# Andy Schleck?



## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

So whatever happened to Schleck? Is he even riding the tour this year? The guy is just 28 years old but basically should retire now or soon. For a guy who "won" TdF just a few years ago, that's quite a transition.

How many former TdF winners will line up for this year's tour? No Cadel?
No Schleck? No Wiggins?

So just Contador and Froome?


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## burgrat (Nov 18, 2005)

I think he's in the Tour of Luxembourg now riding in support of his brother. He is riding the Tour, but is not a favorite of course based on his riding so far. I can see him getting in the top 20 (he think he got 20th last year), but he does not seem to have the mental fortitude needed to come back to his previous levels.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Yea. He and his brother are done.


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

Who???


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

They look they are support riders and guys to throw in the break at best these days.


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## burgrat (Nov 18, 2005)

Frank S. probably has more of a chance at a stage win or any race for that matter over Andy. 
Andy's last victory was in July 2011 (18th stage, TdF). Almost 3 years ago.


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## dnice (Jul 12, 2012)

Rashadabd said:


> They look they are support riders and guys to throw in the break at best these days.


is this a joke? riders to throw in to the break? like the guys on the pro-continental teams...*shakes head*


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

dnice said:


> is this a joke? riders to throw in to the break? like the guys on the pro-continental teams...*shakes head*


No, like the guys on World Tour teams that aren't a threat to win stages or races regularly (or ever), which (gasp) is what they have pretty much become whether we like it or not. You do know that world tour teams have domestiques and support riders as well?


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## burgrat (Nov 18, 2005)

dnice said:


> is this a joke? riders to throw in to the break? like the guys on the pro-continental teams...*shakes head*


Why is it a joke? The Schlecks are no longer GC threats so they are good for getting into a break and go for a stage win. I bet that will happen in the TdF when it hits the mountains. When you're 20-30 minutes behind the lead, the GC contenders will let a guy like Andy or Frank go. It looks like they're stage hunters at this point, unless Frank finds a better gynecologist to "consult" for training plans.


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

dnice said:


> is this a joke? riders to throw in to the break? like the guys on the pro-continental teams...*shakes head*


How many races has Andy even finished in the past year?


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## jaggrin (Feb 18, 2011)

I think it's crazy that Trek goes to the TDF with either Schleck as a possible team lead. I think the organization needs a complete overhaul for grand tour strategy.


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## dnice (Jul 12, 2012)

Rashadabd said:


> No, like the guys on World Tour teams that aren't a threat to win stages or races regularly (or ever), which (gasp) is what they have pretty much become whether we like it or not. You do know that world tour teams have domestiques and support riders as well?


ok, fair point. for some reason i understood the point you were making differently when i first read it.


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

And today Andy Schleck was dropped on the climb by none other than Andre Greipel. Who won solo, attacking from the break.


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## burgrat (Nov 18, 2005)

I think Andy is at risk of not being picked for the Tour de France team. He has no results this season at all. Unless he steps up at the Tour de Suisse, I think there's a good chance he's out. 
He really has fallen from the top of the sport. He's an easy target to make fun, but I do hope he finds some form and salvages his career. I would love to see an on-form Andy climbing with Froome, Contador, and Quintana. Probably will never happen though...


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

Andy who?


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

Not all teams go into the Tour with the GC in mind, maybe Trek is now in that category of teams who will just go for stage wins... If that's the plan and they do take the Schlecks, they'll probably be free to 'try' to do good but wont go all in to support they miraculously turn their form/motivation/luck around as the Tour goes.

If Trek have an option for the GC, it's probably Kiserlovski more than a Schleck. Arredondo might become an option but he just went deep in the Giro so that might be for another year, in a climb-heavy, light on TT Tour...


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## looigi (Nov 24, 2010)

Frank crashed out of the T D Swiss yesterday with a concussion.


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

So the Schleck sisters made the tour team anyway. We should start taking bets on when they crash out or quit. I will be surprised if they make it past the cobbled stage. 

Schleck brothers and Voigt named in Trek's Tour de France team | Cyclingnews.com}


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## Guod (Jun 9, 2011)

pulser955 said:


> So the Schleck sisters made the tour team anyway. We should start taking bets on when they crash out or quit. I will be surprised if they make it past the cobbled stage.
> 
> Schleck brothers and Voigt named in Trek's Tour de France team | Cyclingnews.com}



I dunno what else to say about that. It really makes me wonder how Andy Schleck could have been a top contender a few years ago and just when he's supposed to be around the age that riders really come around to the top form of their careers, he pretty much admits defeat in any interview prior to a race.

