Andy Schleck: lacklustre?

2

Comments

  • BarryBonds
    BarryBonds Posts: 344
    To the OP,

    Perhaos the question shouldnt be Andy letting the old radio shack boys ride away but how did the late thirties bald old radioshackers ride way?

    ITs not about the bike, theyre on the same ones.
  • zammmmo
    zammmmo Posts: 315
    see:

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/andy-sc ... -mountains

    Unless he is bluffing I cannot fathom how (other than the obvious and nefarious) he's not much cop now and likely will kick ass in one month's time. Surely form does not vary to that degree - quality should always be there to some degree.
  • Pokerface
    Pokerface Posts: 7,960
    BarryBonds wrote:
    To the OP,

    Perhaos the question shouldnt be Andy letting the old radio shack boys ride away but how did the late thirties bald old radioshackers ride way?

    ITs not about the bike, theyre on the same ones.


    Didn't Horner win some semi-hilly stage race last year also (Basque Country)? Beating some pretty good climbers in the process....

    Was his ride in the ToC really such a huge shock?
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    zammmmo wrote:
    see:

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/andy-sc ... -mountains

    Unless he is bluffing I cannot fathom how (other than the obvious and nefarious) he's not much cop now and likely will kick ass in one month's time. Surely form does not vary to that degree - quality should always be there to some degree.

    Which is why he will never get a big paycheck. He is useless to a sponsor. Only champions get bumper pay.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Arkibal
    Arkibal Posts: 850
    I wonder what Millar thinks about Andy's inconsistency...
    Millar saw from close up how Contador dominated the recent Giro d’Italia. For Millar, Contador’s consistency is a sign of his unique talent.
  • Abdoujaparov
    Abdoujaparov Posts: 642
    frenchfighter wrote:
    zammmmo wrote:
    see:

    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/andy-sc ... -mountains

    Unless he is bluffing I cannot fathom how (other than the obvious and nefarious) he's not much cop now and likely will kick ass in one month's time. Surely form does not vary to that degree - quality should always be there to some degree.

    Which is why he will never get a big paycheck. He is useless to a sponsor. Only champions get bumper pay.

    What about wiggins?

    Anyway, I am starting to get p*ssed off with andy shandying it all year for a couple of good performances.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Abdoujaparov wrote:
    Anyway, I am starting to get p*ssed off with andy shandying it all year for a couple of good performances.

    Yet, that's the reason I like him. He works hard for 5 weeks a year, rides his bike for some of the rest of the year, gets paid a lot and spends plenty of time enjoying himself. He's living my dream.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • P_Tucker
    P_Tucker Posts: 1,878
    RichN95 wrote:
    Abdoujaparov wrote:
    Anyway, I am starting to get p*ssed off with andy shandying it all year for a couple of good performances.

    Yet, that's the reason I like him. He works hard for 5 weeks a year, rides his bike for some of the rest of the year, gets paid a lot and spends plenty of time enjoying himself. He's living my dream.

    :lol: Yeah, its well known that one can be competitive in the Tour without working hard. One suspects that the real reason for AS's meandering form is related to blood extraction/transfusion or similar "preparation" issues.
  • plowmar
    plowmar Posts: 1,032
    I've been watching the ToS (close) and the Gilbert incident and I think that I agree with implied comments that the Schlecks look after each other too much and do not seem to have a plan B if things don't go as they expect.

    This in its self is a disappointment for supposedly talented riders. Do they give up too easily?

    It will be interesting to see how Contador approaches the Tour as I am sure he didn't really expect to be riding it this year.
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    RichN95 wrote:
    But he genuinely is a bit pompous at times and completely oblivious to the doping case at AC's door. I also dislike him slagging off riders for wheelsucking and not showing panache, when there's every chance that those riders are clean guys up against dopers.

    As I have already said, I like FF. But he seems a little bit naive to me.

    I don't think he's being naive. You cannot criticise someone for their opinion.

    To be fair, you can come across like a bit of a d*ck sometimes (as I am sure I do as well), which just illustrates that we all have the ability to rub our fellow forum users up the wrong way.

