What is going on with Andy Schleck?

[Cerberus]

It was also bad news last year.

Two 50km time trials and he would lose like 8 minutes to guys like Leipheimer, Klöden and Contador.

Sure, if those two 50 k TT were in the TdS. As is frequently pointed out Andy is **** in any race outside the Ardennes or the Tour.

 

[El Pistolero]

Sure, if those two 50 k TT were in the TdS. As is frequently pointed out Andy is **** in any race outside the Ardennes or the Tour.

Andy is **** in time trials at the Tour as well.

 

[Cerberus]

Andy is **** in time trials at the Tour as well.

But not to the same extend, so my point stands. You simply can't extrapolate non-Tour performance to Tour performance.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

It was also bad news last year.

It's worse news now. Mandy has done everything he could to become a better time trialist this season and winter. He gained weight and muscle mass. It doesn't look like it's paying off.


To make matters slightly worse, those extra 2kgs or whatever certainly won't help him in the mountains.

 

[El Pistolero]

But not to the same extend, so my point stands. You simply can't extrapolate non-Tour performance to Tour performance.

Dude lost 42 seconds in a prologue. At the Tour. And has also lost close to 2 minutes in the long time trial of 2009.

If anything that's even worse.

He'd definitely lose 6-8 minutes if their were 100km+ in the Tour.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Andy is **** in time trials at the Tour as well.

Well yes - because he isn't a TT'er.

Dude lost 42 seconds in a prologue. At the Tour. And has also lost close to 2 minutes in the long time trial of 2009.

If anything that's even worse.

He'd definitely lose 6-8 minutes if their were 100km+ in the Tour.

But there isn't 100+km TT in the Tour.

There is only one 40k ITT - sure, he will lose time to Contador there so he needs to get time on AC in the mountains, which is a tall order.

 

[Cerberus]

Dude lost 42 seconds in a prologue. At the Tour. And has also lost close to 2 minutes in the long time trial of 2009.

If anything that's even worse.

Actually Andy lost 2 minutes and 23 seconds to Menchov in the long TT in 2009, but that was in the face of very heavy headwind and he only lost 31 seconds to Contador. Still even ignoring the headwind and comparing solely to Menchov 2,23 does not equal 4 minutes.

He'd definitely lose 6-8 minutes if their were 100km+ in the Tour.

I notice you've changed 8 minutes to 6-8 and 100 k to 100+. Realistically based on prior TT results Andy would probably lose 4-6 minutes to the best GC Time trialist on 2 50 k Time trials. 8 minutes is just not supported by Andys prior TdF TT results. He's not a good TT'er, but he's not as bad as that either.

 

[jobiwan]

Actually Andy lost 2 minutes and 23 seconds to Menchov in the long TT in 2009, but that was in the face of very heavy headwind and he only lost 31 seconds to Contador. Still even ignoring the headwind and comparing solely to Menchov 2,23 does not equal 4 minutes.


I notice you've changed 8 minutes to 6-8 and 100 k to 100+. Realistically based on prior TT results Andy would probably lose 4-6 minutes to the best GC Time trialist on 2 50 k Time trials. 8 minutes is just not supported by Andys prior TdF TT results. He's not a good TT'er, but he's not as bad as that either.

2010.

2009 was where Contador won in Annecy.
Still your point stands, Andy knows he can't be Contador in a TT, but he's not as bad as some people (El Pistolero ) thinks he is.

 

[ShawnB]

Well yes - because he isn't a TT'er.


But there isn't 100+km TT in the Tour.

There is only one 40k ITT - sure, he will lose time to Contador there so he needs to get time on AC in the mountains, which is a tall order.

Yup. And in the other TT miles, the TTT stage, it seemed to me he could actually stack up some time, since he has Faboo and some other roleurs to drag him and the team to a big win on that stage.

Contador doesn't look to have nearly that firepower in the TTT, and I would have bet that would have actually been a meaningful difference in this Tour -- along with few crazy-big mountains to otherwise separate the two.

But, after Raggedy Andy's sh!t TT today, my estimations on the TTT time gain are going off the rails, I think..

I'm back to seeing it as the good Dr. does, above.

 

[Parrulo]

Yup. And in the other TT miles, the TTT stage, it seemed to me he could actually stack up some time, since he has Faboo and some other roleurs to drag him and the team to a big win on that stage.

Contador doesn't look to have nearly that firepower in the TTT, and I would have bet that would have actually been a meaningful difference in this Tour -- along with few crazy-big mountains to otherwise separate the two.

But, after Raggedy Andy's sh!t TT today, my estimations on the TTT time gain are going off the rails, I think..

I'm back to seeing it as the good Dr. does, above.

contador has: himself, porte who was forth at last year's worlds and larson who has several worlds medals that i can think of the top of my head. they need 2 other guys to hang on to those 3 so they can close the time. and having canc while good isn't perfect either as if he goes all out every1 will be struggling like hell behind him mostly andy and frankie. i would say in terms of TTT capacity they are at the same level with saxo having a better team for the mountains.