He always sucked at the TT, but he was a legitimate threat in the mountains and seemed to have the stamina to hit them day after day. Now he hits the pavement and calls it quits or hits the mountains only to drop back with the autobus.


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## colnagoG60 (Jun 27, 2013)

I thought Andy was involved in a bad crash/injury a few months ago, or last year some time?


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

Believe it's two years ago at this point.


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## mpre53 (Oct 25, 2011)

pulser955 said:


> So the Schleck sisters made the tour team anyway. We should start taking bets on when they crash out or quit. I will be surprised if they make it past the cobbled stage.
> 
> Schleck brothers and Voigt named in Trek's Tour de France team | Cyclingnews.com}


Not sure why they had to wait so long to name Jens. He'll at least give the jersey some exposure on a breakaway or two, before he's reeled in, plus you know that Phil and Paul are gonna fawn all over him on his valedictory Tour.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

I'm mystified as to why Trek would send the Schlock Brothers to the biggest race of the year, unless it is to serve as domestiques for a Kiserlovski-led team.


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## runabike (Jun 18, 2013)

.....


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

Trek's plan for this Tour is:

1. Fabian winning stage 5 and maybe fight for other stage results, he won't need to bury himself for a teammate this year and will probably have 100% freedom.

2. The rest is just PR. Jens is popular among the fans, he'll probably do more good for the brand's image just by his popularity and being himself than any results the team can hope to get. The Schlecks can sign autographs (they still have fans apparently).

Maybe Frank can get into breaks with Bretagne-Sechée and other small teams, especially later in the race if he's so far on GC. If all stars align, he 'could' be in the top 10-15 on GC but I think he should focus on stages. Andy will be Lucky to finish.


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## juno (Jul 18, 2008)

Looks like they are riding to support Zubeldia?

How has his year been so far?


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

juno said:


> Looks like they are riding to support Zubeldia?
> 
> How has his year been so far?


Better than the Schlecks... I'm guessing.


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

only lasted 3 days. I guess if your going to quit do it before stage 5. 

Andy Schleck out of the Tour de France through injury | Cyclingnews.com


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

pulser955 said:


> only lasted 3 days. I guess if your going to quit do it before stage 5.
> 
> Andy Schleck out of the Tour de France through injury | Cyclingnews.com


classy.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

pulser955 said:


> only lasted 3 days. I guess if your going to quit do it before stage 5.
> 
> Andy Schleck out of the Tour de France through injury | Cyclingnews.com


Ugly injury....but given that he DNFs more than he finishes even on the best of days, not too surprised he's out.


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

Marc said:


> Ugly injury....but given that he DNFs more than he finishes even on the best of days, not too surprised he's out.


Its getting hard to tell if he's really injured or if he lacks the mental toughness to keep going when he's hurt.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

pulser955 said:


> Its getting hard to tell if he's really injured or if he lacks the mental toughness to keep going when he's hurt.


I believe he got caught in the crash yesterday thanks to a dumb spectator being self absorbed with their smartphone.

If it is a legit injury along the lines his DS/team says...his career may be done. Granted his career has been washed up for a while now. Although like you, I think his heart/head just isn't in it anymore and he'd DNF at an ingrown toenail.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

Everyone on RBR is tougher than both Schlecks. It's a fact.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

pulser955 said:


> Its getting hard to tell if he's really injured or if he lacks the mental toughness to keep going when he's hurt.


classier by the minute.
edited, especially by the person picking up the mountain bike if there's a bit of wind and rain.


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## Data_God (Oct 9, 2012)

spade2you said:


> Everyone on RBR is tougher than both Schlecks. It's a fact.


+1000

Most of these fools have never even crashed a bike at speed. And thus have no concept of what it's like.


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## PJay (May 28, 2004)

pulser955 said:


> So the Schleck sisters made the tour team anyway. We should start taking bets on when they crash out or quit. I will be surprised if they make it past the cobbled stage.
> 
> Schleck brothers and Voigt named in Trek's Tour de France team | Cyclingnews.com}


Man, I am glad I did not take that bet. Two days before the cobbles.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

spade2you said:


> Everyone on RBR is tougher than both Schlecks. It's a fact.





den bakker said:


> classier by the minute.
> edited, especially by the person picking up the mountain bike if there's a bit of wind and rain.





Data_God said:


> +1000
> 
> Most of these fools have never even crashed a bike at speed. And thus have no concept of what it's like.


For f*ck's sake. You're dealing with a sporting event where people who *want* to be there will knowingly not go to a doctor to confirm the broken collarbone they know they're carrying (Hincapie a few years back) and ride with it for a week just to say they finished. Or say Hoogerland's infamous barbed wire crash and continued to ride.

