# Frank says he can't win the Tour and shouldn't lead the team



## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

Schleck Doesn't Want Captain's Role At Tour De France | Cyclingnews.com


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## Lick Skillet (Aug 21, 2011)

Like he or his brother would anyway....


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## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

He says he "can not continue to maintain this level."

I don't understand. I didn't think he could win this Tour anyway because he isn't a great time trialist and the course doesn't suit him but the logic about "maintaining this level" doesn't make sense to me. He blames riding the Giro and cites the example of Contador not being able to do the double..... Contador not only finished but won the Giro. Schleck did the first part and dropped out. Contador also raced the Tour and tried as hard as he could to get a respectably high finish. I actually thought while watching the Tour de Suisse that Frank looked like he was _coming into good form_ just in time to be able to ride a good Tour and go for a good finish. I guess I was wrong.

Somebody that has been riding at a high level all season is Wiggins; he has been untouchable as a matter of fact. I know some people think he may have peaked too early and they may be right but Wiggins isn't going around telling everybody that Sky should just focus on helping Cavendish get stage wins because he has been riding at a high level for so long that it is unrealistic to believe that he can continue it into the Tour. Is Frank saying that his training was messed up by injury and that he hadn't planned on doing the Giro and it threw him off from his original plans? Levi surely got thrown off pretty badly when his fibula snapped in two but he refocused and looks in good form going into the Tour; he even said that it helped him focus on the Tour. It seems like with Frank not wanting to ride the Giro in the first place that his "injury" would have been opportunity to not get worn out in the Giro and be in good form in France. 

I swear that I try to like the Schlecks sometimes but this seems ridiculous to me.


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## MattSoutherden (Jun 24, 2009)

I love how he compares his situation to Contador last year. From my recollection, Bertie crushed it almost every stage at the Giro for 3 weeks last year. Maybe my short-term memory is going, but I don't remember Frank doing that.


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## Ridin'Sorra (Sep 7, 2004)

That reminded me of a coworker who didn't take a task because it involved too much responsibility.

Is it just me or he's blaming Bruyneel for changing his master plan for World Domination of this year?
“I did the preparation for the Ardennes classics, then I went unexpectedly to the Giro.”

It also reminds me about how the French Football (soccer for US guys) team played miserably in the last World Cup because they didn't like the Coach.

I'm sorry for the rest of the team who left their legs on the roads to lead these two brothers just for nothing. I can't sort of understand Andy's condition if it's real. But Frank's attitude is not helping.


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

Just when you think he cant get any softer....

This is unacceptable. Even IF he feels hes not up to it, physically...you NEVER say that in public. Ever. And with the team built around him and his brother, and with his brother out, to refuse to step up and be team leader? Unacceptable. 

Where is the Frank we saw on the Alpe? Where are the brothers we saw work together to crush Conti in the TdF (I forget which stage) a few years ago? Those seem like distant memories.


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## slamy (Mar 15, 2004)

so who is the tour favorite for that team? Kloden? Wouldn't it be funny if it's now Horner?


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

'In addition, “I don't want to be named as the leader, because if I put in a disappointing performance, then everyone can afterwards complain that I was not good enough. "'

Well, that says it all, doesn't it?


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## Fireform (Dec 15, 2005)

I think I'm going to be sick. This "team" is a disgrace, and the Shlecks are even more pathetic than I thought. I'm actively rooting against them from now on (except for Spartacus of course).


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

RkFast said:


> Just when you think he cant get any softer....
> 
> This is unacceptable. Even IF he feels hes not up to it, physically...you NEVER say that in public. Ever. And with the team built around him and his brother, and with his brother out, to refuse to step up and be team leader? Unacceptable.
> 
> Where is the Frank we saw on the Alpe? Where are the brothers we saw work together to crush Conti in the TdF (I forget which stage) a few years ago? Those seem like distant memories.


considering the comments from management on that team this is vanilla. had the management any clue he would never have been considered as captain with his spring season the way it was. He has been racing march (paris-nice+criterium international) april (ardenne classic+ vuelta vaisco), may (giro/2), tour de luxembourg and now tour de suisse. And we are supposed to believe he is not getting tired?


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## slamy (Mar 15, 2004)

I lost a lot of respect for frank with those comments. I mean I remember when Hinault, Merckx, et al. would ride hard all year and win all year. winners win. They find a way and they don't back off a challenge. Personally I think the Shlecks are doing this to mess with Johann. They are screwing him as best they can and leaving him in the wind. Now with this Lance scandal, Johann doesn't have have much power to do anything, hell the Tour may not even let him lead the team, that is if the team even gets let into the race. With no clear favorite, I see a small french team making the cut.


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## CheapTrek (Dec 23, 2011)

This team really is a mess, to the point where it's getting hard to route for them.

Bruyneel is just about the least likable person imaginable and his ham-fisted handling of Horner didn't help. The Schleck brothers (whom I used to like) are looking like prissy debutantes who completely lack the heart requisite of champions.


