Schlecks Depreciation Thread

[the_kman]

Yeah thats right. They suck. Here is why.

Stage 14 came and went and nothing achieved. For Cadel Evans and Contador, this was excellent. However, the Schlecks needed to gain time at least on AC who was weak.

AC maybe down at the moment. But the longer the race goes, the more he will be improving and may later deal out some pain in the alps. The Schlecks lost a huge chance in the pyrenees and they could have put time between them and AC without getting yellow. They need time before the ITT and they are risking alot by leaving it until the Alps.

They have 2 of the best riders and the strongest team. There are no excuses.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Before the tour I wanted to see a human ac, at this point I think I'd like to see ac cream the field and show as what having a pair is like.

 

[Altitude]

Before the tour I wanted to see a human ac, at this point I think I'd like to see ac cream the field and show as what having a pair is like.

Not gonna happen

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

Before the tour I wanted to see a human ac, at this point I think I'd like to see ac cream the field and show as what having a pair is like.

I would settle for him finishing ahead of Lil' Orphan Andy even if both are off the podium.

It would be funny to see Andy end up Schleckond to Contador again.

 

[leftover pie]

andy schleck reminded me of a wealthy little old lady who plays poker using 1 and 2c coins. he's got the arsenal, but he doesn't seem prepared to use it (yet)

i really wanted to see him (or someone) smash them on saturday night, instead it was a case of THERE HE GOES!! HERE IT IS!! THE BIG ATTACK FROM ANDY SCHLECK!!. . . then he props looks around. . .sits back down.. .ho hum. . attack over.

i guess it's all part of his plan, and his plan is to win and not necessarily entertain me, I just think he is well positioned enough (and probably strong enough), and has good enough support (frank) to put in a long sustained attack and see who he could drop.

a couple of times he attacked when evans was boxed in or out of position, it could have been decisive, but his attack finished, allowing evans to work his way back. while they might not necessarily be worrying about evans (or even voeckler), wouldn't it be better to take them out of contention while you might have the chance? or anyone else for that matter?

of the schlecks i think i'd rather see frank win.

i guess though, they're hoping that they can go with contador when he pulls his move which he's going to have to pull to get in front of them, and they're hoping that evans won't be able to go with contador, thus pulling them ahead of evans with contador still behind, also dropping voeckler in the process.

*hmmm* interesting week ahead.

 

[Steel4Ever]

schleckond

+1



_____

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Not gonna happen

I don't disagree.

 

[Bennyl]

If Andy needs a lesson in how to take responsibility and race like a champion, maybe he should take to Fabian, who never shirks a contest, takes responsibility, and when he attacks everyone takes notice, and his competition shudder.

You have to wonder what Fabian, Stuie and Jens think about the racing style of their leaders after killing themselves day in, day out to put them in the best position of any in the race come the big climbs...

 

[Nederick]

It's like they'd be happier if they finished 2nd and 3rd in Paris, rather than one of them win and the other be lucky to finish top 10.
Basically, I think they've already run out of MTF stages to be able to break Evans and Contador and in both MTF stages so far, Sanchez has taken time back on all of them!

 

[indurain666]

If Andy needs a lesson in how to take responsibility and race like a champion, maybe he should take to Fabian, who never shirks a contest, takes responsibility, and when he attacks everyone takes notice, and his competition shudder.

You have to wonder what Fabian, Stuie and Jens think about the racing style of their leaders after killing themselves day in, day out to put them in the best position of any in the race come the big climbs...

If Cancellara is smart he could be wondering how different his spring campaign could have been with Riis behind the wheel and advising him against making the stupid comments he made before spring which gained him a few enemies.

 

[Special_oz_ed]

Attacks are overrated

All this talk about Schlecks attacking, or AC or Evans...attacks are overrated. What's wrong with a measured approach, and being the most consistent over the three weeks?

Whenever there's a "decisive" attack by a GC guy, I'm always suspicious of doping (thanks LA). But I'm less suspicious if there are several guys separated by the smallest of margins, going up a mountain together. That seems much more realistic - and that's what I find entertaining.

As for the Schlecks - their sense of entitlement bugs me. They might be nice guys off the bike, but don't whinge about the tactics of other riders.

 

[mr. tibbs]

All this talk about Schlecks attacking, or AC or Evans...attacks are overrated. What's wrong with a measured approach, and being the most consistent over the three weeks?

Whenever there's a "decisive" attack by a GC guy, I'm always suspicious of doping (thanks LA). But I'm less suspicious if there are several guys separated by the smallest of margins, going up a mountain together. That seems much more realistic - and that's what I find entertaining.