    Best just to state your view and leave it like that - no point in turning the forum into a war zone.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    RichN95 wrote:
    Abdoujaparov wrote:
    Anyway, I am starting to get p*ssed off with andy shandying it all year for a couple of good performances.

    Yet, that's the reason I like him. He works hard for 5 weeks a year, rides his bike for some of the rest of the year, gets paid a lot and spends plenty of time enjoying himself. He's living my dream.

    Pretty rubbish for the fans though. If everyone did that there would be no fans, no sport and these guys would have nothing.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Arkibal wrote:
    I wonder what Millar thinks about Andy's inconsistency...
    Millar saw from close up how Contador dominated the recent Giro d’Italia. For Millar, Contador’s consistency is a sign of his unique talent.

    Good. Always mentioned his consistency. Others cannot explain how he dominates everything he enters near enough from one end of the season to the next, year after year.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    One thing is for sure, when Contador said he was going to the Tour, little Andy was shaking in his fairy boots.

    Contador for the purists. Andy for the slackers. Size bid on the former, both hands offered on the latter.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • domhopson
    domhopson Posts: 259
    Arkibal wrote:
    I wonder what Millar thinks about Andy's inconsistency...
    Millar saw from close up how Contador dominated the recent Giro d’Italia. For Millar, Contador’s consistency is a sign of his unique talent.

    I read these comments by Millar a while ago but can't remember where. Can you shed any light on it please?

    Apologies for deviating off topic
  • xcmad
    xcmad Posts: 110
    For some reason Contador rubs me up the wrong way - I think its his face. And drugs from steak? Jesus. What are we - mugs?

    Go Schleck.
  • P_Tucker
    P_Tucker Posts: 1,878
    xcmad wrote:
    For some reason Contador rubs me up the wrong way - I think its his face. And drugs from steak? Jesus. What are we - mugs?

    Go Schleck.

    The fact that he's actaully racing shows that the contaminated meat story was well worth the effort of trying to hold a straight face for the last year.
  • LeicesterLad
    LeicesterLad Posts: 3,908
    xcmad wrote:
    For some reason Contador rubs me up the wrong way - I think its his face. And drugs from steak? Jesus. What are we - mugs?

    Go Schleck.

    I don't know why you would be that surprised about the possibility of the drugs in the steak, if you do a little research on clenbuterol, you will find it was in the past actively used in cattle farming to produce faster and more productive growth (of meat) on the cow. Its now a banned substance in farming, but farming can be a shady business (illegal pesticides etc still being used, farms claiming to be organic and then turns out they are churning every chemical under the sun into the produce). I am not saying Contador was clean by the way, im just stating that the possibility of clenbuterol in meat is not pie in the sky.
    http://www.twitter.com/InTheGC http://www.InTheGC.com http://www.facebook.com/intheGC
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    [/quote]

    Good. Always mentioned his consistency. Others cannot explain how he dominates everything he enters near enough from one end of the season to the next, year after year.[/quote]

    I think we can.

    DV48361_600.jpg
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    I do think Andy likes to ride into form during the tour. He lost a big packet of time in Rotterdam last year and didn't look particularly sharp till the first proper ramp a week in. Contador seems to enjoy coming in quite hot and stamping his mark early on and looks to use his early advantage to force the issue earlier. He definitely looks more comfortable defending and protecting a jersey.
    _
  • Arkibal
    Arkibal Posts: 850
    domhopson wrote:

    I read these comments by Millar a while ago but can't remember where. Can you shed any light on it please?

    Apologies for deviating off topic

    here you go
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/millar- ... stigations
  • Abdoujaparov
    Abdoujaparov Posts: 642
    Andy did well on the early cobbled stage last year - and you can't put that all down to Cancellara.

