Article about Andy + Frank talking about his marriage

Article about Andy:
http://www.wort.lu/wort/web/sport/%20artikel/%2059394/moechte-die-tour-de-france-einmal-gewinnen.php (German).This article appeared on Luxembourg Wort's website and a big part of it is a repetition of what Andy already said to Le Quotidien.Here are the "new" parts:
Andy talking about boot camps: "Taking part in a boot camp is always very interesting.You never know what to expect.Bjarne and Co.always find something new for us.You learn how to push yourself over your limits and how to go over them.Team spirit and unity become stronger during these camps,since you can't get over the camp's proofs if you and the other guys don't work as a team.During these camps you can also see someone's leadership skills in a very fast way".

Andy about 2006 boot camp: "It's the 6th year in a row that I take part in one of these camps.In 2006 we were in South Africa and my roommate was Bobby Julich.The evening before of the beginning of the camp we decided to watch a film because we thought that we would have been woken up shortly past midnight.At about 2 am we saw a man wearing a military uniform come to our room's door,therefore we began to get prepared in order to be ready when they called us for the beginning of the camp. Unfortunately we waited for someone to come and wake us up until 6 am.Bobby and I didn't sleep at all that night,therefore we were terribly tired even before of the camp's true beginning.However I don't make this kind of mistakes anymore...".

Andy's plans for the December month: 10th of December:Sportive Press Association Gala.After that he will go skiing for few days.

Andy about Contador:"Alberto is a simple guy,with both feet down on Earth.You can laugh a lot when you're with him,he's a nice guy and we get on very well. Unfortunately he's also a very strong rider,perhaps the greatest talent of the last 10 years.It's a pity that I've had to come across him during my career.Anyway,he's not unbeatable".
Andy about the Tour: "I want to win the Tour at least once in my career.I will try everything in order to make this dream come true.I still have to improve in the TTs,but I'm working hard on that and I keep on improving.The Tour is special also because of the unity that it race creates inside a team,since during it you live together with your teammates and you suffer with them for 3 weeks.This year I was really sad when the Tour was over.On the penultimate day I really had to fight with my emotions.For 3 weeks you just think about the cool beer that you'll drink as soon as you arrive in Paris,on the Champs Elysées.Then the last day comes and you're overflown by sadness".
About the Tour of Flanders:"I'd like to run the Tour of Flanders (4th of April) next year,but the big problem is the race's collocation in the calendar.In fact the Tour of the Basque Country,which is the best preparation you can have if you want to have a very good form for the Ardenne's classics,begins just one day after the Flanders".
Random off topic du interview: When he's in top form and isn't moving,Andy's heart beats 28 times pro minute.

Article About Frank:

http://www.sporten.dk/ovrig-cykling/pa-knae-i-badeshorts (Dansk).With a little help from my friend Google Translater I've tried to translate this article,here's the (hopefully good) result:

Frank Schleck has a big smile on his face.After all,he has lots of reasons to smile.Although it wasn't planned and he was wearing a swimsuit and a pair of swimming slippers,he proposed to Martine-the girl who has been his girlfriend for the last 9 years-and she said "yes".

"It was fantastic",Frank said."Andy knew of my will to propose to Martine and we talked about it during the whole travel to Curaçao.Andy suggested me waiting until the closing ceremony,but the right moment actually came during the opening party.We had just finished to swim and we were looking at fireworks.Andy came up to me,poked me in the ribs and told me that it was the right moment. I just got on my knee,in swimsuits,and made my proposal.Luckily Martine said yes",Frank said.

The marriage day hasn't been decided yet,but it will be after 2010 Tour de France.Therefore Martine has over half a year to organise the party,since Frank doesn't want to take part in the wedding organisation."I said to her: 'I will marry you,but you'll have to organise the wedding.I don't want to hear anything about it,it's up to you to organise a nice big party and to invite all the guests",Frank said.He knows it may be an expensive experience."But I pay to get rid of the problems",he laughs.

Although Martine had wanted to marry Frank for years,the older of the Schleck brothers had said that wedding wasn't for him for lots of years.Now however he's changed his mind."Martine is the perfect girl for me,she knows me very well and she always helps me.No one can change my mind about my decision of marrying her",said Frank.