Enter Schleck who fell from being top TdF contender to DNFing as many races as he finishes complaining of one thing or another.



But nooooooo....no one is allowed to criticize a professional in a field they're not.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

Marc said:


> For f*ck's sake. You're dealing with a sporting event where people who *want* to be there will knowingly not go to a doctor to confirm the broken collarbone they know they're carrying (Hincapie a few years back) and ride with it for a week just to say they finished. Or say Hoogerland's infamous barbed wire crash and continued to ride.
> 
> Enter Schleck who fell from being top TdF contender to DNFing as many races as he finishes complaining of one thing or another.
> 
> ...


I feel the mental toughness oozing from your post.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

Marc said:


> I know. We all are forever unworthy to speak in the same sentence of the name of a professional racer who has the mental fortitude to do little more lately than sit in middle of the pack and eventually DNFs.


nice strawman.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

den bakker said:


> I feel the mental toughness oozing from your post.


I know. We all are forever unworthy to speak in the same sentence of the name of a professional racer who has the mental fortitude to do little more lately than sit in middle of the pack and eventually DNFs.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

Marc said:


> For f*ck's sake. You're dealing with a sporting event where people who *want* to be there will knowingly not go to a doctor to confirm the broken collarbone they know they're carrying (Hincapie a few years back) and ride with it for a week just to say they finished. Or say Hoogerland's infamous barbed wire crash and continued to ride.
> 
> Enter Schleck who fell from being top TdF contender to DNFing as many races as he finishes complaining of one thing or another.
> 
> ...


Hoogerland and Hincapie "just" finish the TdF. Schleck is/was a GC contender. Little point in him just finishing. 

Without seeing x-rays, I have no clue how serious his injury is. It's hard to recover from injury when riding a hundred miles a day with an injured knee.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

spade2you said:


> Hoogerland and Hincapie "just" finish the TdF. Schleck is/was a GC contender. Little point in him just finishing.
> 
> Without seeing x-rays, I have no clue how serious his injury is. It's hard to recover from injury when riding a hundred miles a day with an injured knee.


Like I said presuming the injury is as bad as his DS/Team says...he's done riding for at best a long while. Those trashed meniscus things, especially when a medico says "heavily damaged", take forever to heal right (year plus).

That being said, Schleck has used every excuse in the book to DNF in the last year and change. Hence the skepticism.


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

Marc said:


> Like I said presuming the injury is as bad as his DS/Team says...he's done riding for at best a long while. Those trashed meniscus things, especially when a medico says "heavily damaged", take forever to heal right (year plus).
> 
> That being said, Schleck has used every excuse in the book to DNF in the last year and change. Hence the skepticism.


**** happens. The year he crashed in an ITT, people talked tough (as always). Darned if I didn't nearly wipe out on my TT bike getting hit by a strong cross wind gust as I rode over a random patch of gravel. Had the wind caught me just right, I would have hit the pavement hard. 

I DNF'd a race this year because it was 30 degrees with a 40mph wind and raining. After a while shifting and braking were hard because I couldn't move my hands. 

I also got 2nd to last place in a time trial because I didn't manage to get over bronchitis. 

By RBR logic, I should quit. Screw that.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

spade2you said:


> **** happens. The year he crashed in an ITT, people talked tough (as always). Darned if I didn't nearly wipe out on my TT bike getting hit by a strong cross wind gust as I rode over a random patch of gravel. Had the wind caught me just right, I would have hit the pavement hard.
> 
> I DNF'd a race this year because it was 30 degrees with a 40mph wind and raining. After a while shifting and braking were hard because I couldn't move my hands.
> 
> ...


**** does indeed happen, no one is saying it doesn't.

But it is beyond suspicious when someone goes from arguably the top of the sport (winning or almost winning TDF)...to DNFing half his race calendar and finishing in no man's land in the all rest very seldom ever being able to blame a crash....ever since that peak. Either Schleck iovernight became the unluckiest and most sickly man in the world, or he's not there anymore either mentally or because his pharmacist isn't paid enough. 

That is why he gets as much **** from everyone as he does.


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

I think Andy does not have the will to win anymore.

He could indeed be seriously injured, I don't know - all we have to judge him by is his history. He never really came back to form after the broken pelvis. I don't know if it is physical or just in his head - but he just doesn't seem to have the will anymore. With his record of DNFs - what are observers to think: "Ah poor lad is having a bad day, that's okaaaaaay." or "One injury and out"?

I'm not a professional rider and thus have no right to an opinion according to some here, but as a fan then - what does Andy have to offer? DNFs - that is all.


