# Andy Schleck



## albert owen (Jul 7, 2008)

I was very impressed by Andy Schleck yesterday. He put himself on the line and attacked and won.
By starting this thread I am seeking opinions as to why. Last year when he (eventually) attacked it was a much less positive affair. At the time I think I used the word pathetic.

My theory, for what it's worth, is that without brother Frank nannying him, he has finally stepped up to the plate and that we are going to see a much more competitive Andy Schleck this time around.


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## Len J (Jan 28, 2004)

Or he is a year older and actually learned from last year.

Len


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

i dont know if it is because frank is not there to "nanny" him as much as it is he realizes that he needs to make it happen. last year i got the feeling by the time riders started attacking they had already decided that either Contador or Armstrong was gonna win, so they were going for a podium spot. This year most people believed Contador would win, but he has shown some cracks in the facade. Teams know they must jump and take advantage NOW. waiting for the third week is akin to battling for second. 



albert owen said:


> ...Last year when he (eventually) attacked it was a much less positive affair. At the time I think I used the word pathetic.
> 
> My theory, for what it's worth, is that without brother Frank nannying him, he has finally stepped up to the plate and that we are going to see a much more competitive Andy Schleck this time around.


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## Coolhand (Jul 28, 2002)

He would got more time if Gesink didn't ride so stupidly.


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## pr0230 (Jun 4, 2004)

*Its simple*

Shleck has it and Contabor does not.... Any person that rides a bike knows that when someone passes you , you have two options... Ride faster or Ride faster... If you cant then it is what it is...


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## JohnStonebarger (Jan 22, 2004)

Interesting that before the Tour there was a lot of speculation about AS's fitness. He says he's in the form of his life, and his ride yesterday would seem to support that.


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## Coolhand (Jul 28, 2002)

JohnStonebarger said:


> Interesting that before the Tour there was a lot of speculation about AS's fitness. He says he's in the form of his life, and his ride yesterday would seem to support that.


I was a bit worried after the crash that stupid Footon rider caused. He was riding with that ice pack on his hip for a bit- obviously it was too bad.


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

After stage 8, Andy has learned that he can kick Contadr. His confidence will now be much higher. Watch for him to do good things.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*I am not saying this to slag Andy*

as I am actually pulling for him
has anyone thought Contador may be riding into form to peak in that final week?
maybe he doesn't quite have it right now
maybe he will be a matador in the Pyrenees.
it's a long race
all I'm saying


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

*Good points!*



atpjunkie said:


> as I am actually pulling for him
> has anyone thought Contador may be riding into form to peak in that final week?
> maybe he doesn't quite have it right now
> maybe he will be a matador in the Pyrenees.
> ...


Both are great riders - discounting any at this stage doesn't make sense.

Andy had a good ride...plenty of mountains ahead to sort things out!


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## 56cbr600rr (Sep 24, 2009)

I believe Andy will get it this year. Riding strong!


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## ilmaestro (May 3, 2008)

albert owen said:


> I was very impressed by Andy Schleck yesterday. He put himself on the line and attacked and won.
> By starting this thread I am seeking opinions as to why. Last year when he (eventually) attacked it was a much less positive affair. At the time I think I used the word pathetic.


I remember vividly, Andy attacked Contador numerous times on one of the climbs, over and over, but Contador responded every time, then he simply road by Andy. He did attack, he just wasn't good enough last year.


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## denversean (Jun 14, 2004)

ilmaestro said:


> I remember vividly, Andy attacked Contador numerous times on one of the climbs, over and over, but Contador responded every time, then he simply road by Andy. He did attack, he just wasn't good enough last year.



Um no. You are thinking of the attacks on the Columbiere, but Contador stayed on Andy and Frank's wheel and never countered. Frank actually won the stage on the Columbiere and Andy finished Ventoux with Contador on his wheel. Contador's big win came on the Verbier 1-2 days earlier and only one rider had the legs to give chase... Andy Schleck.

I still think Contador will win this year, but all it would take is another 2:00 minutes to put Andy in Yellow for good. He surrender just 1:46 to Contador at Annecy last year (a TT where AC was somehow faster than Cancellara  ).

I'm guessing everyone has seen the Specialized commercial with Schleck and Contador. These two will be battling it out for the next decade - I'm looking forward to it.


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## thesmokingman (Dec 27, 2008)

I think this tour is wide open now and first in line for a helping is Andy. Contador is sort of at a disadvantage with Lance out, since that will put him as the sole focus. Andy really freaking needs to asorb some TT skills through osmosis from Sparticus. You would think the proximity would improve Andy to some extent...?


