# Andy Schleck - Caution: Dauphine Spoilers



## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

just read stage 1 of the dauphine. this posts interests me:



> While Evans is congratulated by his teammate George Hincapie, the television pictures switch to Andy Schleck, soft-pedalling alongside Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) over three minutes down. The Luxembourger has a lot of work to do between now and July...


this is pretty much three divas, right? you have the brothers schleck vs JB. is andy upset frank isnt there? and teh entire kim anderson thing. there is no way this is a grand ploy like JB and armstrong used to run. they would feign illness or lack of conditioning and then LA would light up le Tour. but he never looked this "bad" this close to le Tour....


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## AdamM (Jul 9, 2008)

JB and the Schleck's = heading for a crack up soon. 

http://spapens.blogspot.nl/2012/06/radiotrouble.html



> Q: But if you lash out to your two specific leaders...
> 
> Johan interups: I didn't lash out to just those two specifically, but to all leaders. Look, for me it's really simple: a team functions when its leaders deliver results. I have said we got five or six leaders, the big names: Cancellara, Kloeden, Horner and even Fuglsang and Monfort. When the team needs to work for them in races for which they ought to be ready, and they're not or don't manage to deliver, the guys supporting them kinda feel lost. And the opposite's been proven too. When a support rider manages to ride into the leader's jersey by accident, it lifts the entire team to a higher level too. When are leaders are ready and show they are ready to deliver, it beams off of them and we function on a completely different level. So that's what we're working on at the moment
> 
> ...





> Q: But still, it's rather bold to leave Kim Anderson at home, Kim, who's a trustee of Andy's?
> 
> Johan: Bold? I think.. eh, listen.. that's a decision that's been made last December, so I don't understand why that surfaces all of a sudden in the month of April and for me it's clear too.. the year during which Andy managed his best Tour result, 2010, which he now officially won, I do assess that Kim Anderson wasn't there with Andy, 'cause of certain circumstances. So I don't think that is a problem.
> 
> ...


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## harlond (May 30, 2005)

Doesn't look good, but Andy wasn't so good in the TdS last year as I recall and came around. Still, no way he can be _tranquillo_.

Cadel, OTOH, has the hunger.


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## coop (Jun 8, 2008)

There is certainly some internal issues at "Leopard Shack". It's a good thing the route at the TDF doesn't suit the Schlecks this year.


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## AdamM (Jul 9, 2008)

I can't see Bruyneel and Schleck's making it past this years TDF. I can see Bruyneel on the phone to free agent Alberto Contador.


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## yurl (Mar 31, 2010)

weltyed said:


> there is no way this is a grand ploy like JB and armstrong used to run. they would feign illness or lack of conditioning and then LA would light up le Tour. but he never looked this "bad" this close to le Tour....


if this is some kind of grand ploy it would go down as the greatest rope-a-dope in cycling history but yeah the chances of that are inconceivably remote.


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## gordy748 (Feb 11, 2007)

Perhaps he's accepted this year's Tour course has too much emphasis on TTing so he's just given up...?


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## bmxhacksaw (Mar 26, 2008)

Andy Schleck = Chicago Cubs


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

bmxhacksaw said:


> Andy Schleck = Chicago Cubs


hey, man. wait till next year.


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## wtfbbq (Apr 5, 2012)

weltyed said:


> just read stage 1 of the dauphine. this posts interests me:


Screw Andy, Evans took the stage today in fine style. he may be kooky but it's getting more difficult to call out his tactics. He drove it the whole final kilometer while two guys sat on his wheel. Never out of sight of the peloton. To win in those circumstances takes heart, luck, and fitness.


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## Chainstay (Mar 13, 2004)

*For sure Cadel*



wtfbbq said:


> Screw Andy, Evans took the stage today in fine style. he may be kooky but it's getting more difficult to call out his tactics. He drove it the whole final kilometer while two guys sat on his wheel. Never out of sight of the peloton. To win in those circumstances takes heart, luck, and fitness.


Absolutely, Cadel's balls-to-the-wall attack is the story of the race. 

I know it's fun to bash Andy, but now him and Vino are well positioned to try some attacking racing to test themselves leading up to the tour. Welcome to the Dauphine. Not everyone comes to win.

The Wiggo-Evans-Martin battle could be fun to watch, plus a few others thrown in there.

Gutsy attack Cadel


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

Nice to see Cadel back!

Wiggins has been good all season long, hopefully he didn't overdo it and wont fade in the Tour. Cadel seems to get the form at the perfect timing... Those two should fight it out in this Dauphiné but more importantly, they look a step beyond everyone else to fight for a Tour win.