(pic by Serge Waldbillig)

Andy: "I'm already focused on the Tour"

Here's the translation of an article about the Schleck brothers taken from Le Quotidien (link: http://lequotidien.editpress.lu/les-sports/6571.html ).I've translated it from French to English and,since I know French even less than Russian (I am not joking),you should read the translation made by myself just if you know French as bad as me.Otherwise,you'd better read the original French article.

In the case your French is as bad as mine,here's the translation (and don't get too angry if something doesn't make sense!!):

ANDY SCHLECK:"I'M ALREADY FOCUSED ON THE TOUR"
His victory in Liége-Bastogne-Liége.His relationship with Frank and their common future.His ambitions.His winter training.Alberto Contador.Andy Schleck doesn't hide anything in an interview with Denis Bastien.

We could,or should,have begun our interview with Andy Schleck with this question: how do you feel at the end of 2009 year?

Instead Andy made us wait few minutes before of telling us how he feels about the end of this season and about the new year approaching.And the answer to the question is that,at the end of 2009,Andy Schleck feels very good."I've never,never felt so well before in this period.I had the best holiday ever in Curaçao,together with my brother and my mother.Too bad that my father didn't come! Now I'm really looking forward to meeting again my teammates.Really,I think I've never been so motivated before..."
Andy,you stopped your season in September with the Mendrisio Worlds.Have you had the time in the last two months to enjoy the results you've reached this year?
"The Liége's victory made a dream of mine come true.I didn't realise immediately what I had done,although I was aware of the importance of that race.In my opinion,the Liége is even more beautiful than the Paris-Roubaix and I knew I could win it.I got to know that it had been a long time since a rider last won it with an attack in the final kms just after the race.That made me feel proud of what I've done.I think I made something big.One day,during the Tour,Lance Armstrong said to me:"I'd never seen a rider win that classic as you did".I liked that compliment,yes,I was pretty proud...
And then July came,together with the Tour de France.Your second placement in the GC,Frank's 5th one...
To me,the best moment of the race was Frank's victory in Grand Bornard.That stage,it was a family thing,a very big one,really.We were really motivated also because of Voigt's crash the previous day.
What was,in your opinion,the best souvenir from the 2009 Tour de France?
It may sound strange,but to me it was a moment on the Mont Ventoux top.At a certain point, right after the stage,while I was on the podium,I looked at the blue sky,that was very beautiful on that day.There weren't many people around,so I started to think.I will always remember that moment.It was the day before of the Paris stage,there was this wonderful blue sky and I realised that the Tour was nearly over.I was incredibly happy,I think often about that moment...
The last TdF has increased your popularity,that was already very big.How do you see this fact?
I feel a great pride for me,for my family and for my country.For example,the other day I was in Germany.Someone told me: "Luxembourg? The country of cyclists?".Some time ago,people used to match Luxembourg with Banks.Now people match Luxembourg with Cycling.I'm proud of having given a contribute to this.And it's true that this happened because of the Tour, the biggest race of the world.And the Tour also allows me to get my salary,I'm aware of it and I really can't complain.
That's what people call "Notoriety"...
Yes,but I also know that all this could stop very fast.Cycling is a dangerous sport.You can fall,you can get hurt...Just think about that young Italian rider that died while training (NDR;the Italian junior champion,Anthony Orsani,died on Sunday after having a bad accident with a car while training).Everyday,while you race,you play with your life.Sometimes you think about it.If you fall and have a serious crash,then your life can go back to zero.But luckily,training here in Luxembourg is pretty safe.It's a kind of paradise if you want to train without risks.
Talking about the 2009 season,do you regret what happened during the Vuelta and during the Worlds?
After the Tour,I felt in a great form and I did some criteriums.Then,all of a sudden,I started to feel the fatigue.An enormous fatigue.For one week,I just didn't want to talk about cycling or to hear someone talk about it.I was fed up.Even watching a race on television was unbearable to me.Then I take up training again to take part in the Vuelta.Frank told me:"We're racing the Vuelta and then the Worlds".And so I trained very well and went at the departure of the race.
Then you decided to retire...

