Schleck should give up yellow.

[supercameron]

all he needs to do is have a nice warm glass of concrete every morning
maybe even do all three grand tours in one year to really toughen him up

 

[cineteq]

So it took 2 years for him to figure this out...

Schleck has worked on the race against the clock last winter. "With the team we already did tests to improve the time trialing, but obviously it was not enough," he said. "I always lost the Tour on the next to last day."

Read more: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/9...tential-Tour-de-France-win.aspx#ixzz1U0S7yGyJ

 

[Franklin]

So it took 2 years for him to figure this out...

Read more: http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/9...tential-Tour-de-France-win.aspx#ixzz1U0S7yGyJ

Those who say he just needs to win more in the mountains seem not to have convinced Andy

Of course the statistics made crystal clear that the issue is the TT, but he as so many here ignored that way to long.

 

[uphillstruggle]

The supposed 2nd best stage racer in the world (should we change that to the 3rd best grand tour racer if that?)

He's not the 2nd best stage racer by a long shot. He's never even won a minor week long stage race. He is probably the second most naturally gifted rider in the peloton (well climber anyway) which amounts to his potential to be a stage race great but results speak for themselves. I hope he ends up winning a few week long stage races and a grand tour or two just so he doesn't end up as a waste of talent.

Ullrich was considered to have wasted his talent but his palmares are still pretty impressive compared to AS's at the moment.

 

[danjo007]

Dear Andy,
Imagine how many batteries you can hide in a TT frame. Maybe something to think about.
Yours truely,
Fabian.

 

[Angliru]

He's not the 2nd best stage racer by a long shot. He's never even won a minor week long stage race. He is probably the second most naturally gifted rider in the peloton (well climber anyway) which amounts to his potential to be a stage race great but results speak for themselves. I hope he ends up winning a few week long stage races and a grand tour or two just so he doesn't end up as a waste of talent.

Ullrich was considered to have wasted his talent but his palmares are still pretty impressive compared to AS's at the moment.

I have a problem rooting for someone that doesn't hesitate to speak critically of his opponents without resolving his own issues:

-"Contador should've used his head." In response to Contador's time loss as a result of his position in the peloton (mid-pack).
-"My opponents were weak." In response to his opponents (other than Contador) performances on one of the 2010 Tour's mountain stages.
-This is a paraphrase from my limited memory: "Moncoutie could be a Tour winner/contender but there's something wrong in his head." This statement was made maybe 2 years ago.

Being the quickstudy that he is, AS has come to the conclusion that he needs to do more work on his skills versus the clock, thinking that and only that is the reason he keeps coming in 2nd in the Tour. I wish him luck.

 

[movingtarget]

I have a problem rooting for someone that doesn't hesitate to speak critically of his opponents without resolving his own issues:

-"Contador should've used his head." In response to Contador's time loss as a result of his position in the peloton (mid-pack).
-"My opponents were weak." In response to his opponents (other than Contador) performances on one of the 2010 Tour's mountain stages.
-This is a paraphrase from my limited memory: "Moncoutie could be a Tour winner/contender but there's something wrong in his head." This statement was made maybe 2 years ago.

Being the quickstudy that he is, AS has come to the conclusion that he needs to do more work on his skills versus the clock, thinking that and only that is the reason he keeps coming in 2nd in the Tour. I wish him luck.

It's a start. He admits he has a weakness. A hint of self criticism provides some hope. We will see what comes of it in July 2012.

 

[jacko_69]

It's a start. He admits he has a weakness. A hint of self criticism provides some hope. We will see what comes of it in July 2012.

Well I hope he shows us something before July 2012. Like to see him try for GC in one of the 1 week stage races.

 

[uphillstruggle]

I have a problem rooting for someone that doesn't hesitate to speak critically of his opponents without resolving his own issues:

-"Contador should've used his head." In response to Contador's time loss as a result of his position in the peloton (mid-pack).
-"My opponents were weak." In response to his opponents (other than Contador) performances on one of the 2010 Tour's mountain stages.
-This is a paraphrase from my limited memory: "Moncoutie could be a Tour winner/contender but there's something wrong in his head." This statement was made maybe 2 years ago.