Andy? Well, even if he had a good season up to now, I don't see him winning the Tour this year but he's not inspiring to see so far, maybe he's slowly preparing for the 2013 Tour? Fabian already said he wouldn't work for the team at the Tour but would look for himself, mostly preparing for the Olympics. Will RadioShack's Tour leader be Jakob Fuglsang? He can't win but he can fight for a top 5 position maybe?

Oh and I saw Denis Menchov... I had completely forgot he even existed!


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

On the last day in Paris this year, it will be announced that Lance has bought ASO and that next year's Tour will consist entirely of HC mountain finishes.

... and Andy still won't win.


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## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

Chainstay said:


> Absolutely, Cadel's balls-to-the-wall attack is the story of the race.
> 
> I know it's fun to bash Andy, but now him and Vino are well positioned to try some attacking racing to test themselves leading up to the tour. Welcome to the Dauphine. Not everyone comes to win.
> 
> ...


I love the way that Evans sprints. 

I don't argue against the tactics that racers use to win but in a world where those who win sprint finishes usually do so by following somebody and zipping past them just before the line, it is impressive to see how Evans wins sprints. He leads out and just doesn't get caught. 

Giro d'Italia 2010 - Climb of the Poggio Civitella (5/5) - YouTube


Tour De France 2011 - Stage 4 - Last 5km - YouTube


2012 Criterium du Dauphine: Stage 1: Finish | www.cyclingfans.com


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## Patty (Feb 12, 2006)

weltyed said:


> ...a grand ploy like JB and armstrong used to run. they would feign illness or lack of conditioning and then LA would light up le Tour. but he never looked this "bad" this close to le Tour....


This JB/Armstrong grand ploy you bring up never existed. They never feigned illness or lack of conditioning before the Tour. Once, and only once, Lance feigned fatigue during a single stage. But a grand ploy involving his fitness? Never. If he felt great he and Chris Carmichael would say so. If, like after his first retirement, he knew he wasn't 100%, he would say so.


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## MG537 (Jul 25, 2006)

Remember all the hoopla of 2009 and Lance's Twitter campaign against AC? How he didn't listen, how he was still young etc. etc. etc.
Well, it turns out that no matter what happened in all those prep races leading to the 2009 TdF, Alberto handed out everyone one big can of whoopass, in the end. He was ready for the prize that really mattered.

This should be no different for AS. So he didn't perform up to standards this first half of the year. Well, the real prize for him is still a few weeks in the future. 

As for Johan and AC getting back together again, I highly doubt it. JB and LA are joined at the hip and the LA/AC relationship is damaged beyond repair. I can see AC going back with Riis and next year, with a possible Liquigas Saxo-Bank merger, having a much stronger team by his side.


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

I thought the first few stages of the Tour were in Belgium this year...oh wait...this isn't the Tour. This is a tune up race for the Tour. Don't count the chickens till they hit the first rest day of the TOUR, not Dauphine. He is racing this just like rode ToC last year. You guys were all bashing him for soft riding ToC and he seemed to do just fine. He doesn't care about winning anything but the Tour and that is quite obvious. I am sure he will attack hard on the queen stage of Dauphine just to see how the legs really are, but is there an advantage to crushing Dauphine? How long has it been since the Dauphine winner won the tour? 2003!


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## marathon marke (Nov 14, 2011)

thechriswebb said:


> I love the way that Evans sprints.
> 
> I don't argue against the tactics that racers use to win but in a world where those who win sprint finishes usually do so by following somebody and zipping past them just before the line, it is impressive to see how Evans wins sprints. He leads out and just doesn't get caught.


Isn't that the way Eddy did it?


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## Old Man (Apr 8, 2012)

spookyload said:


> I thought the first few stages of the Tour were in Belgium this year...oh wait...this isn't the Tour. This is a tune up race for the Tour. Don't count the chickens till they hit the first rest day of the TOUR, not Dauphine. He is racing this just like rode ToC last year. You guys were all bashing him for soft riding ToC and he seemed to do just fine. He doesn't care about winning anything but the Tour and that is quite obvious. I am sure he will attack hard on the queen stage of Dauphine just to see how the legs really are, but is there an advantage to crushing Dauphine? How long has it been since the Dauphine winner won the tour? 2003!


Exactly, this may have been Cadel's legs test. He may not do anything more. I do think that Andy feels frustrated. Seeking the safe confines of the bus does not seem like he is there just to pedal a bike up a hill..


