The Schleck Bros

[woodburn]

Anybody a bit worried about Andy Schleck? Has struggled with his knee problems and finished almost a minute down at Tirreno-Adriatico today. Long time before July, however.

 

[theyoungest]

Anybody a bit worried about Andy Schleck? Has struggled with his knee problems and finished almost a minute down at Tirreno-Adriatico today. Long time before July, however.

If you've never followed him outside the Tour or the Ardennes classics: this is what he does. He doesn't compete, he just cruises along.

 

[this_is_edie]

So why do the Schleckies want to form a new team without Rhis? Was there some sort of falling out?

 

[Jamsque]

So why do the Schleckies want to form a new team without Rhis? Was there some sort of falling out?

There is no suggestion that he they want to form a new team necessarily, but Saxo Bank is pulling out of sponsoring Riis' team at the end of the year so they may be left with no choice.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Voigt overrated. Wish someone would put him in his box.

Dude, ease up on the hate. Seriously.

 

[this_is_edie]

There is no suggestion that he they want to form a new team necessarily, but Saxo Bank is pulling out of sponsoring Riis' team at the end of the year so they may be left with no choice.

oh okay, thanks. I remember now about Saxo bank pulling out. Rhis has always been able to find sponsors in the past so he should be able to do it again.

 

[Jamsque]

I would hope that he can, but if he ends up with a reduced budget he may have to make some tough decisions about whether holding on to both Schlecks (they are a package deal) is worth more to him than, say, Cancellara, or some of his Danish protégés.

 

[Christian]

Just read your sig Christian and it cracked me up. Oh how I love Jens Voigt.

Haha thanks - he said it to a french interviewer (in really good French, by the way), right after his ride in the Paris-Nice prologue on France 3.

 

[DAOTEC]

Biver confirms Team Schleck in 2011 CyclingNews.com

Astana's Marc Biver is interogated by media

Former Astana team manager Marc Biver has admitted he is in talks with a Luxembourg company about creating a team around Fränk and Andy Schleck for 2011. The brothers have promised to wait until after the Tour de France before abandoning current team manager Bjarne Riis
but the Dane has yet to find a replacement for Saxo Bank, who will end their backing of his team at the end of the current season. It seems that Biver has been working on the idea of a Luxembourg team lead by the Schlecks for ...
cyclingnews.com

Looks like mister 60+ can close up shop with Cancellara for sure heading to Sky or Columbia

 

[luckyboy]

Exciting stuff! Was thinking of Cancellara could go to Columbia when Team Schleck was first announced.

Also, I thought Yul Brynner was dead

 

[Christian]

Exciting stuff! Was thinking of Cancellara could go to Columbia when Team Schleck was first announced.

Also, I thought Yul Brynner was dead

This article seems rather serious compared to the one from Gazzetta. I couldn't find it on the L'equipe website though. On the other hand, it makes no sense compared to what Andy said in his last blog ...


And Marc Biver does look really scary. The Schlecks seem to have a preference for bald guys.

 

[Cerberus]

This article seems rather serious compared to the one from Gazzetta. I couldn't find it on the L'equipe website though. On the other hand, it makes no sense compared to what Andy said in his last blog ...

It's possible that Andy just prefers to stay, but there are talks, because it after all remains to be seen if there is a Saxo Bank team next season. Of cause if that's the case why wouldn't the sponsor just take over for Saxo Bank? They already have every Luxenbourg rider worth having (all 3 of them) except Kirchen.

 

[blackcat]

It's possible that Andy just prefers to stay, but there are talks, because it after all remains to be seen if there is a Saxo Bank team next season. Of cause if that's the case why wouldn't the sponsor just take over for Saxo Bank? They already have every Luxenbourg rider worth having (all 3 of them) except Kirchen.

if it is a Luxembourg sponsor, then the Schlecks have the power. May as well just leverage that for one's own team. Why beat around the bush.

Father is only a "driver" for VIPs for Saxo. I wonder if Riis cut back on peripheral staff and he was one of the casualties.

Johnny Schleck will no doubt be a DS for the team.