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## Local Hero (Jul 8, 2010)

Damn, the race is weeks away and he already lost. 

I wish all my opponents were this self-defeating.


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## MattSoutherden (Jun 24, 2009)

RkFast said:


> Where is the Frank we saw on the Alpe? Where are the brothers we saw work together to crush Conti in the TdF (I forget which stage) a few years ago? Those seem like distant memories.



Do you mean St 17 of the 2009 Tour? They hardly *crushed* Contador. With 2 of them vs a lone Alberto, they couldn't drop him, and only just managed to get Frank the stage win.

Slightly more successful than they were when they had 2 on 1 against Phil at LBL lest year, I'll give you that.


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

den bakker said:


> considering the comments from management on that team this is vanilla. had the management any clue he would never have been considered as captain with his spring season the way it was. He has been racing march (paris-nice+criterium international) april (ardenne classic+ vuelta vaisco), may (giro/2), tour de luxembourg and now tour de suisse. And we are supposed to believe he is not getting tired?


So, with Andy out, who should be captain? Who hasn't been racing all year? Frank wasn't prepared to go to the Giro and didn't finish it. Did he even put in one big ride?


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## MattSoutherden (Jun 24, 2009)

Surely they should go all-in for Jens? :thumbsup:


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

den bakker said:


> considering the comments from management on that team this is vanilla. had the management any clue he would never have been considered as captain with his spring season the way it was. He has been racing march (paris-nice+criterium international) april (ardenne classic+ vuelta vaisco), may (giro/2), tour de luxembourg and now tour de suisse. And we are supposed to believe he is not getting tired?


Frankly, I dont care if he worked a 50 hour work week between all those events. Whether or not he really is fatigued has zero to do with the fact that in pro competition, you dont make excused and whine about how "tired" you are. Its incredibly bad form. 

We are supposed to give a superstar pro a pass on behavior that doesnt fly among the AA riders on a local Sat AM shop ride?


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

MattSoutherden said:


> Do you mean St 17 of the 2009 Tour? They hardly *crushed* Contador. With 2 of them vs a lone Alberto, they couldn't drop him, and only just managed to get Frank the stage win.
> 
> Slightly more successful than they were when they had 2 on 1 against Phil at LBL lest year, I'll give you that.


Well..crushed is not the best word. What I meant was is that on that day the Schlecks worked their asses off to hammer away at the race favorite. They showed a killer instinct we have rarely seen since.


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

Bob Roll on Radioshack rumors (paraphrasing)

"Every year the bottom feeders of cycling come out around this time."

riiiiiight.


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## ghost6 (Sep 4, 2009)

Frank and Andy must be paid to moan, complain and make excuses.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

foto said:


> So, with Andy out, who should be captain? Who hasn't been racing all year? Frank wasn't prepared to go to the Giro and didn't finish it. Did he even put in one big ride?


stage 7? 
Did radioshack have a captain last year? Is it mandatory to ride GC even if you don't have an obvious rider for it?
However, if they would go for a top 10 person, Monfort, Kloeden, Fuglsang would be decent bets.


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

foto said:


> Bob Roll on Radioshack rumors (paraphrasing)
> 
> "Every year the bottom feeders of cycling come out around this time."
> 
> riiiiiight.


Im on board big time with the fact that cycling is a tough and sometimes brutal sport but this thought process from some, many in the media no less, that riders are beyond critique becuase its a hard sport to play is sometimes tough to take. 

What Frank said is really beyond the pale and should not be excused or condoned. 

Fact is, ALL pro sports are super hard and competitive. Could you imagine a star player in ANY other sport, a week before the sport's biggest event, saying anything like Frank said? They would be crucified for it!!!


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

RkFast said:


> Fact is, ALL pro sports are super hard and competitive. Could you imagine a star player in ANY other sport, a week before the sport's biggest event, saying anything like Frank said? They would be crucified for it!!!


good point. I've never heard an NFL player complain just because he was thrown to play the european league with a few weeks notice and then straight back playing the normal season. That would be the comparison.


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## greg12666 (Mar 29, 2012)

This guy is embarrasing. Put Horner on the team and let this winer go home


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Paging Chris Horner ...


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

RkFast said:


> Im on board big time with the fact that cycling is a tough and sometimes brutal sport but this thought process from some, many in the media no less, that riders are beyond critique becuase its a hard sport to play is sometimes tough to take.
> 
> What Frank said is really beyond the pale and should not be excused or condoned.
> 
> Fact is, ALL pro sports are super hard and competitive. Could you imagine a star player in ANY other sport, a week before the sport's biggest event, saying anything like Frank said? They would be crucified for it!!!


Ricky Henderson comes to mind.


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## trailrunner68 (Apr 23, 2011)

foto said:


> So, with Andy out, who should be captain?