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## ronbo613 (Jan 19, 2009)

The Schleck brothers, in general, don't seem too motivated to me. Even if they aren't going for the win, they could at least show their teammates something so when the team has to work for them in the TDF, they have some faith that they are willing to work as hard as they are. I mean if you are a professional bicycle rider, you should at least try to win once a year, just for the heck of it and maybe a photo op for your sponsors.


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## erj549 (Jul 26, 2008)

thechriswebb said:


> I love the way that Evans sprints.
> 
> I don't argue against the tactics that racers use to win but in a world where those who win sprint finishes usually do so by following somebody and zipping past them just before the line, it is impressive to see how Evans wins sprints. He leads out and just doesn't get caught.
> 
> ...



Nice videos. He has such a ridiculously long sprint that he just outlasts everyone who tries to come around him.


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

Cadel is strong, but the standard procedure for uphill sprint finish is to lead. Its a lot harder to come around than to pace at the front, you can hog up the fastest line, and the draft isn't as critical anymore.


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## masornia925 (Jan 14, 2011)

Makes for a good laugh!


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## PRB (Jun 15, 2002)

masornia925 said:


> Makes for a good laugh!


 I was just going to post that....it's brilliant. The part at 2:55 made me laugh so hard I had to pause the video.


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

PRB said:


> I was just going to post that....it's brilliant. The part at 2:55 made me laugh so hard I had to pause the video.


I like the part right after that, Andy's the woman on the left!


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## moskowe (Mar 14, 2011)

He lost more than a minute and a half again today. But that doesn't seem to worry him too much...


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

moskowe said:


> He lost more than a minute and a half again today. But that doesn't seem to worry him too much...


Saw that too. How does one simply turn the competitive spirit on and off like that. He looks like a guy doing a century. Say what you will about Contador, but he never sits in on races. He races to win. To preface this, I don't like Contador but do admire his competitivness.


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

Thank god he made the time cut.


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## AdamM (Jul 9, 2008)

No doubt he'll be in better form for the TDF, but I think with the amount time trialing he realizes his chances this year are slim, so he's not very motivated. Plus, as Spooky wrote Bruyneel's ideal type of rider - Armstrong and Contador are off the charts competitive at everything they do. Nobody ever accused the Schleck's of that.


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## TerminatorX91 (Mar 27, 2011)

thechriswebb said:


> I love the way that Evans sprints.
> 
> I don't argue against the tactics that racers use to win but in a world where those who win sprint finishes usually do so by following somebody and zipping past them just before the line, it is impressive to see how Evans wins sprints. He leads out and just doesn't get caught.
> 
> ...



Very impressive.


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## albert owen (Jul 7, 2008)

I keep wondering: What _is_ the point of the Schlecks? In my view they are the worst kind of competitors - they have neither sufficient fighting spirit nor any semblance of a personality - in short, a waste of space and, crucially, a waste of their considerable talent. 
I have said these things and similar several times before, it seems many that others are coming around to this point of view.

Cadel, Wiggins and virtually the whole of the Pro Peleton are far superior sportsmen, even those journeymen who never take centre stage.


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## DIRT BOY (Aug 22, 2002)

masornia925 said:


> Makes for a good laugh!


That was AWESOME!! :thumbsup:


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## Jwiffle (Mar 18, 2005)

albert owen said:


> I keep wondering: What _is_ the point of the Schlecks? In my view they are the worst kind of competitors - they have neither sufficient fighting spirit nor any semblance of a personality - in short, a waste of space and, crucially, a waste of their considerable talent.
> I have said these things and similar several times before, it seems many that others are coming around to this point of view.
> 
> Cadel, Wiggins and virtually the whole of the Pro Peleton are far superior sportsmen, even those journeymen who never take centre stage.


Well, they appear to have a fighting spirit, but for only ONE race. I, too, don't understand why they bother showing up for other races if they have absolutely no intention to actually race. Most of the other contenders are also using earlier races to gauge form and achieve fitness goals, but they also add the mindset of "As long as I'm here, I may as well win." In other words, they still treat it as a race. Also, it adds some palmares. The Schlecks keep coming up short in the TDF, but then have very few wins the rest of the year (at least, I rarely hear of them winning outside of Tour stages).


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## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

albert owen said:


> I keep wondering: What _is_ the point of the Schlecks? In my view they are the worst kind of competitors - they have neither sufficient fighting spirit nor any semblance of a personality - in short, a waste of space and, crucially, a waste of their considerable talent.
> I have said these things and similar several times before, it seems many that others are coming around to this point of view.
> 
> Cadel, Wiggins and virtually the whole of the Pro Peleton are far superior sportsmen, even those journeymen who never take centre stage.