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## WAZCO (Sep 16, 2004)

thesmokingman said:


> IAndy really freaking needs to asorb some TT skills through osmosis from Sparticus. You would think the proximity would improve Andy to some extent...?


I think Andy will surprise everyone in the TT like Sastre did w/ Evans. AS will accumulate enough time to preserve or aclaim the yellow.


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## AJL (Jul 9, 2009)

atpjunkie said:


> as I am actually pulling for him
> has anyone thought Contador may be riding into form to peak in that final week?
> maybe he doesn't quite have it right now
> maybe he will be a matador in the Pyrenees.
> ...


Probably true, especially since Contador caught the flu just b/4 the TdF.


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

thesmokingman said:


> I think this tour is wide open now and first in line for a helping is Andy. Contador is sort of at a disadvantage with Lance out, since that will put him as the sole focus. Andy really freaking needs to asorb some TT skills through osmosis from Sparticus. You would think the proximity would improve Andy to some extent...?


Maybe he can borrow his electric bike...


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## WAZCO (Sep 16, 2004)

Coolhand said:


> He would got more time if Gesink didn't ride so stupidly.


Sorry, must have miss that one. Please elaborate?


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## RRRoubaix (Aug 27, 2008)

denversean said:


> I'm guessing everyone has seen the Specialized commercial with Schleck and Contador. These two will be battling it out for the next decade - I'm looking forward to it.


Yeah, Specialized must be eating this up!!

When Frank went down, I figured this would go one of two ways for the younger Schleck- bad because his brother and teammate wouldn't be there to support him (those two attack like they share the same brain) or better, because he wouldn't be worrying if Frank did well, wouldn't have to help Frank win a stage like last year, etc...
I guess we have our answer...


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## rubbersoul (Mar 1, 2010)

Salsa_Lover said:


> Maybe he can borrow his electric bike...


Radio shack can provide the batteries!
________
MajesticBelle live


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## OldEndicottHiway (Jul 16, 2007)

Andy's always been a fighter. But it takes an agressor to win the TdF. 

I think he might just have it this year.

Until that is...the TT.


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## AJL (Jul 9, 2009)

OldEndicottHiway said:


> Andy's always been a fighter. But it takes an agressor to win the TdF.
> 
> I think he might just have it this year.
> 
> Until that is...the TT.



He is an agressor - this is only his third TdF! He had to get used to riding the biggest GT in cycling b/4 he had the confidence to ride like he wants to.


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

Andy took 10 seconds. If he goes into the last TT with less than 3 minutes in hand he loses. Almost everyone else in the top 10 can take that kind of time out of him in a TT of that length (his result against Evans was a poor performance by Evans, not a good one by Andy). He's going to need to attack and drop his rivals at the bottom of a climb instead of the top and do it a few times to have a chance at the win.


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## dwgranda (Sep 8, 2009)

Or blowup in a spectacular fireball. Either way, it'll be fun to watch!



jd3 said:


> After stage 8, Andy has learned that he can kick Contadr. His confidence will now be much higher. Watch for him to do good things.


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## 95zpro (Mar 28, 2010)

Was it me or did it look like Conti didn't really give chase when Andy took off ? Maybe AC was sandbagging and didn't want to tip his hand until some of the later mountain stages or it could have been a preview of things to come in the mountains ? 
I'm hoping to see LA contend for a stage win; I don't think the field will allow him to get into a breakaway but I think AC wouldn't allow him the win! Still a ton of miles to go and some mountain stages which will set the tone for the 50km TT at the end. Andy will need at least 2:30 minutes on AC if he plans on winning!


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

I'm pulling for Schleck because I'm part Luxembourgian. Not many people can say that. My Mom's side of the family emigrated from Luxembourg back in the 1800s.


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## TheOcho (Jul 2, 2010)

Thats just wonderful! The more you know, the more you grow!


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## tbb001 (Oct 1, 2007)

Hopefully Andy didn't burn too many matches with all his attacks today.
It's a long Tour, and it didn't look like Contador was in difficulty at all today.


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## albert owen (Jul 7, 2008)

tbb001 said:


> Hopefully Andy didn't burn too many matches with all his attacks today.
> It's a long Tour, and it didn't look like Contador was in difficulty at all today.


Just before the summit, following Jens, Andy Schleck looked absolutely exhausted and near his limit. Alberto was also tired, but maybe not quite as tired as Andy. This is looking like a Slug Fest until one or the other falls down.

Certainly not the Andy Schleck of previous races. Bravo!


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## tecnosabba (Jan 10, 2007)

*Luxembourg*



tarwheel2 said:


> I'm pulling for Schleck because I'm part Luxembourgian. Not many people can say that. My Mom's side of the family emigrated from Luxembourg back in the 1800s.