Kirchen and the Schlecks dont get on well. So not sure he would be going to this squad, if it got up, unless the sponsor kicked up a stink. Kirchen is the red-headed step child in comparison to the Schlecks, they are the Hollywood matinee idols.

 

[Angliru]

I'm just surprised that they would pretty much abandon Riis altogether and not include him in these alleged plans. Riis gave Frank Schleck his start who in turn brought his little brother aboard. They both speak very highly of Riis and how he's managed their careers. Maybe the legalities involved are the reason since this is all supposed speculation and not yet "official". Also likely that any negotiations that Riis has in the works to rescue the team would be jeopardized if he were mentioned in any other possible interested sponsorship
rumours. (Just ironing out all the options among my selves ).

 

[Christian]

It's possible that Andy just prefers to stay, but there are talks, because it after all remains to be seen if there is a Saxo Bank team next season.

That is a good point - maybe they hope that Riis will manage to find a new sponsor and have this Luxembourg-team as a safety net if he doesn't.

Of cause if that's the case why wouldn't the sponsor just take over for Saxo Bank?

That's what I asm myself too - why not take over already existing structures instead of building everything up again from the scratch? Plus I suppose that this new Luxembourg team would need a wild card to get into the Tour de France (OK, with both Schlecks on board it shouldn't be an issue, but still), whereas if they just take over Saxo's ProTour license they're fine.

They already have every Luxenbourg rider worth having (all 3 of them) except Kirchen.

Don't forget neo-pro Ben Gastauer from AG2R! He has not had great results this season yet, but definitely had very good results last season in U23 competitions (2. in GC of Flèche du Sud for example).
However, he, as well as Kirchen, has a 2 year contract, so they'd have to buy him out of that (which shouldn't be as big of a deal as it was with Wigans).

Johnny Schleck will no doubt be a DS for the team.

I really don't think he could do that. I mean of course they can give him that position but the man is 68 years old and has never been a DS in his life. He trained with his sons when they were younger (driving on a scooter next to them) but that's about it ...

Kirchen and the Schlecks dont get on well. So not sure he would be going to this squad, if it got up, unless the sponsor kicked up a stink. Kirchen is the red-headed step child in comparison to the Schlecks, they are the Hollywood matinee idols.

I wouldn't necessarily say they don't get along, you mustn't over-interprete Kim's comment about the Schlecks hunting his yellow jersey in '08. They're not great friends and they're rather different personalities, but they respect each other and have no problem getting along on a professional basis. You could see this in the World Championships, after the 2009 national championships (Kim's comment right after the race to Andy: "Do you ever get tired ?!"), or in the Critérium Gala Tour de France, where they worked together as to get one of them to win.

However it was more or less obvious that salary played a major role for Kirchen to join Katusha, and so unless the Luxembourg sponsor could beat that, I highly doubt he'll leave Katusha.

I am not exactly familiar with the meaning of the expression "red-headed step child", but it is clear that the Schlecks lead a very well-publicised life, whereas Kirchen is more quiet and doesn't give 10 interviews a day. To me, he always seems more mature than the Schlecks, more indifferent to the whole media machinery, just focused on riding his bike.

 

[DAOTEC]

The Schleck project ahead

More serious rollercoaster stuff in L'équipe printed just now with even dead lines and stuff.

L'équipe : "Avant de penser à un éventuel accord, j'ai demandé garanties financières, contractuelles et éthiques. J'ai donné jusqu'au 15 Avril, pour la société Luxembourgeoise me les livrent. J'ai besoin de temps pour être en mesure de créer quelque chose de de solide. "

Marc Biver said to the French sports daily, L'équipe : "it is beautiful to be involved in this project". "Before thinking about a possible agreement, I requested financial guarantees, contractual and ethical. I gave the Luxembourg company until April 15 to agree to the engagment with me. I need time to be able to create something solid."