Kloden. He should have been the designated leader before Abandy was out. Aside from the large amount of time trialing, this year's route does not even have a real queen stage. There is no where to take back enough time to make up for the Schleck's poor time trialing. Kloden is the only one on the team who can time trial and have a chance of holding his own against the other diesel-like climbers on other teams like Evans and Wiggins.

Horner cannot time trial well enough either but he has a decent shot at a stage win.

This is a failure of management as well as the Shlecks turning out to be sissies. As soon as the TdF route was announced, management should have put their resources into getting both Schlecks and support riders to the Giro in top shape. One of them could have won in Italia. Instead Frank was informed at the last minute that he was going.


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## EuroSVT (Sep 15, 2011)

With an attitude like that, I would hope he is one of the lowest paid riders on the team. It's one thing to try something & blow it, another thing entirely to predict that you will. True leaders rise when things hit the fan. Whichever rider steps up to the plate, think the other guys will rally behind them.

Haven't liked this team from day one (Jens gets a pass of course), but it's embarrasing to cycling that people get paid this much money to do *this*


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## litespeedchick (Sep 9, 2003)

den bakker said:


> good point. I've never heard an NFL player complain just because he was thrown to play the european league with a few weeks notice and then straight back playing the normal season. That would be the comparison.


Thanks for that visual. I'm picturing Frank standing next to an NFL player. If Frank walked into an NFL locker room with his shirt off, somebody would probably call 911.

This came as a surprise to people that the Schlecks are delicate flowers? I liked this quote from Frank "You should be realistic. I am already very lean" I think what that means is he thinks he might actually starve to death during one of the longer stages.


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

litespeedchick said:


> Thanks for that visual. I'm picturing Frank standing next to an NFL player. If Frank walked into an NFL locker room with his shirt off, somebody would probably call 911.
> 
> This came as a surprise to people that the Schlecks are delicate flowers? I liked this quote from Frank "You should be realistic. I am already very lean" I think what that means is he thinks he might actually starve to death during one of the longer stages.


Maybe he should eat a cheese burger and take a nap. Maybe then he will feel a little better about riding the tour.


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## Buzzard (Sep 7, 2004)

trailrunner68 said:


> Kloden. He should have been the designated leader before Abandy was out. Aside from the large amount of time trialing, this year's route does not even have a real queen stage. There is no where to take back enough time to make up for the Schleck's poor time trialing. Kloden is the only one on the team who can time trial and have a chance of holding his own against the other diesel-like climbers on other teams like Evans and Wiggins.
> 
> ...


Kloden hasn't responded well to this type of pressure in the past. Allegedly.


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

Good news for Horner:

Radioshack-Nissan Tour squad announced: Cancellara, Gallopin, Horner, Klöden, Monfort, Popovych, F Schleck, Voigt, Zubeldia. Alain Gallopin and Dirk Demol will be the managers during the race.


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## harlond (May 30, 2005)

RkFast said:


> Frankly, I dont care if he worked a 50 hour work week between all those events. Whether or not he really is fatigued has zero to do with the fact that in pro competition, you dont make excused and whine about how "tired" you are. Its incredibly bad form.


I can't find anywhere in the article where Frank says he's tired or fatigued.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

i read that article this morning but didnt get a chance to post it here. i couldnt believe what i was reading was true. frank and andy just got paid a ton of money to not ride for a year. they seemed a bit soft before, but now they also look vindictive to their management. it seems they are trying to get kim a full DS role with another team and then go with him. 

i would like to see the schlecks try and talk to jens on the bus after this.

everything i thought has already been said by other posts. 

kloden will probably be wearing the x1 number. unless they bring horner in.

and lets play tinfoil hat. lets say this was planned from the start. JB knew horner or kloden couldnt win the tour if andy was in teh running as well. so he sabotaged the schlecks, removing them from the race altogether. now horner/kloden just need to worry about evans and wiggo. granted, there are others, but those are the two everyone is looking at.

btw, wasnt that stage the schlecks defeated conti the one where conti worked with them to seperate from kloden, his own teammate?


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## Buzzard (Sep 7, 2004)

Frank Schleck will do just fine in the mountains this July. I was very impressed with his attack yesterday in the TdS. Why can't these guys just keep their mouths shut?



weltyed said:


> ...
> 
> btw, wasnt that stage the schlecks defeated conti the one where conti worked with them to seperate from kloden, his own teammate?


Pretty sure that move by Conti cost Kloden a podium spot that year.


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## harlond (May 30, 2005)

weltyed said:


> btw, wasnt that stage the schlecks defeated conti the one where conti worked with them to seperate from kloden, his own teammate?


AC attacked, probably unwisely, when the group was the Schlecks, him, and Kloeden, and Kloden was the one dropped by his attack. As I recall AC did not work with the Schlecks once Kloeden was distanced. And fortunately for AC, neither of the Schlecks was able to get away from him during the run-in.


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## jorgy (Oct 21, 2005)

My jaw dropped when I read that article. And Anderson just seemed to be reinforcing his defeatist attitude, which in my mind at least makes Bruyneel's decision to not have Anderson be a DS on the tour team sound reasonable.