As for the Schlecks - their sense of entitlement bugs me. They might be nice guys off the bike, but don't whinge about the tactics of other riders.

There's nothing wrong with this. I think Evans is playing it very well, measuring effort and spreading himself evenly across the mountains and TTs of France.

But.

The Schlecks don't have the luxury of doing that. They're a one trick pony, and a very good one at that. They can only win the Tour in the mountains, and I really do feel that Andy has already demurred on two days where he could have won the Tour outright. With Contador at ~80%, the mountains are Andy's plaything. The only thing that's kept him out of yellow so far is himself, and I think Plateau de Beille was his best opportunity as far as gradients and stage difficulty go. (But it apparently wasn't steep enough. )

 

[ozerulz]

not attacking is the way to play the game now that time bonuses have been eliminated. Get a lead and try to hold on will be the MO for almost all gc contenders. TV was only allowed to ride away because he wasn't seen as a threat. You can squall about AS all you want but the other gc riders aren't doing much more than he.
Throw in some -15 or -30 sec time bonuses at the top of these mountain top finishes and it's a whole different race.

 

[sultanofhyd]

not attacking is the way to play the game now that time bonuses have been eliminated. Get a lead and try to hold on will be the MO for almost all gc contenders. TV was only allowed to ride away because he wasn't seen as a threat. You can squall about AS all you want but the other gc riders aren't doing much more than he.
Throw in some -15 or -30 sec time bonuses at the top of these mountain top finishes and it's a whole different race.

It is definitely the game to play, not taking any time on Cadel and pave the way for Cadel to gain a further 40+ seconds on the time trial. Great way to win the TdF.

Not.

 

[auscyclefan94]

It is definitely the game to play, not taking any time on Cadel and pave the way for Cadel to gain a further 40+ seconds on the time trial. Great way to win the TdF.

Not.

So you have to attack to be a worthy tour winner? I am sure you would all be criticising him if he made a big attack on the Galibier and then blew himself up completely.

 

[TimChristy]

For the sake of excitement, I hope AC puts an Etna-like launch on the Alpe. I like Basso, Evans, and Samu though I don't think any of them have the ability to create any real separation on the remaining climbs (wish Basso had a Zonc or Mortirolo as I think he could do damage with the right climb).

I'm basically wiling to jump on the bandwagon of any of the top 6 that can put the hammer down on stage 18 or 19 and put their stamp on the race.

 

[Scansorial]

Hilarious quote from Stephen Roche (http://pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=9516&status=True&catname=Latest News):

If I was asked to organise the 2012 Tour de France I'd have the same stages but only time the last two kilometres; and I fit wing mirrors to the Schleck's bikes - and have masseurs on hand at the finish line to give them neck massages for all that strain caused by looking behind.

 

[mr. tibbs]

So you have to attack to be a worthy tour winner? I am sure you would all be criticising him if he made a big attack on the Galibier and then blew himself up completely.

Easy there, turbo--the sultan was suggesting that Andy was handing the Tour to Evans by playing Evans's game. When our dear leader sarcastically said "Great way to win," he was ridiculing Andy, not Evans. There was nothing critical about Evans in that post. If anything, sultan's comments could only be read as a positive assessment of how Evans is handling the pencil necks. But the comments weren't really about Evans. They were about Schleck. Ditto this thread.

Just try to enjoy the ire of the forum being focused on a different GCer.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Before the tour I wanted to see a human ac, at this point I think I'd like to see ac cream the field and show as what having a pair is like.

LOL. Good one. Nuts of steel I say. Like Samu, Hoogie, Ten Dam, Tommy V, Thor, Gilbert, Cav and... I feel like I'm missing someone obvious... oh, and even Cuddles has shown more ***** this year.

 

[Cimber]

Not gonna happen

will happen in 2012 or 2013 (depending on CAS) though.

 

[Cimber]

If Andy needs a lesson in how to take responsibility and race like a champion, maybe he should take to Fabian, who never shirks a contest, takes responsibility, and when he attacks everyone takes notice, and his competition shudder.

Ye but with Fabian its maybe the opposite thats the problem. He attacks to easrly and overstimates himself (as in RVV). Something inbetween Fabian and the Schlecks would be ideal.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Haha I love this thread.

 

[Tuarts]

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

the schlecks showed again what a pathetic pair of riders they are. frank does his best as he's way too limited to ever ride podium in the tour, let alone win it. andy has the talent but is like a little child that always talks about his brother. pathetic.

 

[Cimber]

hahah now the Schlecks are saying that they are the only ones attacking and without them the Tour would be boring.

Well to begin with they should start to attack for real.

http://www.sporten.dk/cykling/haarde-schleck-er-savner-angreb
(in Danish)