Although the project has similarities with his previous badly ended 'Astana' adventure Biver refuses comparison: "I know that Schleck had nothing to do with Vinokourov and Kashechkin and that Luxembourg is not Kazakhstan"

Source: http://www.velochrono.fr/actu/2010/biver-veut-du-serieux-autour-des-schleck/

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

With those contenders, the Giro still isn't a slam dunk for Frank. On the other hand, if Evans and Sastre do the Giro only as a 'warm-up' for the Tour, his chances increase quite a bit.

IMO, a Giro win is better than a TdF top 5. I even dare to say that it's the best possible result after winning the TdF (that means, it's even better than taking 2nd in the TdF).

By all means, he should try. With his style and abilities, he would add to the Giro spectacle. But perhaps the presence of his brother Andy and the strong field of competitors in the TdF are the underlying reasons that will tip the balance in favour of the TdF.

Giro Victory > 2nd place at tour.
It's a shame that so many big riders are gonna dedicate there season to the tour, just to come somewhere in the top 20. (AC, Frank + Andy, Gesink, Menchov, Valverde, Kruziger, Nibali, Basso, Evans, Vandevelde, Wiggins, Sanchez, Armstrong, Kloden, Liephiemer, Rodriguez, Sastre, Martin... they can't all get a top 5 or ten.)
Personally I'd rather gesink ride the giro then the tour.

 

[karlboss]

Giro Victory > 2nd place at tour.
It's a shame that so many big riders are gonna dedicate there season to the tour, just to come somewhere in the top 20. (AC, Frank + Andy, Gesink, Menchov, Valverde, Kruziger, Nibali, Basso, Evans, Vandevelde, Wiggins, Sanchez, Armstrong, Kloden, Liephiemer, Rodriguez, Sastre, Martin... they can't all get a top 5 or ten.)
Personally I'd rather gesink ride the giro then the tour.

I normally rate performances. For example where would menchov have been at the tour if he brought his giro form...my guess is 2nd or 3rd. Hence some years a top 5 at the tour is better than winning the giro other years, winning the giro is right behind winning the tour.

 

[Christian]

Being from Luxembourg and being of course a big fan of the Schlecks, I'm still not sure how to feel about a possible luxembourgish version of Astana. On the one hand it would be cool to have a team that could compete on the highest international level, on the other hand I think that the quality of such teams based on nationalities often suffers, and this would especially be the case if they took 2nd or 3rd class luxembourgish riders on board, just for the sake of them being luxembourgish. It's a nice idea and all, but not everyone is meant to compete professionally.

However, the comparison with Astana is maybe not altogether justified as long as the government doesn't chip in money. From what I read Biver spoke about a "Financial Institute", and those are all private except for the National Saving's bank - Banque et Caisse d'Epargne de l'Etat.
If it was just any other financial institute, then it would just be a normal team who happened to have a luxembourgish sponsor.

I have a hard time seeing the government invest an important amount of money in this project, because for one they had a budgetary deficit in 2009 and for another because I don't really see what they'd advertise for ...

 

[DAOTEC]

Riis talks

“I hope that those people who say something to me are telling the truth,” he told TV2 Sport. “I have asked them directly and they say that they do not know about the issue. I must of course take that into account and believe it. Otherwise, what they are saying is untrue.”

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/3451/Riis-trusts-in-Schleck-brothers-over-team-change-rumours.aspx

 

[luckyboy]

Being from Luxembourg and being of course a big fan of the Schlecks, I'm still not sure how to feel about a possible luxembourgish version of Astana.

Astana were registered in Luxembourg a few years ago I think (07?)

 

[woodburn]

Andy out of Volta a Catalunya. Says on Twitter it is due to "gastro-intestinal problems" that happened before Milan-San Remo.

Not a great start to his season.

 

[vala-vala]

Marc Biver and Schleck Team 2011.

Marc Biver is the owner of Hublot Watches too???

 

[Sørensen]

Saxo Bank just announced a two year sponsorship with Luxemborg Airlines. So guess the Schlecks are sticking around for a little longer.

 

[Cerberus]

Saxo Bank just announced a two year sponsorship with Luxemborg Airlines. So guess the Schlecks are sticking around for a little longer.

I read the item on Saxo Banks home page and it doesn't sound like it's a name-sponsership.