I watched an interview with Evans given right after his victory in stage one and the interviewer, surprised that Evans went for the stage victory, asked him if he had actually entertained thoughts of winning the stage before it began, even though he wasn't really considered a favorite to win that sort of stage. He responded by saying "I'm a racer." 

I understand that athletes do what they need to train for their seasons and that sometimes they are intentionally not in superb form in certain races. However, Andy is literally lollygagging through this race and I admit that I find it a bit disagreeable. I say that as someone who is usually one of the first to counter arguments from the people who expect continuous tactic-less brawling from the athletes.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*I'm a racer*

I had a chance at winning and I took it
it worked out, I won

good on Cadel

and yes, he just outlasts those around him. In the giro you see everyone try and crack, he just kept on it

in the Tour, like Renshaw - Cav final dayit was George who set the table for victory


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## moskowe (Mar 14, 2011)

Andy Schleck Reveals He Was Treated For Knee Problems In May | Cyclingnews.com



> Andy Schleck has disclosed that knee problems have affected his form, and that he was in fact treated at a clinic in Switzerland for three days last month. So it is “not surprising” that he is behind in the Critérium du Dauphiné, he said.


It seems like he is never going to run out of excuses. Which is good for him, because I feel like he's going to need increasingly innovative ones as the weeks pass.


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

i will say i got a chance to actually watch stage one and andy didnt seem under pressure. just looked like he was out for a club ride. seems like he might be headed to the tour and use the first week to ride himself into shape. but he cant lose much time that first week. look at conti last year.

then again, i dont think anyone would put andy into the curb. 
except johan.


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

This is what a pro cycling champion used to look like. Could you ever picture Frandy doing this? Maybe Jens, but not Frandy.


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

spookyload said:


> This is what a pro cycling champion used to look like. Could you ever picture Frandy doing this? Maybe Jens, but not Frandy.


Nope. Nobody kicked ass like Bernie.


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## the mayor (Jul 8, 2004)

And things went from bad to worse today....
Hope June turns around for him....


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

I think Andy can forget his season's top goal: another 2nd in the Tour.


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## superg (May 9, 2010)

Dan Gerous said:


> I think Andy can forget his season's top goal: another 2nd in the Tour.


We'll just have to wait and see how the wind blows.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

Andy is being paid millions just to underachieve...

I want his job.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

masornia925 said:


> Makes for a good laugh!


That's rotf funny! :lol:


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## dougydee (Feb 15, 2005)

Salsa_Lover said:


> Andy is being paid millions just to underachieve...
> 
> I want his job.


and also paid not to finish races. He needs to drink a glass of cement to htfu!!


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## superg (May 9, 2010)

And now Andy has abandoned the Dauphine as well. I don't think JB will take him to the Tour.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

dougydee said:


> and also paid not to finish races. He needs to drink a glass of cement to htfu!!


Let's try something fun. Have you thrown out a car doing 30mph only wearing your undies and then have you go on 5 hour rides with a handful of Cols the next days. at race pace. You game?


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## erj549 (Jul 26, 2008)

*Best quote ever*

From Velonews about Andy's abandon today:



> Schleck had been struggling ever since being knocked to the ground by a strong gust of wind during Thursday’s stage-4 time trial in Bourg-en-Bresse.


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## Ridin'Sorra (Sep 7, 2004)

den bakker said:


> Let's try something fun. Have you thrown out a car doing 30mph only wearing your undies and then have you go on 5 hour rides with a handful of Cols the next days. at race pace. You game?


Oh, come on... he wasn't thrown off a car, he fell off this bike and that's something we have all experienced while wearing only our undies. I for sure would've wuss out and quit cycling all over one full year if I fell doing a TT but there are MANY examples on the peloton of people who just HTFU and get going.

If you'd pay me a couple hundreds of dollars a year to ride my bike and only ride my bike I'd HTFU and get going until the Team Doctor tell me "you can't ride like that, bro".

He just "pulled a Frank" because he couldn't be any less hated by his team manager than his brother.

Edit... in his defense, we could say he doesn't have to continue in the race for nothing to win being so behind and risking a worst injury facing his most important race in the year. To be fair, it would be a logical decision.

But I'm sure it would be a positive impact over the fans, his manager and his sponsors to HTFU and finish the competition. Just finish, not trying to win a lost battle. It would also send a message to his rivals that he's got the guts to keep fighting.

This one reads like "awww... Eff it, why trying?!"