Yes,the night before of a stage (NDR;Andy left the race during the 8th stage) I suffered from gastrititis,so I decided to go home.At home I trained again,but in my mind everything was already over.I had the desire of going fishing or going out walking with my dogs.And the Worlds were a disaster for me.So I decided not to race the last races of the season.I told Riis and Andersen: "I stop here.If I want to have a good 2010 season,I have to rest a while".
What's the result of this choice?
I can say that the decision of stopping racing was really good,I'd never trained this way before.After the holidays,I made lots of different things.On Friday,Frank and I trained for 6 hours! It was the first time I trained so much.We're also doing some weight training,some swimming and of course we're riding our bikes.That's good to have a good basis.I really want to go back racing,to meet the boys again (NDR;the first team meeting is on Saturday with the traditional boot camp.After a week of boot camp the riders will train for a week.Before of that,the Schleck brothers will be in Denmark for a sponsor event).
You're really impatient!
I'm really happy,that's true.I'm varying my training.I'm also going to ski for 4 days! I rememver that in 2007,before of my first Giro d'Italia,I went skiing for a week between the Paris-Nice and the Criterium International...
Let's say that you've found again the pleasure of riding your bike again...
I'm training without stress in these days and so I'm having a lot of fun.In this period I usually ride in the woods on a Specialized Cyclocross bike.That bike is a little jewel!
Talking about the 2010 season,your team seems a bit weaker...What do you think about it?
I don't think that we'll have a weaker team.Not for the Grand Tours,at least.Karsten Kroon was a precious rider for the Classics,but with a guy like Jakob Fuglsang we'll be very strong anyway.Last year for example he worked in a great way during the Liége.
Also Kurt-Asle Arvesen has changed team.
Yes,he's changed team as well,but he'll always remain a friend of mine.And the same worths for Karsten.They've changed team,that's life.We remain friends.One day,I may run for another team as well.It's normal when you're a cyclist.
Your contract ends in 2010 and so all the best teams of the World would love you to race for them.It seems that Radioshack is really interested in you...
Talking about my future,one thing is clear and sure,I'll never go in a team without Frank! My future will always be chained with his.It will be a "two guys package" or nothing,even if this will involve earning less money.But at the moment I don't have any problem with Saxo Bank,I'm happy to ride in this team.I'm really happy at the idea of seeing all my teammates again,this idea makes me feel good.
How has your behaviour towards your teammates changed during these years?
I've been a pro for 6 years now.I'll always remember the chances that Riis gave me when I was younger and I'll always be thankul for this.Talking about my relationship with the other team riders,I like it when the new pros come and ask for advice.For example,sometimes the new riders want to oganise their training programme basing themselves on my own programme,but I always suggests them not doing so.I tell them to do their own programme,thinking about their own skills,that's how they can improve step by step.

It seems that you have a great control not just during the races but also during the trainings...

I've got experience,but I'm still too nervous during the races.I'll never thank Frank enough for the guide role he has towards me.During the decisive moments,he can always read the race very well.He tells me to pay attention to this or to that.I'm sure that,without him,I would have never came in 2nd in a Tour de France.

Talking about Frank:he's recently said that you've made a deal.You win the Amstel Gold Race,he wins the Liége.Do you agree with him?

Absolutely,this would be amazing for us.Of course we can't know in advance how the races will end up,but I'd love to win the Amstel,while Frank instead has everything it takes to win a Liége. However,it will be important to take part in the Liége at 100% of form.That's why it could be too dangerous for us to race the Tour of Flanders.In the next years,we may race it...
After the Classics you'll have your second seasonal goal,the Tour de France.

The Tour,I'm already focused on it! To win the Tour,since it's my main goal,I think I still need to improve in the TTs.In this period I'm working on my legs,on my arms and my back in order to get better in the TTs,even if I don't want to take on too much weight.Anyway,I think that I've already got better in the last years and that I may keep on improving.

Will Contador become even stronger in the next years?

The main goal of my career is to win the Tour,that's clear.And right now,Contador is stronger than me.I would have preferred not to come across him in my career,I would have preferred it if he had raced 10 years ago! He's got a great,great talent.Perhaps he's even stronger than Lance Armstrong.

How can you beat him?

Sometimes he shows some weaknesses,just like he did in the Paris-Nice.Therefore he's not unbeatable.But to beat him,we really must do everything in a perfect way.Anyway,I do what can be done.If I I give my best and I can't win,I'll be happy anyway,since I'll have given my best to try and win the Tour.And if I don't even make it to the podium,I won't die because of it.For the moment,the big favourite of the race is Contador.

