The minute those three along with O'Grady hatched the plan to leave its all been downhill - admittedly downhill slowly as that's the way they decend.

I'm not sure where they go from here.... Riis won't have them back.

Don't forget, Andy gives Riis none of the credit for his successes. He gives it all to Andersen and anyone else who was around except Riis.

 

[webbie146]

And the Tour de France?

"This is still far away. Currently none of the team at the height of what we expected. Only Fabian Cancellara was before he fell. All others have nothing knocked over. Currently is not a single rider for the Tour de France set. "

No one?

"No!"

There seems to rule desire to talk, intern ...

"Yes, we need to sit and talk to us. I have to say some things internally. I'm very dissatisfied. What day is it today? May 20. And what is our balance? Zero. You is zero. And the needs to change. It is our responsibility to change that. "

But the whole team has been disappointed.

"In order for a team's results and enters, must first and foremost their leader, their captain, ride well. You must appear as leader, and we've seen this season yet. Except maybe Chris Horner, among others in Tirreno-Adriatico."

Understand that the general discontent is growing?

"Of course I understand the people who are dissatisfied. Also I am not proud of what we have previously shown."

lol! Maybe Andy won't ride the tdf

 

[richwagmn]

I think it's quite common for riders to ditch the Giro to get ready for the tour, or ditch the veulta to get ready for the worlds. Its been that way for many years now. Riders wont jeapordize themselves just to "respect" the giro. JB probably told him to throw in the towell.

Frank's a domestique in the TDF. Why on earth would you pull out a domestique to prepare for the TDF?

Given their lackluster season, they probably need all the training they can get.

 

[thehog]

Don't forget, Andy gives Riis none of the credit for his successes. He gives it all to Andersen and anyone else who was around except Riis.

The funniest part of all this is Contador will come back and win the Vuelta. He also be super motivated and win a bunch of other smaller races seeing his missed so much racing. Come end of year Contador will have 1 GT and several race wins and Andy/Frank will have nothing.

Next year the former Saxo-defectors will go back to Riis. I suspect Fabian will retreat and go back to Saxo. No amount of money elsewhere can compensate for race wins.

 

[thehog]

The funniest part of all this is Contador will come back and win the Vuelta. He also be super motivated and win a bunch of other smaller races seeing his missed so much racing. Come end of year Contador will have 1 GT and several race wins and Andy/Frank will have nothing.

Next year the former Saxo-defectors will go back to Riis. I suspect Fabian will retreat and go back to Saxo. No amount of money elsewhere can compensate for race wins.

I will add…

…and on this note look at the year Bruyneel had Contador in 2007 and Astana was banned from the Tour. Look at the rider he got. A guy who was called up to the Giro a week before & won it, missed the Tour, then went on to win the Vuelta. Bruyneel must kick himself for letting go of a guy like that.

Love him or hate him Alberto’s approach to that season is a million miles from the way Frank Shleck handled his Giro entry. Contador sees opportunity in the face of adversity where the Sheleck look for excuses.

 

[LaFlorecita]

The funniest part of all this is Contador will come back and win the Vuelta. He also be super motivated and win a bunch of other smaller races seeing his missed so much racing. Come end of year Contador will have 1 GT and several race wins and Andy/Frank will have nothing.

Next year the former Saxo-defectors will go back to Riis. I suspect Fabian will retreat and go back to Saxo. No amount of money elsewhere can compensate for race wins.

That doesn't include Frandy, right? Because Alberto will go back to Bjarne and I don't think Frandy would enjoy being Alberto's domestiques.

 

[thehog]

That doesn't include Frandy, right? Because Alberto will go back to Bjarne and I don't think Frandy would enjoy being Alberto's domestiques.

No doesn't include them. They've got no where to go. Fabs and Fuslang will go back. The rest will see working with a rider like Contador brings results.

 

[Forunculo]

Sorry if this was posted, any nice italian guy can told me some key parts? Thanks

 

[LaFlorecita]

Sorry if this was posted, any nice italian guy can told me some key parts? Thanks

You are not Italian?

 

[Forunculo]

You are not Italian?

No

I'm from Spain. I understand 75% of italian because is similar to spanish but sometimes there are long texts you don't understand the general idea and lost the plot.

I'm interested because seems Johan wants to fire the brothers.

 

[LaFlorecita]

No

I'm from Spain. I understand 75% of italian because is similar to spanish but sometimes there are long texts you don't understand the general idea and lost the plot

That sounds pretty familiar.

 

[Michele]

Shortly;

-the shoulder problem doesnt sounds so big as Frank Schleck is stating, especially cause, for example, the team didnt even called their specialist for physio Giuseppe Carretta who lives in Parma and could have reached the Giro's location very quickly.

-both Becca and Bruyneel are furious for him leaving, which goes against the plan of Bruyneel since last winter; Frank to Giro and Andy to the Tour.
Frank, when called last minute to ride Giro, imposed that Kim Andersen would be there and this went against Bruyneel once again.

-there were rumors from some days from Andy side that Frank would have left the Giro this past sunday (yesterda) and thats what happened.

-with all this tension between Bruyneel and the Schlecks, the newspaper say that their relationship might end at the end of this year.
Bruyneel said that they are not as professional as Contador; and Bruyneel seems to be looking to atract Contador to his team for 2013 (no, im not joking LaFlorecita).

 

[LaFlorecita]

Shortly;
Bruyneel said that they are not as professional as Contador; and Bruyneel seems to be looking to atract Contador to his team for 2013 (no, im not joking LaFlorecita).

No he cannot do that. I'll have to stalk Alberto on twitter and tell him he shouldn't do it. Bruyneel doesn't deserve him after how he treated Alberto in 2009. Alberto should go back to Riis, or to Movistar, not to stupid Bruyneel. Besides Alberto wants to have nothing to do with Lance anymore either, because Lance was also very mean to him.

 

[roundabout]

So what was it, a plan since last winter or a last minute decision for Frank to ride the Giro?