Even if Frank already has a verbal agreement to join a team next year, this was an incredibly stupid move. Why should Cancellara or Voigt ride their a$$es off for this dufous? Without a good showing in the tour, either because he's a wuss or because his team doesn't want to go all-out to support him, I think his salary just dropped by quite a bit.


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## MYMOJO34 (Aug 18, 2011)

A winner always - ALWAYS - wants the ball in his hand at the buzzer.


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## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

Even _if_ Frank's comparison to Contador's condition coming into the Tour was fair and though it is true that Contador was soundly beaten, at least Contador _tried._



Like the Schlecks, there is probably too much time trialing for Chris Horner to win the overall but I am certain that he will try anyway.


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

thechriswebb said:


> Even _if_ Frank's comparison to Contador's condition coming into the Tour was fair and though it is true that Contador was soundly beaten, at least Contador _tried._
> 
> 
> 
> Like the Schlecks, there is probably too much time trialing for Chris Horner to win the overall but I am certain that he will try anyway.


Contador also crashed like 17 times last year in the first 2 weeks. And he still put time into the contenders on Alpe d' Huez.


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## JackDaniels (Oct 4, 2011)

FC for the GC


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

Buzzard said:


> I was very impressed that he actually attacked yesterday in the TdS.


fify.

Granted: kudo's to Frank for actually attacking, TWICE in the same stage race. 

But that's about it. His first attack was caught and passed by Rui Costa. A guy who's not known as a climber. Hi second attack, the pack let him go, and still caught him on the subsequent descent.

Here's what I took away from watching Frank race this spring:
- he's a gifted climber. Never once did he seem to be in a spot of bother, even when attacking / leading
- that's also the downside. I've never seen him suffer. Never seen the pain face on him, digging deep like Jens or Voeckler or any of thousands of other riders do every race.

I think that's the key to understanding these two. They are so gifted, have a former pro for a dad, raised up nice n comfy in Lichtenstein... they don't have the will to suffer. The scrap. The gumption.


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## MG537 (Jul 25, 2006)

Buzzard said:


> Pretty sure that move by Conti cost Kloden a podium spot that year.


Yeah, assuming Lance would've moved over for him....NOT! or Andy would've given up his position for an Astana sweep. Very highly unlikely.


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## dougydee (Feb 15, 2005)

Dan Gerous said:


> Good news for Horner:
> 
> Radioshack-Nissan Tour squad announced: Cancellara, Gallopin, Horner, Klöden, Monfort, Popovych, F Schleck, Voigt, Zubeldia. Alain Gallopin and Dirk Demol will be the managers during the race.


I hope Horner and Kloden are roomed together. They might have to travel in separate vehicles as well.


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

slamy said:


> I lost a lot of respect for frank with those comments. I mean I remember when Hinault, Merckx, et al. would ride hard all year and win all year. winners win. They find a way and they don't back off a challenge. Personally I think the Shlecks are doing this to mess with Johann. They are screwing him as best they can and leaving him in the wind. Now with this Lance scandal, Johann doesn't have have much power to do anything, hell the Tour may not even let him lead the team, that is if the team even gets let into the race. With no clear favorite, I see a small french team making the cut.


Ditto. Schlecks might as well quit cycling now. Or at least quit the team and give some youngsters (King, Busche) a chance. I lost a lot of respect for them in the past 2-3 years.


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## slimjw (Jul 30, 2008)

dougydee said:


> I hope Horner and Kloden are roomed together. They might have to travel in separate vehicles as well.


Fat chance, that. Apparently their relationship is pretty frosty every since Horner beat him at the Basque Country tour two years ago.


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## Buzzard (Sep 7, 2004)

slimjw said:


> Fat chance, that. Apparently their relationship is pretty frosty every since Horner beat him at the Basque Country tour two years ago.


Plus, Kloden just put out a nasty tweet about Horner and why he doesn't deserve to be on the Tour squad this year. Horner wasn't amused.


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## JSR (Feb 27, 2006)

Even recognizing the recent "frostiness" of the relationship between Horner and Kloden, I like these guys as a one-two punch. They are, after all, both seasoned veterans, unlikely to let these things get in the way of racing.

In theory Horner could be free in the climbs and Kloden could be saved if Horner is caught and for the TTs.

All of this presumes there isn't some sort of China Syndrome event within the team.

JSR


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

Franky is paid a LOT of money, more than 99% of the people on this board. And lots of people here have crappy miserable jobs, or dangerous ones, that they may not feel like going to every day. But they can't tell their boss, "Not coming in for three weeks, just not into it, TTYL". 

Franky couldn't finish the Giro due to his invisible mystery injury...but this guy could? The difference: one's a Schleck, the other is a man.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

Those schleckettes are a bunch of pussies.

The worst thing about Conti's positive is that it handed a TDF win to somebody who never deserved it.