Will Contador's team be his weak point next July?

No,since in 2010 there isn't any TTT at the Tour.If there had been one,then yes,the team could have been a weak point for Contador.In the next Tour,he'll probably have 2-3 good grimpeurs in his team to help him in the mountain stages,but his problem will be the cobblestones.In the 3rd from Wanze to Arenberg he may suffer,while Frank and I will be able to count on cobblestones specialists like Fabian,Stuart and Matti (Cancellara,O'Grady and Breschel).If there's a way to crate problems to Contador,we'll do it.Therefore we will train a lot and make a recognition of that stage.

NB: A Beautiful Freak left a link to her blog under one of my previous post.Since it is a very interesting one,I give you the link also here: http://mahoela.blogspot.com/

A look back on 2007: an interview with Frank Schleck about his brother Andy:

Since it seems that I won't get any interesting news at least until the 30th of November 2009 (the day on which Team Saxo Bank's boot camp begins),I've decided to post a very old interview with Frank Schleck.This interview was made by the Italian journalist Paolo Broggi (and saved on a hard disk by me) in June 2007,when me couldn't know that the 2007 Giro and the rider who came 2nd in it would have had all this influence on me.You won't believe it,but until 2007 I was a pretty normal girl.For example,in 2007 I wouldn't have been terribly shocked if I had found out that my best friend didn't know what colour the Tour de France leader jersey was (thing that I found out last month and that left me terribly shocked).And in 2007 I would have never asked my parents to bring me to see the final Giro stage as Christmas present (thing that I did yesterday).Anyway,back to the interview: it is old,it's true,but I find it pretty interesting.Of course some things have changed also for the Schleck brothers in the last 2 years (Frank has got a girlfriend and doesn't live with his parents anymore),but I hope you'll enjoy it anyway.

FRANK SCHLECK: MY BROTHER ANDY:
The "Giro revelation" title completely belongs to this tall and thin (186 cm for 66 kgs) Luxembourgish boy with a childish face.
Andy Schleck is just 21 year old and has finished his first Grand Tour with the white jersey on his shoulders:he's the best young rider.
To find out more about this young rider,we asked for help to the person that knows him better than anyone else,his brother Frank.That,by the way,is a very good cyclist as well: born in 1980, last year he won the Amstel Gold Race and the Alpe d'Huez stage at the Tour and this year he came in 3rd in the Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
Every day,during the first part of the Giro,Frank Schleck turned the tv at his home in Mondorf-le-Bains on in order to watch the Corsa Rosa with his parents.Everyday,during the second part of the Giro,he ran in his hotel after trying the Tour de France climbs or racing in Germany because he didn't want to miss his brother's race.
"No,it wasn't a surprise to me.I knew that Andy would have raced an incredible Giro d'Italia, even if this was his first Grand Tour.I saw him improving in a great way already during the Classics.In the Amstel he rode pretty well,then he improved of 25% in the Fleche,then he improved again in the Liege,that he raced in a great way and in which he sacrificed himself for me.And then he finally reached his top form after the Tour of Romandie.I believe he raced a great Giro,showing that he's never afraid of attacking.This means he's a true champion".
JOURNALIST: Do you and Andy train together?
FS: "Yes,we always train together.We work in a very intense way,we motivate each other and we also help each other when we have problems.And we really train hard,so hard that no one in Luxembourg wants to train with us anymore.But perhaps it's better this way,because this has made us become even more united".
J: Therefore you're more than brothers...
FS: "Yes,we are definitely more than brothers.We are great friends,we know each other very well,we know what the other needs,we're always together.I consider it a big advantadge to be able to train with Andy.
J: Was your father the one that made you love cycling?
FS: "My father was a pro rider,he was one of Luis Ocaña's helpers in the Bic Team and he also rode with Mercx and Anquetil,therefore we started to love cycling also because of him.Anyway nobody ever forced us to race and for many years we considered cycling as a simple way to have fun.I started racing when I was 13,Andy started when he was 11.
J: Did you win a lot of races when you were younger?
"Yes,and Andy won more than me.If my memory doesn't fail me,Andy won the Luxembourgish national title in every category he ran in.He kept on winning also when I came to Italy,in Enrico Zanardo's De Nardi Team.I stayed there 2 years and to me that was a very hard period. Btw,those 2 years really gave me a lot: I like Italy because of the passion that Italian people have for cycling.Our sport needs countries like Italy,with appasionate and expert tifosi.
J: Did you and Andy speak often during the Giro?
FS: "Often? Very often! We used to talk to each other on the phone twice in the morning,before of the stage,and 2-3 times in the evening.We always talk about everything:about the races,about trainings,about life and about our friends.Even outside of the cycling world we are always together,therefore we always have lots of things to talk about.
J: What are your hobbies?
FS "We like going hunting or fishing in the woods near our village.We're two normal guys with both feet down on Earth.We still live at our parents' house and we like simple things.
J: Do you give Andy lots of advice?
FS: "Sometimes I give him some advice,after all I'm more experienced than him,but at the end it's always Andy that decides.Every single person has to find their way and Andy found his very soon.
J: But are there any difference between he and you?
FS: "Yes,for example he likes chips,but I love pasta.I learned it from you Italians".
J: And from the "cyclistic" point of view,what are the differences between you and your brother?
FS: "I used to think I was better than him as a climber,but after the Giro...well,after the Giro I had to change my mind.During this year Liége,I was with Rebellin,Boogerd and other strong riders and on the Redoute Andy attacked.Man,everyone tried to recuperate because they thought that I had attacked and it took them more than some seconds to realise how things were actually going".
J: When will we see you racing together in a Grand Tour?
FS "Perhaps next year.We'll surely be a great couple.Andy and I,together at the Giro? It will be difficult.If the April Classics are a seasonal goal for you,just like they are for me,you can't race them and then run the Giro in May: you need a rest period after the April rces.If the Giro was in September,it would be easier to see us racing together in it".
J: Have you got a girlfriend?
FS: "Andy hasn't.Me...Well,let's say I'm free.
J: Last question to Frank Schleck: this time the question regards just you.What are your goals for this year's Tour?
FS: "My goal is a place in the Top 10,hopefully with a stage win".