Cool. Do you happen to know where your family came from exactly ? I'm from Luxembourg-City myself. Obviously, in a country 500,000 "strong", it's all about Andy at the moment.


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## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

> I'm part Luxembourgian.


It's _Luxembourgeois_, I think. Either way, go Andy! Can't bear the thought of another Contador win. The guy is a knob. Amazing rider, but still a knob.


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## Coolhand (Jul 28, 2002)

TheOcho said:


> Thats just wonderful! The more you know, the more you grow!


And knowing is half the battle!


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## Coolhand (Jul 28, 2002)

qatarbhoy said:


> It's _Luxembourgeois_, I think. Either way, go Andy! Can't bear the thought of another Contador win. The guy is a knob. Amazing rider, but still a knob.


Actually the way they slugged it out yesterday I would be happy with either as the winner, that was a class ride by both of them. :thumbsup:


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## rogger (Aug 19, 2005)

qatarbhoy said:


> It's _Luxembourgeois_, I think. Either way, go Andy! Can't bear the thought of another Contador win. The guy is a knob. Amazing rider, but still a knob.


What's wrong with "Lëtzebuerger"?


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

tecnosabba said:


> Cool. Do you happen to know where your family came from exactly ? I'm from Luxembourg-City myself. Obviously, in a country 500,000 "strong", it's all about Andy at the moment.


No, but I will ask my sisters. They visited Luxembourg with my mother when she was 80 years old because she always wanted to see the old country. They had a great time.

Who knows ... maybe we are related. Her maiden name was Mootz, but I don't know if that was the name of her relatives who emigrated from Lux. This was several generations back.


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## campyhag (Feb 4, 2004)

atpjunkie said:


> as I am actually pulling for him
> has anyone thought Contador may be riding into form to peak in that final week?
> maybe he doesn't quite have it right now
> maybe he will be a matador in the Pyrenees.
> ...



+1, thought that too, Contador says one of his biggest strengths is his ability to recover. Andy needs 3 more minutes, he should have put more tim into A.C. when he had him on the ropes.


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## tecnosabba (Jan 10, 2007)

tarwheel2 said:


> No, but I will ask my sisters. They visited Luxembourg with my mother when she was 80 years old because she always wanted to see the old country. They had a great time.
> 
> Who knows ... maybe we are related. Her maiden name was Mootz, but I don't know if that was the name of her relatives who emigrated from Lux. This was several generations back.




I'm afraid we are not. I'm Italian, actually, but was born here quite some time ago, and have always lived here save for my college time.

This might be of interest to you and your family : http://jolifanta.wordpress.com/2007/10/25/luxembourg-usa-the-movie/.

If you happen to be in Lux in the near or even (very) distant future, and feel like having a ride 'round the country, you can PM me, I'll be glad to show you around.

BTW, for all those interested:

In Luxembourgish, the contry's Name is "Lëtzebuerg", a "Lëtzebuerger" is the citizen of Luxembourg.

"Luxembourgeois" is French and means either Luxembourgian (noun or adjective) or Luxembourgish (the language).


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## MattSoutherden (Jun 24, 2009)

Much as I like Andy as a rider, I'm still not sure that AC won't blitz everyone on the Tourmalet finish before consolidating in the TT.

There are a bunch of other hard days before that, and ACs recovery with day after day of hard stages is IMHO what will give him the edge.

St. 12 into Mende tomorrow features the same finish climb that AC won in Paris-Nice earlier this year, we may see small time gaps in the GC group, but only 10-20 seconds. This looks like a breakaway stage win to me.

St. 13 looks like a dull stage for a weekend TV audience. 

The following 3 stages are really going to smash the top 10 time gaps to pieces.

St. 14's final climb to Ax-3 isn't that bad, but given the really nasty HC Port de Pailhères that leads into it, the GC group could already be shattered.

St. 15 isn't a mountain finish, and the HC Port de Balès is the only big test. But the stage is pretty hard up until then, and the Balès is steep, especially towards the top. Allied to that, the 20k descent into Bagnères-de-Luchon is fast and technical down to the line, with no let up for a group to chase back on.

St. 16 could go either way, I can see it being an amble into Pau for the GC group, or complete carnage. A day with 4 big name climbs. If one of the GC teams starts to ride hard and split the group on the Aspin, we could see huge gaps by the time the first guys crest the Aubisque. And they'd need it to make it worthwhile, as there's a long road into Pau for a chase to form and come back at them.

St. 17 will be insane. By this point everyone will be barely able to get on the bike, and given the 'rest day roulette', there will be lots of worried riders at the start.

My training plan for the next week may need some, errr, tweaking...


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