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

Hahaha shclecks. Andy should just give up being a GC leader and be a climbing dom for someone with some guts, like Pierre Rolland. Yeah, he would make a great dom's dom.

He wouldn't have to think or worry, he would just have to listen to his radio and go when he is told to go.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

foto said:


> Hahaha shclecks. Andy should just give up being a GC leader and be a climbing dom for someone with some guts, like Pierre Rolland. Yeah, he would make a great dom's dom.
> 
> He wouldn't have to think or worry, he would just have to listen to his radio and go when he is told to go.


yup, only problem is he would have to renounce to the 7 figure salaries and content himself ot 5 figure ones...


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

Has he finished a race this year? He abandoned L-B-L, Tour of Romandie, and now this.


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## dougydee (Feb 15, 2005)

den bakker said:


> Let's try something fun. Have you thrown out a car doing 30mph only wearing your undies and then have you go on 5 hour rides with a handful of Cols the next days. at race pace. You game?


It's not like this is the first time he has abandoned. If this as an isolated case you'd have a point but Andy seems to have abandoned a few too many times.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

spookyload said:


> Has he finished a race this year? He abandoned L-B-L, Tour of Romandie, and now this.


Liège-Bastogne-Liège - 2012


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## Ridin'Sorra (Sep 7, 2004)

den bakker said:


> Liège-Bastogne-Liège - 2012


And it's quite an achievement for a Grand Tour racer to finish a one day race...


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

Ridin'Sorra said:


> And it's quite an achievement for a Grand Tour racer to finish a one day race...


just pointing out Spookys nonsense.


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## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

den bakker said:


> just pointing out Spookys nonsense.


Sorry, it ws Volta a Catalunya he dropped out of, not L-B-L. My "nonsense" gets confused sometimes.


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

Andy just missed Frank, that's all. Can't race without him right alongside. 

'Where is frank? I miss Frank. I can't see him".


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

*"This R2 unit has a bad motivator"*



den bakker said:


> Let's try something fun. Have you thrown out a car doing 30mph only wearing your undies and then have you go on 5 hour rides with a handful of Cols the next days. at race pace. You game?


When has Andy raced in his undies? 

(Never mind posting photo evidence, the pics of him in his Speedo were enough, don't want to see him in undies.)

And the 5 hour/cols/race pace, the point everyone is making is that Andy can do it but is too lazy to bother. Evans hit the nail on the head when he said "I'm a racer, so I race".
Andy's attitude is "The cheque cleared so I can coast".


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

albert owen said:


> I keep wondering: What _is_ the point of the Schlecks? In my view they are the worst kind of competitors - they have neither sufficient fighting spirit nor any semblance of a personality - in short, a waste of space and, crucially, a waste of their considerable talent.
> I have said these things and similar several times before, it seems many that others are coming around to this point of view.
> 
> Cadel, Wiggins and virtually the whole of the Pro Peleton are far superior sportsmen, even those journeymen who never take centre stage.


I saw this with Frank yesterday in TdS. He did go on the attack and Im sure he was gassed at the end of the stage. But when Costa showed up on his wheel, it looked like Frank didnt even make an ATTEMPT to beat him out. 

I know youre gassed at that moment, Frank, but for crissakes....at least TRY.

The Schlecks have had their moments of competitiveness. Frank at AdH and the brothers taking down Contador on that one TdF stage in 09. Classic moments of courage. But it seems they have lost their fire since then. Its still there is small doses, but NOTHING like what it was.


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

RkFast said:


> I saw this with Frank yesterday in TdS. He did go on the attack and Im sure he was gassed at the end of the stage. But when Costa showed up on his wheel, it looked like Frank didnt even make an ATTEMPT to beat him out.
> 
> I know youre gassed at that moment, Frank, but for crissakes....at least TRY.
> 
> The Schlecks have had their moments of competitiveness. Frank at AdH and the brothers taking down Contador on that one TdF stage in 09. Classic moments of courage. But it seems they have lost their fire since then. Its still there is small doses, but NOTHING like what it was.


yeah, Costa rode by him like he was standing still. I think Frank left it all on the road yesterday. IMO.


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## RkFast (Dec 11, 2004)

foto said:


> yeah, Costa rode by him like he was standing still. I think Frank left it all on the road yesterday. IMO.


Oh yes...he gave a lot. But if you watch again, when Frank finally looks back and sees Costa fly past, its a full few seconds before Frank even reacts. I generally dont like trying to get into athletes heads at moments like that, but the visual was terrible. It looks like Schleck just bailed on even attempting to win the stage.


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