Vids with the Schlecks,little news about Frank,2015 Championships and random links about Horrillo and CA Sorensen:

I've been incredibly busy in this period and this is the first time I can find a few minutes to write a post about what's going on in Cycledom,so here it is.
First of all: the Schleck brothers stuff.The little news about Frank is that he has confirmed to Luxembourg Wort that he proposed to Martine in Curaçao (original link: http://www.wort.lu/wort/web/sport/artikel/57486/wir-haben-uns-verlobt.php )."I actually wanted to tell this to my father",Frank said,"but a journalist couldn't keep the news for himself and so people got to know about my proposal in a very fast way,faster than I would have liked to.Anyway it's true,Martine and I are getting married". No words were said about the rumours regarding a possible "baby Schleck" coming soon.
Still talking about Frank:here' a vid that was made at the Velomania presentation in which you can see him playing with some kids: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fptc-qXe88 .
On http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJTpqRbar-g instead you can see Andy's visit to the redaction of the Spanish magazine "Ciclismo A Fondo" and a part of his challenge against Burry Stander.
Instead if you enjoy watching the usual tribute vids that are often dedicated to Andy,that's the right vid for you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt5koJK8VdY .

Anyway,the most important newsdu jour connected with Cycledom,at least IMO,is that the city where I live wants to host the 2015 Cycling World Championships.

Of course I'm very happy for this news and really hope that my city will be chosen.Ok,I know I'm not impartial at all when I talk about this topic,but I think lots of people will agree with me when I say that a race lap around the city of Bergamo would be nice not just from the "landscape" point of view but,more important,it would be very nice also from the cyclistic point of view.In Bergamo there are some very hard climbs (just think about the Boccole one),so I think that a Worlds race in Bergamo would be very nice for the supporters and hard for the riders.

