Schleck Bros. appreciation thread

[BroDeal]

It just astounds me how much one's distain for LA can affect one's perspective of how entertaining a Tour can be.

It just astounds me how much one's love for The Lance can prevent one from objectively judging how boring a Tour can be.

 

[benpounder]

More impressive than that is they way they move back and forth between gaps. It is a really strange and beautiful tactic to watch as they break down the lead packs with their accelerations and decelerations.

scribe, that is exactly what LA and USPostal/Disco did. My question is why is it more exciting when another super-strong team such as CSC/Saxo does it?

Rhetoriical, the answer is hyprocisy.

Every examination I do leads to only one varible, and that is Lance Armstrong, or Andy Schleck, or Alberto Contador - the exceptional rider with whom we have affinity; or love to hate.

It is great if your guy smokes everyone else, but when your hated 'adversary' smokes your arse,... well then big suitcases must be to blame.

 

[benpounder]

It just astounds me how much one's love for The Lance can prevent one from objectively judging how boring a Tour can be.

Yeah, it was my love for "The Lance" that had me cheering on Thor all morning.

So do you have some standard of uniformity ot thought, BroDeal?

 

[scribe]

Oh man. I don't really remember Postal that way. Postal would get up front and punish with a torrid pace. Accelerations would come in singular blasts only. The Shreks move back and forth. Dropping gaps, and re-entering gaps ahead with what seems to be little effort. I haven't seen this tactic used nearly as well by others for good reason! Because if you drop to a gap behind you, the lead group would normally steam away.

 

[BroDeal]

So do you have some standard of uniformity ot thought, BroDeal?

Do you, Benpounder?

 

[benpounder]

Oh man. I don't really remember Postal that way

The difference is that USPostal/Disco had lads that could go. And that they were never faced with the Schleck Bros. Riis has done a masterful task confounding Bruyneel's team, and playing upon Contador's egotistical insecurities. Contador is the best cyclist in decades, yet his "ghosts" impact his future.

 

[hillytn]

hats off to Andy and Frank, both for the stage win and for how they accomplished it.

 

[BroDeal]

The difference is that USPostal/Disco had lads that could go. And that they were never faced with the Schleck Bros. Riis has done a masterful task confounding Bruyneel's team, and playing upon Contador's egotistical insecurities. Contador is the best cyclist in decades, yet his "ghosts" impact his future.

Poor guy. He has only won every grand tour he has entered in the last two years. If only he could get over his insecurities and conquer his ghosts. Maybe then he could have won GTs he did not enter.

 

[benpounder]

Do you, Benpounder?

Absolutely, care to venture into a cavern you dont know?

 

[BroDeal]

Absolutely, care to venture into a cavern you dont know?

Are there groos there?

 

[richwagmn]

Oh man. I don't really remember Postal that way. Postal would get up front and punish with a torrid pace. Accelerations would come in singular blasts only. The Shreks move back and forth. Dropping gaps, and re-entering gaps ahead with what seems to be little effort. I haven't seen this tactic used nearly as well by others for good reason! Because if you drop to a gap behind you, the lead group would normally steam away.

That's my memory of disco/postal too.

Schleck attacks were quite nice to watch. Almost a ballet.

 

[BroDeal]

Should the Schlecks target the Giro next year? Or the Vuelta? Contador looks unbeatable at the Tour. Since the Giro and the Vuelta usually have less time trialing and climbs that are more suited for climbing specialists, why not go for one of those races?

Look at Evans' results. He has zero GT wins while Menchov, a lesser rider, has two and a half.

 

[LukaszSzopa]

Strange Schlecs´ Tactics

Can someone explain me yesterday´s tactics of Saxo-Bank & Schleck-brothers on the last two climbs? Andy is/was much closer in time difference to Contador then Fränk, and still it was Andy who led most of the time (at the last climb ONLY Andy led!!) the 4-group (AC, klöden, Schleck, Schleck). Why not let Fränk lead as hard as possible, with Andy waiting and recovering behind Contador, and then attacking when Fränk would be out of power? It looked like Andy was making work for Fränk!... Could it be, that Riis thinks 1st place is impossible, and decided: "Lets have 2 & 3 place in GC instead od a chance to be 1st"??

 

[CamKars]

Obviously Team Saxo Bank and the Schleck brothers are getting massive media coverage here in Denmark so we know a great deal about what's going on with the team.

Riis is not happy about the route this year. It's too soft with too few stages finishing on mountains. Though TSB has not given up the hope winning the race, the main objective is to get AS on the podium. AC is a class of his own, but he should be given a run for his money. If AC makes any mistakes, the Schleck brothers will attempt to exploit them (they did just that yesterday). AS is clearly the stronger rider, but the presence of his brother FS makes him even stronger. The mental factor should not be underestimated; in their private life, the Schleck brothers are almost like twins.