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## foto (Feb 7, 2005)

wussbag

"We are sad to announce that Andy Schleck cannot take the start in @letour today. The ligaments and meniscus in the right knee are too severely damaged from his crash in yesterday's final. He will travel to Basel now for examination and a possible operation."


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## paredown (Oct 18, 2006)

Tough crowd here--but if you read the article, they think torn meniscus and possibly surgery--this could be a career ending injury if not taken care of. 

And it was not his fault--he went down in an incident with a spectator and another rider.

The Tour is unforgiving--today it was Greg Henderson, who I don't think anyone would accuse of not being 'tough enough'--came into that roundabout a little too hot (may have been damp too) and washed out the front wheel--and he is out of the race as well with a knee injury:

Tour de France: Lotto Belisol loses Henderson to crash | Cyclingnews.com

Andy to me has never been the same rider since the broken pelvis in the Dauphiné in 2012--I'm not sure how many people would still be racing after a crash like that (except Jens after his horrendous face plant a few years back...)

I wish him a speedy recovery and more racing--if that is what he wants


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## LostViking (Jul 18, 2008)

foto said:


> "We are sad to announce that Andy Schleck cannot take the start in @letour today. The ligaments and meniscus in the right knee are too severely damaged from his crash in yesterday's final. He will travel to Basel now for examination and a possible operation."


Sounds pretty bad. Good luck and a speedy recovery.


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## burgrat (Nov 18, 2005)

Maybe it's best he recover and take a shot at the Vuelta. I hope he can find the drive to get be in there and get some results. He definitely has the physical potential to be at or near the top in the peloton.


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## NTA (Apr 4, 2010)

Marc said:


> Yea. He and his brother are done.


Long time ago !!!


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## 55x11 (Apr 24, 2006)

I believe his injury may have been serious. But let's face it, he was not going to be a factor. I am too surprised TREK even put him on the team this year, maybe only to make his brother Frank happy, and I don't expect much from him either.
Let's not forget - Andy is just 29 years old and he was a major contender for GC just a few years ago, year after year.

Some riders may lack talent, but I believe very strongly that Schlecks (Andy, and also Frank) lack in dedication and hard work department. I used to be a big fan of Andy, but it is just frustrating to see him under-achieve and look for new excuses every time. They are an example of tremendous talent, all wasted. Are we supposed to have respect or pity for this?


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

den bakker said:


> classier by the minute.
> edited, especially by the person picking up the mountain bike if there's a bit of wind and rain.


I'm also a person that has raced mountain bikes for close to 20 years. I have had countless injures including shattered vertebra and I get back on the bike every time.


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

spade2you said:


> Hoogerland and Hincapie "just" finish the TdF. Schleck is/was a GC contender. Little point in him just finishing.
> 
> .


Why not? At least it'll show that he _can_ finish a race these days.


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

pulser955 said:


> I'm also a person that has raced mountain bikes for close to 20 years. I have had countless injures including shattered vertebra and I get back on the bike every time.


And how many TDF's did you win?


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

Marc said:


> Like I said presuming the injury is as bad as his DS/Team says...he's done riding for at best a long while. Those trashed meniscus things, especially when a medico says "heavily damaged", take forever to heal right (year plus).


What? Meniscus? That's torn cartilage. Arthroscopy, and back on the bike in two weeks. Now the ligaments, that's the serious thing.


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## rufus (Feb 3, 2004)

NJBiker72 said:


> And how many TDF's did you win?


Andy hasn't won any either.


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

rufus said:


> Andy hasn't won any either.


Well for the record he did. But even if you consider Lance the holder of all his jerseys then Schleck still has 2 seconds. Not bad.

Personally I never root for athletes to get injured.


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

spade2you said:


> Hoogerland and Hincapie "just" finish the TdF. Schleck is/was a GC contender. Little point in him just finishing.
> 
> Without seeing x-rays, I have no clue how serious his injury is. It's hard to recover from injury when riding a hundred miles a day with an injured knee.


From the outside looking in and not knowing what team management is telling him. Andy came in to this tour with questions about if he has what it takes to still be a pro. He has everything to prove. Right now more then ever cycling is what have you done for me lately sport. Teams have limited budgets and riders that can't perform don't last.


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## dwt (Apr 2, 2002)

The Schleck Bros. maybe more suited for football (World Cup) where their wimpiness could come in handy melodramatically drawing fouls after the slightest hint of contact


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## Rokh On (Oct 30, 2011)

rufus said:


> What? Meniscus? That's torn cartilage. Arthroscopy, and back on the bike in two weeks.


Maybe, maybe not. I know someone that tore his meniscus. Pretty much thought the same thing. Unfortunately it turned out the simple act of unclipping may have agitated the crap out it. End result was 5 weeks of no riding.


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