Being the quickstudy that he is, AS has come to the conclusion that he needs to do more work on his skills versus the clock, thinking that and only that is the reason he keeps coming in 2nd in the Tour. I wish him luck.

He's the typical young sports idol who believes the hype about himself. Isn't the first and won't be the last. He does come out with some ridiculous stuff though. But in all fairness he has made the tour in the last two years inasmuch as they would have been walk overs had he not ridden.

I actually like pure climbers more than any other type of rider. Anton, for example, is a personal favourite and he as one dimensional as AS, but pure climbers winning the tour is the exception rather than the rule.

Incidentally he is not the only one to say that kind of thing about Moncoutie. In a way it's a compliment.

 

[perico]

Somebody made a point about how he races during the season like Armstrong. Like him or not, when pre-comeback Armstrong did show up at a race, he always looked like Lance Armstrong.

Before his first retirement, he wouldn't show up and not finish respectably: winning or finishing high up in the GC.

 

[cineteq]

Well I hope he shows us something before July 2012. Like to see him try for GC in one of the 1 week stage races.

I have a problem rooting for someone that doesn't hesitate to speak critically of his opponents without resolving his own issues:

-"Contador should've used his head." In response to Contador's time loss as a result of his position in the peloton (mid-pack).
-"My opponents were weak." In response to his opponents (other than Contador) performances on one of the 2010 Tour's mountain stages.
-This is a paraphrase from my limited memory: "Moncoutie could be a Tour winner/contender but there's something wrong in his head." This statement was made maybe 2 years ago.

Well said you both.
i.e., he needs to improve on his TT skills and cycling knowledge, to start being humble, to participate and win 1-week stage races.

 

[richo36]

I think andys problem is he doesnt race to his abilities. If you are the best climber, you have to make your time in the mountains, simple. Andy however does not do this. there were 3 mtf in this years tdf. Andy launched a serious attack on 1 mtf, which was exciting however tactically it was to far from the finish and took way to much energy out of him.

Race tatics andy should of implied is:
stage 1-13: conserve energy (which he did)
stage 14: Get leopard trek to set a fast pace up the col d'agnes to the base of the Plateau de Beille (or really as far as they can go up). Then andy, somewhere in the 5-10km to go launches an attack.
stage 15-17: conserve energy
stage 18: leopard trek set fast pace up col d'Izoard to the base of the galibier. Then same as beille, andy launches an attack 5-10km to go. This however would depend how big the group is and wether he still has teammates. I.e if he has no team mates at the base, and its a smaller group, launch earlier.
stage 19: same as stage 14 and 18. attack on alpe d'huez after a fast pace early on in the stage.
stage 20: ride the time trail of your life.

I think if he did this he could of gained IMO 1min+ on each mtf. which would of covered him for the TT. He does need to work on his tt tho. i dont think he will ever improve that much tho. its simple things like coming and riding the tt course before the tour is where he will make time. I was shocked when i read that he only watched the tt course on tv. As that has been the thing that has let him down prevously. you think as soon as the route is annouced you would be out looking at the course, riding, driving, walking etc. He should know the tt course like the back of his hand if he wants to win. I believe that is an easy 20-30 secs he can make up there alone.

In summary andy should do the same prep he has been doing the last couple of years (except ride the tt course). He just needs to attack when the stage suits him. If the stage profile says MTF, andy should instantly be thinking when should i attack and not watch others.

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

The Schleck's new ride. Both of the together should be able to finally win a GT.

 

[Franklin]

I think if he did this he could of gained IMO 1min+ on each mtf.

This is quite the speculation considering we do not know what the other contenders would have done. Perhaps he didn't gain more time in the MtF... because he couldn't do any better! In my not so humble opinion Andy was lucky not to have lost time on Alpe D'Huez.

And also, you think Leopard was good enough to do this ton of work you claim they should have done?