Of course,as I already said,I'm writing these lines in a very impartial way,but I'd love my city to host the Worlds also because in 2015,if everything goes well,I'll have a degree and perhaps I could even manage to find a temporary job in the Worlds period (according to my plans for the future,in 2015 I should be able to speak 6 languages,so I could work as a translater somewhere). Anyway Logic believes it's better to stop talking about this topic now,otherwise Fangirl will be too disappointed if Bergamo doesn't turn out to be the winning city.In fact,although the winner of the "Worlds city competition" will be known in about 1 year time,Fangirl's already trying to imagine what would happen if she was employed as a translater in the Luxembourgish or Danish hotel...

Other news (that will probably interest you much more than the one about Bergamo): Cancellara will receive the silver medal for the Beijing Olympic Games RR after Rebellin's positivity for CERA.The bronze medal will go to the other Saxo Banker Alexander Kolobnev. Unlucky Andy,who got 5th in the race,is now 4th,but according to Logic he will be consolated by the attribution of the 2009 Fleche Wallonne victory.

Link regarding Pedro Horrillo: http://www.gara.net/paperezkoa/20091116/166878/es/De-todo-intento-sacar-positivo-experiencia-ha-enriquecido .On this link there is a long interview with Pedro Horrillo,the Spanish rider who had a very bad crash during the Bergamo stage of the 2009 Giro.Talking about a possible comeback,Horrillo said: "Even being able to ride my bike again is a great thing to me,since cycling is my job and my passion.My team (Rabobank) has offered me the chance to renew my contract,but (...) I prefer to see if I can reach a decent level before of coming back racing again,since I don't want to come back racing if I'm not at a decent niveau.Btw I'm getting better and I believe I'll manage to reach this level.If I can reach it,it will be wonderful.Otherwise,it will be hard,but...(...) For the team,my comeback has a big emotive meaning,but I still don't know if I'll be able to come back.I don't want to become obsessed with it.I prefer to take things step by step and,if I decide to give up racing,it will be because I really can't go on and it won't be a trauma.(...) And if I continue,I know it won't be easy,especially at the beginning,but I can always decide to give up if I notice that I'm suffering too much.I'll talk with the team about this,I want to be clear".Of course me really hopes that Pedro will be able to come back racing again.Good luck!

Last news: you've probably already heard the news regarding CA's missed anti-doping warning. Chris yesterday updated his blog and wrote:"I talked about my missed anti-doping test in my book not because I want to criticize the Danish Anti-Doping service.In fact I believe that they do a good and necessary job,but I really do hope that one day there will be so much confidence in cycling that the whereabouts-rules will become less strict.As I often say,I don't have anything against the anti-doping system and I give my disponibility to make as much tests as they want.I talked about what happened in July just because I wanted to give people an insight of how the anti-doping system works.It isn't easy to update the whereabouts data very often and I hope that people have realised this.However,I am pleased with the feedback I have received,lots of people have been positive to me and this means a lot to me".
Chris missed an anti-doping test this July,two days after the end of the Tour de France.In fact the evening of the last stage of the French race he flew back to Denmark and the following day he rode a race in Kjellerup.On that evening he and some friends had a party and so the young Danish rider decided to spend the night in Kjellerup and not at his parents' house.Little problem,the Anti-Doping guys went to control Chris at his parents house the following morning and couldn't find him,so he received that warning.
Of course when Fangirl firstly read the headline of the news ("Chris Anker Sorensen receives a warning for missed doping control"),she immediately went "WTF has happened?" but,as soon as she read the article,she could understand that there was nothing to worry about.In fact I believe that Chris just wanted to talk about how strict he anti-doping rules are and not create a scandal or something similar (the evil part of me thinks that it's also a way to sell the book better,but Fangirl immediately cancelled this possible reason from my mind).
Btw,a little question remains: why do the anti-doping guys have to control a rider on his first bike-free day after 3 weeks of races? And then,why do they have to control him in the morning? I don't have anything against the anti-doping guys,but I can't find any answer to this question (sadism isn't a reason,right?).

And now that I remember,there's another question to which I can't find any answer and it is:if Chris Anker Sorensen isn't blonde and hasn't got blue eyes,how can you dear Cyclingnews boys still get confused between the 2 Sorensens (Chris and Nicki) and publish pics of Nicki instead of the ones of Chris and viceversa? I really have no clue about this.I can understand people who get confused between Frank and Andy Schleck (after all,they are very similar to one another),but getting confused between Chris and Nicki Sorensen,well,I guess it's a bit like confusing HGS and Ballan.