    Anyway, he'll have quite a bit of time to ride himself into form at the tour this year - wouldn't expect big time gaps among the GC contenders till this on stage 12:

    PROFIL.gif
  • ms_tree
    ms_tree Posts: 1,405
    I've quite irritated with those Schlecks in the TdeS. Pansying around looking back for each other. Bert (whatever) would have taken the race by the scruff of the neck. Pity about Cunego 'cos that was a good stage where he attacked and that descent was awesome.
    'Google can bring back a hundred thousand answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.'
    Neil Gaiman
  • zammmmo
    zammmmo Posts: 315
    Ms Tree wrote:
    I've quite irritated with those Schlecks in the TdeS. Pansying around looking back for each other. Bert (whatever) would have taken the race by the scruff of the neck. Pity about Cunego 'cos that was a good stage where he attacked and that descent was awesome.

    Exactly. It's hardly the behaviour of an elite sportsman. Infact its actually quite naive, disrespectful and immature to be concerned with your slightly weaker brother in this setting - with what is on offer he should be looking after number one and/or Frank should be sacrificing himself for Andy.
  • vision267
    vision267 Posts: 149
    french fighter wrote:
    One thing is for sure, when Contador said he was going to the Tour, little Andy was shaking in his fairy boots.

    Contador for the purists. Andy for the slackers. Size bid on the former, both hands offered on the latter.
    Andy Schleck is no where near Contador.He even managed to drop his chain when using the new shimano Di2.That's pretty hard to do,can't TT can't descend can't sprint.I think I would beat AS in a sprint,if he was in this years giro everyone would see the difference between the two.
  • phil s
    phil s Posts: 1,128
    vision267 wrote:
    He even managed to drop his chain when using the new shimano Di2.That's pretty hard to do

    At least gets your facts right.
    -- Dirk Hofman Motorhomes --
  • jerry3571
    jerry3571 Posts: 1,532
    I think both the Shreks are bit like the 2 Stooges at times and seem to crash or fumble the gears.
    The Shreks have probably got to have a bag of blood before the Tour so things will improve.
    Andy's TT was a little off the mark yesterday. I think it's Daniel Coyles book on one years of LAs TDF preparation which goes in to the neurosis of form as LA is shocked at how good a thumping Mayo gives him at the Dauphine but the tables are turned at the Tour.

    Can we please not get in to a situation of who dopes and who doesn't dope in the top flite of Pro Cycling; try riding at almost 39km/hr for 3 weeks over the lumps they've been and do it clean; impossible!
    Come on folks, let's get back to reality!

    -Jerry
    “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”- Albert Einstein

    "You can't ride the Tour de France on mineral water."
    -Jacques Anquetil
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    zammmmo wrote:
    Ms Tree wrote:
    I've quite irritated with those Schlecks in the TdeS. Pansying around looking back for each other. Bert (whatever) would have taken the race by the scruff of the neck. Pity about Cunego 'cos that was a good stage where he attacked and that descent was awesome.

    Exactly. It's hardly the behaviour of an elite sportsman. Infact its actually quite naive, disrespectful and immature to be concerned with your slightly weaker brother in this setting - with what is on offer he should be looking after number one and/or Frank should be sacrificing himself for Andy.

    Disrespectful?

    To whome?

    Bizarre post.
    _
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    phil s wrote:
    vision267 wrote:
    He even managed to drop his chain when using the new shimano Di2.That's pretty hard to do

    At least gets your facts right.
    Perhaps he was referring to TdS stage 1 rather than last year's chaingate:
    http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/75th-t ... -1/results
    FCN 2-4 "Shut up legs", Jens Voigt
    Planet-x Scott
    Rides
  • StageWinner
    StageWinner Posts: 202
    The funny thing is – despite what currently looks like poor form – I believe he'll show up at the Tour perfectly 'prepared'. We'll see a different Andy riding in just a few weeks - like some magical transformation.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    StageWinner wrote:
    The funny thing is – despite what currently looks like poor form – I believe he'll show up at the Tour perfectly 'prepared'. We'll see a different Andy riding in just a few weeks - like some magical transformation.

    So the guy who won the mountains classification in the Tour de Suisse, who finished ahead of Ryder Hesjedal,Christian Vande Velde, and Andreas Klöden is in appalling form?

    Name another GC podium candidate (Leipheimer aside - he finished 13th in the TdF last year) who finished ahead of Schleck overall? Mmm?

    I can only think of one - Frank - who he was riding for anyway.
    _

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