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## RRRoubaix (Aug 27, 2008)

Salsa_Lover said:


> Those schleckettes are a bunch of pussies.
> 
> The worst thing about Conti's positive is that it handed a TDF win to somebody who never deserved it.


I hear ya. I felt bad for Andy at the time... now I just feel bad.


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## erj549 (Jul 26, 2008)

Creakyknees said:


> I think that's the key to understanding these two. They are so gifted, have a former pro for a dad, raised up nice n comfy in Lichtenstein... they don't have the will to suffer. The scrap. The gumption.


I agree. I think they subsist mainly on their natural talent alone and would be unstoppable if they had that killer instinct like Lance. Andy can talk about "anger in the stomach" but I've never seen either of them turn the pedals in anger.


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## adam_mac84 (Sep 22, 2010)

I vote they ride for SPARTACUS!!!


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## CheapTrek (Dec 23, 2011)

So let me see if I can follow the logic here. 

Bruyneel says that Horner can't ride the TDF because he didn't ride the Dauphine or the Suisse but Andersen comes out and says that Frank won't be up to snuff to compete as a GC due to the fact that he rode the Suisse?

What kind of asinine logic is steering the ship? If you don't race you can't compete in the TDF but if you do race, we expect you to be too spent to perform?


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## Rokh On (Oct 30, 2011)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> Franky couldn't finish the Giro due to his invisible mystery injury...but this guy could? The difference: one's a Schleck, the other is a man.


Or maybe Sky has been eating at someone elses favorite "steak" house.


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## Ridin'Sorra (Sep 7, 2004)

Rokh On said:


> Or maybe Sky has been eating at someone elses favorite "steak" house.


Yeah, I have heard rumors that some of the Schleck's bros competitors go to some shady doctors to get a couple of glands implanted that produce this new hormone called testoste-something that gives them an unfair advantage over the Schleck's.

What a bunch of cheaters.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> Franky is paid a LOT of money, more than 99% of the people on this board. And lots of people here have crappy miserable jobs, or dangerous ones, that they may not feel like going to every day. But they can't tell their boss, "Not coming in for three weeks, just not into it, TTYL".
> 
> Franky couldn't finish the Giro due to his invisible mystery injury...but this guy could? The difference: one's a Schleck, the other is a man.


funny, I don't think it was even a year ago Cav "the Chav" was considered the biggest cry baby by a large part of this forum.


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## peter584 (Aug 17, 2008)

I don't think the Schleks and Ray Lewis would get along


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

Cav was indeed a crybaby and annoying, but he has learned and matured in these last 2 years and now he is evolving into a real champion deserving respect, not only because he wins, but also because his courage, respect to others and class.

The schleckettes on the other hand are losing it more and more. And they don't even win anything to justify it.


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## royalty (Aug 18, 2011)

I can't wait to see Fabian in action again. I dreamt that he actually walked into some kind of office and changed his first name to Spartacus.
He's awesome.

Go Spartacus!


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

I agree with Frank.

He can't win the Tour and shouldn't lead the team. Sparticus and Jens should be co-captains on the road and the team should ride for who ever (Horner, Sparticus, whoever) is doing best after each stage while trying to get some stage victories on the way.

I wonder if BMC is whispering sweet nothings in Fabian's ear?


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

Salsa_Lover said:


> Cav was indeed a crybaby and annoying, but he has learned and matured in these last 2 years and now he is evolving into a real champion deserving respect, not only because he wins, but also because his courage, respect to others and class.
> 
> The schleckettes on the other hand are losing it more and more. And they don't even win anything to justify it.


I prefer the old cocky, juvenile, obnoxious cavendish.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

Salsa_Lover said:


> Those schleckettes are a bunch of pussies.
> 
> The worst thing about Conti's positive is that it handed a TDF win to somebody who never deserved it.


+1 Amen to that!

I feel sorry for Fabian and Jens - two true warriors who have ride for the likes of the Bros, Schleck.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

foto said:


> I prefer the old cocky, juvenile, obnoxious cavendish.


LOL - me too!


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

LostViking said:


> +1 Amen to that!
> 
> I feel sorry for Fabian and Jens - two true warriors who have ride for the likes of the Bros, Schleck.


weeeeell, nobody forced them to join...


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

LostViking said:


> I agree with Frank.
> 
> He can't win the Tour and shouldn't lead the team. Sparticus and Jens should be co-captains on the road and the team should ride for who ever (Horner, Sparticus, whoever) is doing best after each stage while trying to get some stage victories on the way.
> 
> I wonder if BMC is whispering sweet nothings in Fabian's ear?


once andy dropped out (reminder it was due to injury), i think the strategy was to have cancellara and jens be the muscle and ride for however is the best placed gc rider, be it frank, kloden, popo, etc. this is nothing new to JB. he has been doing this the past few years. it just doesnt work that effectively to actually win the race. conti was able to do it, but there was a ton of drama...

part of me wonders if this is all a way for the schlecks to not only get kim a team for themselves next year, but also setting up deflection for the speculation that is about to blow up. 

recent past has shown the day before teh tour something HUGE happens....