AS should do fairly well in today's TT. In the past year, he has worked very hard improving himself in time trials, under the supervision of Bobby Julich. FS, on the other hand, will probably lose a lot of minutes.

AS will most likely be a minute or two outside the podium after today's TT, but what is lost today will be re-gained on the Ventoux stage.

 

[Vanderaerden's perm]

Yeah, but Frank does drugs...

Just trying to interupt this love fest, and inject the same cynicism that pervades most other conversations. IF Contador is a doper, then how did both Schleck brothers keep up?

Ancillary questions abound.

Surely the question should be...if Rasmussen was a doper how did Contador keep up with him in the 2007 Tour? Talent or CERA...you decide!

 

[Wergeland]

Three guys have made this tour interesting: Andy, Fränk and Thor. Without them the tour would have been a total borefest.

Saxo's tactics yesterday was just to ride hard on the last 3 climbs and Riis had told Fränk and Andy to stay together. Being up front with a teammate is one thing, being their with your brother and best friend? That's definitely gonna give you a mental advantage.

Andy was always considered the more talented of the two brothers, hence Saxo/Riis has shaped him to be a GT-podium contender while their intention for Fränk was always a super domestique for the mountains.

Andy is not a great TTer, but he has improved a lot over the last two-three years. Remember Carlos, last year. He rode a very decent TT when he won the tour. Andy has gotten the same preperation. He'll lose time, but not that much.

 

[Spanky]

Hats off to the Schleck brothers. They seem genuinely nice guys on top of being great riders. Joy to watch both of them yesterday and I thought they inflicted the first noticable pain onto the face of Contador. Would be great if Frank could hold onto a podium spot but I don't think he will.

 

[uphillstruggle]

Yeah they do come across as nice guy in their interviews. Concerning the gift that Contador gave the Schlecks: he obviously arranged or told frank they could have it but I honestly think the schlecks would have done him on the line anyway andy goes and if AC follows frank jumps him at the line or something like that. He basically let them choose which one it would be while making himself look good as well.

I would just like to add that this is not an attack on Contador because I do think he is a great rider and really don't see the immense arrogance in him that others around here do. I just think the Schlecks could take him at the sprint.

 

[TRDean]

Great ride by Andy and Frank!! I like that they say they are going to do it and then they give it a go...makes it interesting!! I think Jens was screaming in their heads yesterday too!!!

 

[Oldscotspro]

Tactics - do the Schlecks know how to spell tactics?

Picture the scene - Contador manages to isolate himself (Very Clever...!) by blowing off Klody on the Colombiere, so the Smart Bro's ride tempo on him, and give him an armchair ride to the finish......whatever happened to working the guy over? Especially as he was looking quite ragged at one point.....Now he can stick 2 mins plus into them today!

 

[uphillstruggle]

Picture the scene - Contador manages to isolate himself (Very Clever...!) by blowing off Klody on the Colombiere, so the Smart Bro's ride tempo on him, and give him an armchair ride to the finish......whatever happened to working the guy over? Especially as he was looking quite ragged at one point.....Now he can stick 2 mins plus into them today!

I got the impression they where quite near the edge too. When Contador attacked (wisely or not) they looked sluggish getting back on his wheel.

 

[benpounder]

Contador to Saxo...

Given all the conspiracy talk, with yesterday's performance, and todays results, I am sure Alberto will be going to SaxoBank.

 

[Escarabajo]

Can someone explain me yesterday´s tactics of Saxo-Bank & Schleck-brothers on the last two climbs? Andy is/was much closer in time difference to Contador then Fränk, and still it was Andy who led most of the time (at the last climb ONLY Andy led!!) the 4-group (AC, klöden, Schleck, Schleck). Why not let Fränk lead as hard as possible, with Andy waiting and recovering behind Contador, and then attacking when Fränk would be out of power? It looked like Andy was making work for Fränk!... Could it be, that Riis thinks 1st place is impossible, and decided: "Lets have 2 & 3 place in GC instead od a chance to be 1st"??

Your point of view is a good one. The only problem was that Frank Schleck did not look to have the same strength like his brother. So he preferred to follow wheels most of the time too. Since they are brothers and there are no rivalries between them, the stage was conceded to Frank.

Hats off to the Schleck brothers. Nice stage.

Disco/US Postal and Lance Armstrong = Boring Tours.

 

[benpounder]

Disco/US Postal and Lance Armstrong = Boring Tours.

I so look forward to Saxo Bank with Frank, Fabian, Jens and not brothers Sorensen leading out Andy for the next 10 years.

Man that will really be exciting...

/snark

 

[Boeing]

buttpounder uses more personal pronouns than Lance and Tiger Woods combined