Presentation of the "Velomania" book and Sastre's reply to Andy:

NB: I already wrote a post about Sastre's reply to Andy and about the Velomania book,but then I decided to modify it because I managed to find more info about the Velomania presentation.Of course there is also another reason for which I modified this post,which isn't the fact that I'm listening to David Bowie's "Changes" in this exact moment,but the fact that I wrote the original post yesterday evening at 10.30 pm, fter a long day spent studying and cursing René Descartes,so me wasn't totally ok at the moment of writing and therefore lots of the things I wrote didnt' make a lot of sense.Anyway,here's the modified version of yesterday's post:

PART ONE:SASTRE'S REPLY TO ANDY:
Do you remember what Andy Schleck said about Carlos Sastre in an interview with El Paìs few weeks ago ("I never understood what Carlos' problem was.He won the Tour in 2008 and everyone who saw the race on the television and knows a bit about cycling understood how we sacrificed ourselves for him.Then he went to talk to the press and said things that didn't make sense,for example he said that we weren't working for him...We were working at 100% for him,we were completely there for him! He's got a problem with his head!")? Well,Carlos has recently replied to the young Luxembourgish rider by saying: "A los niños hay que educarlos, pero que me eduque un niño a mí no es lógico.Lo que digan me da igual (source: http://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/2009/11/13/ciclismo/1258141881.html ).Translation: "People have to educate the children,but it's not logical that a child (ndr;Andy) tries to educate me.Btw,I don't care about what people say".

The problems between the Schlecks and Carlos officially began after the Alpe d'Huez stage at the Tour de France 2008.Sastre won that stage and managed to get the yellow jersey by attacking at the beginning of the Alpe d'Huez.He took the jersey from Frank Schleck,who had got it in the Prato Nevoso stage and that didn't try to keep the jersey in any way (the same worths for Andy,who finally came in 3rd in that stage).
The disagreements between Carlos and the Schleck brothers began after the Tour,when Carlos told the Spanish press about "problems" between him and the Csc Team.Some people,hearing about that,started to think that the real problem that Carlos had wasn't with Csc Team,but with Bjarne Riis and with the Schleck brothers too much,and someone thinks that this is the main reason for which Sastre said "Goodbye Csc" at the end of 2008.
Anyway,let's hope that this "words battle" between Andy and Carlos won't continue in the next days,since I think it's useless to talk about these things more than a year after the 2008 Tour.

PRESENTATION OF THE VELOMANIA BOOK:

Reading the headline of this post,you may have asked: what is "Velomania"? And has it anything to do with the Schleck brothers?
The answer is: yes,"Velomania" has a lot to do with the Schleck brothers.In fact it is a book (written by Lucien Gretsch and containing lots of Serge Waldbillig's pics) that talks about the Luxembourgish cyclistic year 2009.That's why yesterday afternoon the 2 brothers were at the book's presentation in Bereldingen.Together with Andy and Frank there was also Kimmy Kirchen,since he is the other main protagonist of the book.Yesterday's event had a big success and lots of people went to meet the 3 Luxembourgish cyclists.
"It's unbelievable to think about the cycling hysteria that has recently developed here in Luxembourg.It is quite hard to describe the feeling you get when you see Luxembourgish supporters at the side of the roads,ready to support you,during the whole year and in almost every country we've raced in.These people are part of our motivation and they often sacrifice a lot of their free time to support us.Therefore it's normal that we want to take part in this kind of events,it's a way to thank the fans for their support" said Frank.
Talking about the book,the elder of the brothers said:"The book is really well done.If you look at the photos,you start to remember things about the races and about the emotions you had during them.That's fun".
Of course the book talks also about other Luxembourgian riders and isn't totally focused on the Schleck brothers and on Kim Kirchen.

PS: The money that the riders will earn from the book will be destined to a charity organization. If you want to see some pics from yesterday's event, here's the link: http://www.wort.lu/%20wort/web/sport/artikel/56703/drei-stars-ohne-allueren.php .
On http://www.editions.lu/. instead you can get information about the book.