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

weltyed said:


> the day before teh tour something HUGE happens....


Frandy testing positive for huge amounts of estrogen?


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## BacDoc (Aug 1, 2011)

Cinelli 82220 said:


> Frandy testing positive for huge amounts of estrogen?


As well as sand in vagina!


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

erj549 said:


> I agree. I think they subsist mainly on their natural talent alone and would be unstoppable if they had that killer instinct like Lance. Andy can talk about "anger in the stomach" but I've never seen either of them turn the pedals in anger.


Then you haven't been watching. Frank winning on Alpe d' Huez and Amstel, Andy winning Leige and trying to drop Contador on Ventoux. There is no amount of talent that will get a rider to the end of the TdF in LAST place without a ton of work on top of it. Armchair quarterbacks...



Salsa_Lover said:


> Cav was indeed a crybaby and annoying, but he has learned and matured in these last 2 years and now he is evolving into a real champion deserving respect, not only because he wins, but also because his courage, respect to others and class.
> 
> The schleckettes on the other hand are losing it more and more. And they don't even win anything to justify it.


The same 'classy' Cavendish that caused a crash that ended Boonen and Haussler's seasons, then spat on and verbally berated Haussler while he lay on the ground? That Cavendish? He deserved a year suspension for that, to be out as long as it took for Boonen and Haussler to return to winning form anyway.


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

Frank doubles down...

Fränk Schleck Says He Won't Be At Top Form For The Tour De France | Cyclingnews.com

At this point, I wish he would just quit the sport. He's a disgrace.


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## ghost6 (Sep 4, 2009)

RkFast said:


> Frank doubles down...
> 
> Fränk Schleck Says He Won't Be At Top Form For The Tour De France | Cyclingnews.com
> 
> At this point, I wish he would just quit the sport. He's a disgrace.


Both Schlongs should quit. I tried to like them but they're just pansies, always complaining and moaning about something.


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

So Frank doesn't think he can, or doesn't want to ride without Andy... and on the other side, Fuglsang would have been motivated and would have at least tried to do his best but wont race any WorldTour level races this year because he stated the obvious: team is a mess and wont renew... What a joke of a team! I'm guessing a few riders regret having left Saxo right now.

I predict RadioShack-Nissan-Trek-Leopard team folds before 2013...


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

He has quit before he has even taken the ramp in Liege! I will have to try and get his picture Saturday so I can make sure to get one of him racing. Might not still be in the race by the time they reach Metz six days later.


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

Dan Gerous said:


> So Frank doesn't think he can, or doesn't want to ride without Andy... and on the other side, Fuglsang would have been motivated and would have at least tried to do his best but wont race any WorldTour level races this year because he stated the obvious: team is a mess and wont renew... What a joke of a team! I'm guessing a few riders regret having left Saxo right now.
> 
> I predict RadioShack-Nissan-Trek-Leopard team folds before 2013...


Exactly!


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## zosocane (Aug 29, 2004)

Dan Gerous said:


> So Frank doesn't think he can, or doesn't want to ride without Andy... and on the other side, Fuglsang would have been motivated and would have at least tried to do his best but wont race any WorldTour level races this year because he stated the obvious: team is a mess and wont renew... What a joke of a team! I'm guessing a few riders regret having left Saxo right now.
> 
> I predict RadioShack-Nissan-Trek-Leopard team folds before 2013...


Indeed a joke of a team. Andy and Frank Panda wuss out, and now Frank refuses to be a leader despite a fine showing in Suisse. Jakob Fugslang basically tells the media his boss is an a-hole and now he wonders why he can't race anymore WorldTour races the balance of the year (he's lucky he wasn't fired outright). Meanwhile, he boss might be booted from cycling depending on what USADA does with this investigation. And they have one of the best cyclists in the world -- Cancellara -- who must be wondering, "WTF?" 

I really hope Johan can get control of this team, de-wuss the team by getting rid of whining riders, and build a solid classics team around Cancellara and a GC team around whoever their new main GC guy will be next year. Oh, and note to Johan: sign a good GC Italian and a good GC Spaniard so you get invited to the Giro and the Vuelta!


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

fornaca68 said:


> Indeed a joke of a team. Andy and Frank Panda wuss out, and now Frank refuses to be a leader despite a fine showing in Suisse. Jakob Fugslang basically tells the media his boss is an a-hole and now he wonders why he can't race anymore WorldTour races the balance of the year (he's lucky he wasn't fired outright). Meanwhile, he boss might be booted from cycling depending on what USADA does with this investigation. And they have one of the best cyclists in the world -- Cancellara -- who must be wondering, "WTF?"
> 
> I really hope Johan can get control of this team, de-wuss the team by getting rid of whining riders, and build a solid classics team around Cancellara and a GC team around whoever their new main GC guy will be next year. Oh, and note to Johan: sign a good GC Italian and a good GC Spaniard so you get invited to the Giro and the Vuelta!


