What is going on with Andy Schleck?

[mombus]

He got dropped like a bad habit on that ascent today... I'm wondering if anyone's heard whether that was a willful pullback or if he is really struggling. He sure did not look like a top 3 Tour contender today. In fact, he didn't look like a top 10er.

 

[DenisMenchov]

You watch cycling only in July?

Andy Schleck is good in Ardennes week and July, and this was sad billion of times here....

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

@topic opener: You clearly have never seen Andy Schleck ever before, or simply not paid attention, to the way he raced in Suisse 2010, Suisse 2009 or Suisse 2008.
Or in fact, any race that he rides as preparation for other races.

Schleck always does this. Either finish in the bus, or test himself a little and then give up and still lose minutes. He doesn't want to spent any energy in prep. races and saves himself completely for his goals.

He did that in preparation for the Ardennes, he does that again in preparation for the Tour de France, and he has been doing this since the moment he became a big rider after his 2nd place in the Giro 07.

Comprendre?

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

Vintage Andy really.

 

[Anonymous]

Answer:- He is waiting for July. The month named to honour Julius Ceasar

 

[Moondance]

Andy Schleck rides 4 weeks a year, and this isn't one of them. I guess he might ride 5, on occasion, if the World course were to suit him.

I don't think this necessarily heralds a poor Tour for him though.

 

[DenisMenchov]

Answer:- He is waiting for July. The month named to honour Julius Ceasar

Really???

SO are you saying that August was named after Augustus Caesar, and has 31 days to match July???

 

[DenisMenchov]

Andy Schleck rides 4 weeks a year, and this isn't one of them. I guess he might ride 5, on occasion, if the World course were to suit him.

I don't think this necessarily heralds a poor Tour for him though.

I agree with the Worlds, but we all seam to forget Olympics, I think he really wants to have a go there, but not in London.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I agree with the Worlds, but we all seam to forget Olympics, I think he really wants to have a go there, but not in London.

lol so your saying he plans to ride an extra week in 5 years time.
no f**n way!

 

[Anonymous]

Really???

SO are you saying that August was named after Augustus Caesar, and has 31 days to match July???

really ? - yes.
and yes August is named after Augustus ceasar.

 

[DenisMenchov]

lol so your saying he plans to ride an extra week in 5 years time.
no f**n way!

YEs it may seam odd, but maybe, if all the things come together and he feels good. Maybe he will do an extra week once again, but I highly doubt it.

 

[seaby71]

typical andy
sammy sanchez does similar leading upto the tour.
i think andy will surprise even contador in the tour especially if he gets a lead with the ttt. very different trying to catch a lead which andy andy may start witgh to that of contador have to making one

 

[DenisMenchov]

typical andy
sammy sanchez does similar leading upto the tour.
i think andy will surprise even contador in the tour especially if he gets a lead with the ttt. very different trying to catch a lead which andy andy may start witgh to that of contador have to making one

He had lead last year, and still lost it.

 

[Publicus]

SSDY. 10 characters.

 

[seaby71]

yes denis, however the whole chain mishap when contador took off and didnt wait. that cost andy 39 seconds and in the end he lost by 39 seconds. also if he didnt loose the time then, tactics would of been different as contador only had to sit on andy and nothing else, may of been very different if it was andy sitting on contadors wheel!

 

[Publicus]

yes denis, however the whole chain mishap when contador took off and didnt wait. that cost andy 39 seconds and in the end he lost by 39 seconds. also if he didnt loose the time then, tactics would of been different as contador only had to sit on andy and nothing else, may of been very different if it was andy sitting on contadors wheel!

I am so looking forward to this TdF so that we can stop hearing this bs about AC not waiting for little Orphan Andy and his little dropped chain. I suppose you think the final group at the TdS should have waited for Tommy D. Or that Andy should have gotten to re-start the ITT at the TdS too.

Bike racing isn't just going faster than the other person. There are other skills involved, including, bike handling and properly shifting your gears. Maybe if he actually raced to win more, these types of events wouldn't happen to him so often.

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

...AC not waiting for little Orphan Andy...

Little Orphan Andy! ROTFL.

 

[JA.Tri]

Excellent point

I am so looking forward to this TdF so that we can stop hearing this bs about AC not waiting for little Orphan Andy and his little dropped chain. I suppose you think the final group at the TdS should have waited for Tommy D. Or that Andy should have gotten to re-start the ITT at the TdS too.

Bike racing isn't just going faster than the other person. There are other skills involved, including, bike handling and properly shifting your gears. Maybe if he actually raced to win more, these types of events wouldn't happen to him so often.

Race how you train...Train how you intend to race.

Yes, if he practised all those minor skills in full on racing mode, a little more often, Andy would be that little better prepared for battle. As has been pointed out on numerous occasions a few seconds here, minor technical/tactical oversight/error/mistake there and the game is oveeeeeeeeeer.

 

[dlwssonic]

I dont think you have followed cycling for very long. andy schleck has always been like that his form is unpredictable then in the tdf he will be riding off from everyone.

 

[Publicus]

I dont think you have followed cycling for very long. andy schleck has always been like that his form is unpredictable then in the tdf he will be riding off from everyone.

Well not quite everyone....

 

[bobgod]

Well, I dont read "everything" but when my friends asked me about the dropped chain last year I said that I thought
Andy tried to change both ends at the same time.
Has it ever been said just what happened?

 

[Publicus]

Well, I dont read "everything" but when my friends asked me about the dropped chain last year I said that I thought
Andy tried to change both ends at the same time.
Has it ever been said just what happened?

There is a thread around here where it was diagnosed ad nausem. The conclusion was that precisely as you hypothesized. Of course that's just forum speculation, Andy's never admitted what actually happened. Just that he had a fire in his belly!

 

[dlwssonic]

Well not quite everyone....

oh yes I forgot about TGBM. but obviously no one else.

 

[Hitchey]

yes denis, however the whole chain mishap when contador took off and didnt wait. that cost andy 39 seconds and in the end he lost by 39 seconds. also if he didnt loose the time then, tactics would of been different as contador only had to sit on andy and nothing else, may of been very different if it was andy sitting on contadors wheel!

Wow, not only do you write like you flunked 3th grade, you might consider taking up another sport.

 

[dlwssonic]

I am so looking forward to this TdF so that we can stop hearing this bs about AC not waiting for little Orphan Andy and his little dropped chain. I suppose you think the final group at the TdS should have waited for Tommy D. Or that Andy should have gotten to re-start the ITT at the TdS too.

Bike racing isn't just going faster than the other person. There are other skills involved, including, bike handling and properly shifting your gears. Maybe if he actually raced to win more, these types of events wouldn't happen to him so often.

its just like how I always here the cliche oh contador didnt have such great form in the tdf blah blah blah he had a bad day. Well then thats his fault then.