He does need to work on his tt tho. i dont think he will ever improve that much tho. its simple things like coming and riding the tt course before the tour is where he will make time. I was shocked when i read that he only watched the tt course on tv. As that has been the thing that has let him down prevously. you think as soon as the route is annouced you would be out looking at the course, riding, driving, walking etc. He should know the tt course like the back of his hand if he wants to win. I believe that is an easy 20-30 secs he can make up there alone.

So actually you think he can improve a lot there! I certainly agree. If anything age usually helps in this department.

In summary andy should do the same prep he has been doing the last couple of years (except ride the tt course). He just needs to attack when the stage suits him. If the stage profile says MTF, andy should instantly be thinking when should i attack and not watch others.

I'd say you are overestimating his abilities here. The only person I can think of who could attack every MtF was LA. Even Pantani did have stages where he just rode with the group, same with AC.

Andy should be ranked less than LA who usually obliterated all others (not going into the how!) and his team is also a lot weaker (once again skipping the reasons) this implies attacking every MtF is just to optimistic by far.

 

[movingtarget]

I think andys problem is he doesnt race to his abilities. If you are the best climber, you have to make your time in the mountains, simple. Andy however does not do this. there were 3 mtf in this years tdf. Andy launched a serious attack on 1 mtf, which was exciting however tactically it was to far from the finish and took way to much energy out of him.

Race tatics andy should of implied is:
stage 1-13: conserve energy (which he did)
stage 14: Get leopard trek to set a fast pace up the col d'agnes to the base of the Plateau de Beille (or really as far as they can go up). Then andy, somewhere in the 5-10km to go launches an attack.
stage 15-17: conserve energy
stage 18: leopard trek set fast pace up col d'Izoard to the base of the galibier. Then same as beille, andy launches an attack 5-10km to go. This however would depend how big the group is and wether he still has teammates. I.e if he has no team mates at the base, and its a smaller group, launch earlier.
stage 19: same as stage 14 and 18. attack on alpe d'huez after a fast pace early on in the stage.
stage 20: ride the time trail of your life.

I think if he did this he could of gained IMO 1min+ on each mtf. which would of covered him for the TT. He does need to work on his tt tho. i dont think he will ever improve that much tho. its simple things like coming and riding the tt course before the tour is where he will make time. I was shocked when i read that he only watched the tt course on tv. As that has been the thing that has let him down prevously. you think as soon as the route is annouced you would be out looking at the course, riding, driving, walking etc. He should know the tt course like the back of his hand if he wants to win. I believe that is an easy 20-30 secs he can make up there alone.

In summary andy should do the same prep he has been doing the last couple of years (except ride the tt course). He just needs to attack when the stage suits him. If the stage profile says MTF, andy should instantly be thinking when should i attack and not watch others.

I think the problem is he has too much belief in his own ability. If you can't drop your rivals in the mountains, are not willing to take risks on descents you would think he would at least ride the time trial course.

Last year he told reporters before the TDF that he did not regard Evans as a rival. Subsequently Evans takes the yellow jersey and then breaks his elbow. It was obvious again this year during the TDF that he did not see Evans as a threat. He only had eyes for Contador. By the time he woke up on the Galibier stage and realised that the gap between himself and Evans was possibly not big enough, it was too late. He panicked again the next day when he followed Contador's attack. Evans and Voeckler only followed because he did. Contador was always going to be caught. Schleck should have saved his energy and tried to attack Evans on Alpe. It was obvious even after Evan's chase, that was he stronger than Schleck and Evans actually looked comfortable enough to maintain the gap and do a good time trial the following day.

Schleck may improve his TT a certain amount but I think it's the decison making and tactics that are more hurtful. It cost the Schleck's big time by trying to both reach the podium. They achieved that but could have achieved more if they were willing to sacrifice the chances of one for the other which should have been their tactic from that start and make Evans spend more energy, chasing. Two leaders only works up to the point where one has to give way to the other at some point. The brothers went into the time trial both within a minute of Evans which was ideal for the eventual winner over a hard TT course.