Actually, it would have been better if Fuglsang would have been fired, he could have signed for a new team and race before 2013... But yeah, he should have expected a reaction from Johan for his public statements. Horner did the opposite, told the press what Johan and Lance wanted to hear and BOOM! He suddenly gets back on the Tour team.

What I hope is that Johan is booted out of the sport. There is no way the Schlecks will de-wuss anyway. Cancellara will just do his own thing for the rest of the year and all contracts for 2013 may be dropped if the team folds... Fabian can then sign for a better team for him, Schlecks can try to do a German Leopard 2.0 again if they want, Jens and Kloeden will retire, Fuglsang will find a new team, Horner will fade in a second tier team...


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## Ridin'Sorra (Sep 7, 2004)

fornaca68 said:


> Indeed a joke of a team. Andy and Frank Panda wuss out, and now Frank refuses to be a leader despite a fine showing in Suisse. Jakob Fugslang basically tells the media his boss is an a-hole and now he wonders why he can't race anymore WorldTour races the balance of the year (he's lucky he wasn't fired outright). Meanwhile, he boss might be booted from cycling depending on what USADA does with this investigation. And they have one of the best cyclists in the world -- Cancellara -- who must be wondering, "WTF?"


Post Full of Win... 

Dang, I've had a crappy day and you just made me ROTFL at the office.

I'm still laughing of images of poor Spartacus like this....


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

fornaca68 said:


> Jakob Fugslang basically tells the media his boss is an a-hole and now he wonders why he can't race anymore WorldTour races the balance of the year (he's lucky he wasn't fired outright).


can you blame him? when horny did the same thing he was rewarded with a spot in the tour.


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

davidka said:


> Then you haven't been watching. Frank winning on Alpe d' Huez and Amstel, Andy winning Leige and trying to drop Contador on Ventoux. There is no amount of talent that will get a rider to the end of the TdF in LAST place without a ton of work on top of it. Armchair quarterbacks...
> 
> 
> 
> The same 'classy' Cavendish that caused a crash that ended Boonen and Haussler's seasons, then spat on and verbally berated Haussler while he lay on the ground? That Cavendish? He deserved a year suspension for that, to be out as long as it took for Boonen and Haussler to return to winning form anyway.


I dont want to bust your chops here, but Im confused....you get on people who critique Schleck as "armchair quarterbacks" but then get on Cavendish, yourself and even pass judgement on what his punishment should be for a crash. 

Are "armchair QBs" only those folks who critique athletes _you _ happen to like?


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*go in leaderless*

lets Jens and Fabian go for stages


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## JohnHenry (Aug 9, 2006)

atpjunkie said:


> lets Jens and Fabian go for stages


I am partial to this idea. Horner will be performing to pick up another ride next year. I believe RS will be gone in 2013.


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## Ridin'Sorra (Sep 7, 2004)

JohnHenry said:


> I believe RS will be gone in 2013.


They are gone already.

Hard to mend the damage already made.

Only good thing is that guys like Fuglsang, Horner and Cancellara will ride in a better team next year.


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## nate (Jun 20, 2004)

Ridin'Sorra said:


> They are gone already.
> 
> Hard to mend the damage already made.
> 
> Only good thing is that guys like Fuglsang, Horner and Cancellara will ride in a better team next year.


And it only gets worse. RadioShack riders have apparently complained in writing to UCI about unpaid and/or late wages: RadioShack-Fahrer beschwerten sich bei der UCI | radsport-news.com >> Profi-Radsport (German)


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## JohnHenry (Aug 9, 2006)

Ridin'Sorra said:


> They are gone already.
> 
> Hard to mend the damage already made.
> 
> Only good thing is that guys like Fuglsang, Horner and Cancellara will ride in a better team next year.


I knew the Schlongs were leaving, but hadn't heard RS was folding for sure (fair assumption).


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

Stop the press! Now Frank says he always races to win!  He also says he raced a lot this year.  I'm guessing he's just reading the team's 'crisis management' press releases?

Frank Schleck as 2012 Tour de France looms: ‘The goal always has to be to win’


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

Dan Gerous said:


> Stop the press! Now Frank says he always races to win!  He also says he raced a lot this year.  I'm guessing he's just reading the team's 'crisis management' press releases?
> 
> Frank Schleck as 2012 Tour de France looms: ‘The goal always has to be to win’


he has raced quite a bit this year. 
http://www.wielerland.nl/index.php?c=r&id=5195&option=com_database&sc=1


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## juno (Jul 18, 2008)

His future sponsors were probably getting ready to jump ship.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

RkFast said:


> Are "armchair QBs" only those folks who critique athletes _you _ happen to like?


No, "armchair QBs" are the ones who like/dislike riders based on their personalities, as if they were personally wronged, or perhaps they fancy a man date with the cyclists they like? 

I am growing more than a little tired of how everyone and their sisters are tougher than the Schlecks, especially a few that have openly admitted that they don't race. 