 

[Archibald]

CN article quoting Nygaard saying that Andy's fine and will be peaking in time for the mountains at the TdF.
"seen the numbers and really happy", "best climber at the tour Suisse", yada yada yada...

am finding this a little unconvincing simply because Nygaard isn't going to say that Andy's not going to get there, or that he's cr@p right now...

 

[theswordsman]

contador has: himself, porte who was forth at last year's worlds and larson who has several worlds medals that i can think of the top of my head. they need 2 other guys to hang on to those 3 so they can close the time. and having canc while good isn't perfect either as if he goes all out every1 will be struggling like hell behind him mostly andy and frankie. i would say in terms of TTT capacity they are at the same level with saxo having a better team for the mountains.

Larsson didn't make the selection

Contador, Noval, Navarro, Hernandez, Porte, Tosatto, Vandborg & 2 Sorensens

 

[Granville57]

What is going on with Andy Schleck?

He is still f'ing whining about "chaingate."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/schleck-ready-to-take-on-contador-at-the-tour-de-france

"A great champion doesn't do a thing like that. When Ullrich crashed into a ravine...wah wah wah wah wah."

I am so sick of this story (yes, I still posted this though ). ENOUGH ALREADY! Ride your damn bike, learn how to shift, and count your blessings that there is no prologue this year.

 

[Angliru]

What is going on with Andy Schleck?

He is still f'ing whining about "chaingate."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/schleck-ready-to-take-on-contador-at-the-tour-de-france

I am so sick of this story (yes, I still posted this though ). ENOUGH ALREADY! Ride your damn bike, learn how to shift, and count your blessings that there is no prologue this year.

He needs to talk to Ryder Hesjadel who made the famous statement in response to Chaingate: "In battle, if you pull out your sword and drop it, you die!" (or something like that!). He needs to simply let it go. If that is the only thing he can use as motivation he's lost the race already.

 

[Publicus]

What is going on with Andy Schleck?

He is still f'ing whining about "chaingate."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/schleck-ready-to-take-on-contador-at-the-tour-de-france

I am so sick of this story (yes, I still posted this though ). ENOUGH ALREADY! Ride your damn bike, learn how to shift, and count your blessings that there is no prologue this year.

Did he mention the fire in his belly?

 

[Midnightfright]

He needs to talk to Ryder Hesjadel who made the famous statement in response to Chaingate: "In battle, if you pull out your sword and drop it, you die!" (or something like that!). He needs to simply let it go. If that is the only thing he can use as motivation he's lost the race already.

The one problem I always see with Andy is he never seems motivated and almost seems blase about winning.

 

[Midnightfright]

contador has: himself, porte who was forth at last year's worlds and larson who has several worlds medals that i can think of the top of my head. they need 2 other guys to hang on to those 3 so they can close the time. and having canc while good isn't perfect either as if he goes all out every1 will be struggling like hell behind him mostly andy and frankie. i would say in terms of TTT capacity they are at the same level with saxo having a better team for the mountains.

Wether or not leopard have a stronger team in the mountains depends largely on Frank being soley devoted on helping his bro or him chasing his own GC ambitions. I do agree Saxo will do a lot better in the TTT than a lot of people think, I still see leopard edging it but any time gained being marginal

 

[Publicus]

The one problem I always see with Andy is he never seems motivated and almost seems blase about winning.

I think he believes he can turn it on and off. Meaning being lackadaisical during the bulk of the season has no impact on his ability to focus and perform during 4 weeks of the year. I think he is supremely confident in his abilities and doesn't think he needs to be focused or put in the work to hone his craft.

In short, he's young.

 

[Midnightfright]

I think he believes he can turn it on and off. Meaning being lackadaisical during the bulk of the season has no impact on his ability to focus and perform during 4 weeks of the year. I think he is supremely confident in his abilities and doesn't think he needs to be focused or put in the work to hone his craft.

In short, he's young.

You are probably right and just think if it wasn't for Contador he would probably be right imagine how initiating that would be for everyone else

 

[indurain666]

I think he believes he can turn it on and off. Meaning being lackadaisical during the bulk of the season has no impact on his ability to focus and perform during 4 weeks of the year. I think he is supremely confident in his abilities and doesn't think he needs to be focused or put in the work to hone his craft.

In short, he's young.

Only problem I see with this is that there is a learning curve associated with psychological aspect of racing. Remove wattage, VAMs, bodyfat, weights and there is still a small (but huge) mental aspect. How is he going to work on that if he is always "training" at races? He need to learns how to suffer a bit more.

 

[jonjungel]

The one problem I always see with Andy is he never seems motivated and almost seems blase about winning.

I agree to some extent. However, it is partly about riding for teammates. One example would be Strade Bianche this year. I do not think that riding hard for a teammate requires less motivation than riding hard for your own chances.

 

[Publicus]

Only problem I see with this is that there is a learning curve associated with psychological aspect of racing. Remove wattage, VAMs, bodyfat, weights and there is still a small (but huge) mental aspect. How is he going to work on that if he is always "training" at races? He need to learns how to suffer a bit more.

Which is what I think separates him from someone like Contador.