No doubt that this year has been a disaster for the team. While y'all are celebrating, there's a roster of full of riders and staff who will need to find a new team or new line of work next year. With even good teams like Highroad closing up shop, this isn't a good thing.


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

spade2you said:


> No, "armchair QBs" are the ones who like/dislike riders based on their personalities, as if they were personally wronged, or perhaps they fancy a man date with the cyclists they like?
> 
> I am growing more than a little tired of how everyone and their sisters are tougher than the Schlecks, especially a few that have openly admitted that they don't race.
> 
> No doubt that this year has been a disaster for the team. While y'all are celebrating, there's a roster of full of riders and staff who will need to find a new team or new line of work next year. With even good teams like Highroad closing up shop, this isn't a good thing.


I don't get people who want stars to not show up to races. Cheering for Andy to be out of the TdF makes no sense, even if you are not an Andy fan. The more people in a bike race, the better as a spectator. atmo.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

foto said:


> I don't get people who want stars to not show up to races. Cheering for Andy to be out of the TdF makes no sense, even if you are not an Andy fan. The more people in a bike race, the better as a spectator. atmo.


I think there are many possibilities from a psychology perspective, but it mostly boils down to folks taking bike racing too personally and forgetting that it's a just a race. Perhaps movie culture encourages this idea of good vs. evil and sportscasters capitalize on it for the sake of ratings.

People pick riders to hate, as if they have personally wronged them. The Schlecks, Lance Armstrong, Cav, and Wiggo have done nothing to me and I just view their purpose as entertaining me while I log winter miles on the rollers. 

I still find it amazing that Frandy finished second and third last year and folks are upset about that. Sure, it may not have been the win they wanted, but if you and your brother got second and third in the biggest race in the world, I sure as hell wouldn't be upset.


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## Ridin'Sorra (Sep 7, 2004)

JohnHenry said:


> I knew the Schlongs were leaving, but hadn't heard RS was folding for sure (fair assumption).


Oh, sorry. I meant the team is knee-deep in crap and it will be very difficult to save it and I would not be surprised if the sponsors put that team out of their misery.




spade2you said:


> No doubt that this year has been a disaster for the team. While y'all are celebrating, there's a roster of full of riders and staff who will need to find a new team or new line of work next year. With even good teams like Highroad closing up shop, this isn't a good thing.


I don't think anybody is celebrating and, personally, my gripe is that the team has been a total waste to the sponsors and, why not? spectators willing to see a good show up by this team that has all the elements to be successful in the most important race of the season.

If anything, that is a more aggravating for the team as a whole. You want teams that attract sponsors that keep riders riding. Not one that scares them away.

Now, if your sponsors are liking the drama and being on the news everyday... fair enough. I don't know about Radio Shack. But surely Nissan is not the kind of company that likes negative press.


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## durilium (Feb 12, 2012)

The sponsors have been kept in the media more than they would have been so i fail to see what they would be whinging about, team RadioSmack has been all over the internet, twitter and Facebook for the last how many weeks so please explain to me why the sponsors would be complaining about lack of exposure?.......celebrities do the same thing all the time, you don't think they go on drunken rampages just to let their hair down do you


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## jorgy (Oct 21, 2005)

Well, Frank gets race #11, indicating he's their GC man. I was wondering if it'd go to Cancellara just to punish Frank for telling the press he couldn't win.


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## sir duke (Mar 24, 2006)

den bakker said:


> funny, I don't think it was even a year ago Cav "the Chav" was considered the biggest cry baby by a large part of this forum.


Cav cried all the way to the podium last year. As I said at the time, whiners hate winners.


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## vismitananda (Jan 16, 2011)

He's just doing it worse. I still hope that Franky will give his best, to honor his injured brother.


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## AJL (Jul 9, 2009)

thechriswebb said:


> I swear that I try to like the Schlecks sometimes but this seems ridiculous to me.


Same here, except that I've just given up. This year pushed me over the edge.


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

RkFast said:


> I dont want to bust your chops here, but Im confused....you get on people who critique Schleck as "armchair quarterbacks" but then get on Cavendish, yourself and even pass judgement on what his punishment should be for a crash.
> 
> Are "armchair QBs" only those folks who critique athletes _you _ happen to like?


If you can't see the difference then you're probably going to remain confused.


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## The Weasel (Jul 20, 2006)

spade2you said:


> No, "armchair QBs" are the ones who like/dislike riders based on their personalities, as if they were personally wronged, or perhaps they fancy a man date with the cyclists they like?
> 
> I am growing more than a little tired of how everyone and their sisters are tougher than the Schlecks, especially a few that have openly admitted that they don't race. .


Every sport has an element of WWE. There's the good guy, the evil villain, and the underdog. It's just how it is whether you race or don't race bikes, or played division I college ball or never stepped foot on the field. 
And I'm tired of the 'unless you race at a pro level you're not entitled to an opinion or critique' argument.


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