(Pic 1 by Getty Images;pics 2 and 3 by Marc Wilmert-the 2 people that you probably don't know and that appear in the 2nd pic are Lucien Gretsch and Serge Waldbillig)

Curaçao stuff + news about O'Grady and Bellis:

I know,the Curaçao Criterium was raced few days ago,but me was too busy (or lazy?) to write a post about it.Anyway,here are some pics (and a vid) from the Criterium (and from the riders' holidays) and 2 links about Saxo Bank riders O'Grady and Bellis.

So,let's start with the Curaçao topics,starting with the "serious thing" (the criterium results) and ending with the Fangirls-stuff (pics and a vid):
CURACAO CRITERIUM: Me would have loved Kenny Van Hummel to win the Amstel Curaçao Criterium,but unfortunately my hopes didn't come true.In fact the winner of the Criterium was Alberto Contador.Hushvod came in 2nd,while 3rd was Koos Moerenhout.4th was Mark Cavendish (if he had won,I think that some of the sprinters that were on the island would have drowned him in the Caribbean sea and blamed the dolphins for that...),while 5th was Kenny Van Hummel.6th was mr.Boasson Hagen.
I don't have any news about the Schleck brothers' placements,but I think they decided to take it easy and just enjoy the race.
CURACAO VID (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-OY2xvOsvU ):yes,in this interview with Lars Boom and Koos Moerenhout you can also see one of the Schleck brothers swimming with dolphins.
CURACAO PICS: Tim De Waele has uploaded his website with the Curaçao pictures and I've managed to find just one (one!) pic involving Jakob Fuglsang.Btw some pics involving 2 shirtless Luxembourgish brothers will probably make you forgive mr.De Waele for the lack of Jakob's pics.
RANDOM THOUGHT: I envy the "Telegraaf" special reporters in Curaçao.Really.Not just because of the cyclists,but also because Curaçao seems such a quiet and wonderful place to be.

NEWS ABOUT CONTADOR,O'GRADY AND BELLIS:

ASTANA-CONTADOR TELENOVELA: I refuse to write anything about it unless there are some certain news about which team mr.Contador will choose to ride for in 2010.
STUART O'GRADY: (http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/millar-describes-ogradys-seizure ) Saxo Bank rider Stuart O'Grady collapsed during a corporate event at the MotoGP circuit in Valencia on Sunday.The Australian rider was brought to a Spanish hospital but is now feeling better and will hopefully be able to come back to his home in Monaco tomorrow.
JONATHAN BELLIS (http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bellis-back-in-london-and-recovering-well ): A very good news: Jonathan Bellis has arived in a London hospital and is said to be progressing.Hopefully he'll be able to come back to normal life soon.

Links to some Curaçao pics plus article about Chris Anker Sorensen:

Yes,I've already seen the pics featuring the Schleck brothers swimming with some dolphins and that appeared on Cyclingnews and on Corvos yesterday.And as a consequence of those pics, Fangirl has spent the last 24 hours envying the Curaçao dolphins and wishing she were one of them.Anyway,leaving Fangirl's envy issues behind,here's a link that may interest you: http://www.nieuwsblad.be/sportwereld/article/detail.aspx?articleid=DMF05112009_058 .On it you can find some nice pics of the Schleck brothers that haven't appeared yet on the traditional "Curaçao pics website" (Corvos,Bettini,Tim De Waele and so on) and that I found pretty nice.Of course on that link there also pics involving Contador,Boom,Boasson Hagen and the other riders that are in Curaçao in these days.

Btw,even if the Curaçao pics have been the main object of my posts in the last 2-3 days,I haven't forgotten that the riders are in the Netherlands Antilles also because of the Amstel Curaçao criterium.
The Amstel Jan Thiel Criterium (which is a "warm-up" for tomorrow's race) saw the victory of Kenny Van Hummel (yay!), a hero for lots of supporters (me included).Second was Hoogerland, while third was Brice Feillu.

According to http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=15948 (click on this link if you want to know more about how the Criterium went), the Schleck brothers didn't take part in the race and this explains why I can't find any news about their placements in the race.

Anyay,let's now change topic.In fact I haven't forgotten Chris Anker Sørensen's existence even if he's not in Curaçao swimming with dolphins.Therefore,I'd like to publish an article about him that I found on http://www.riis-cycling.com/ny_news.asp?n_id=2560 .In this article Chris talks about the Japan Cup,the chopsticks,his fat percentage (if he gets worried about it, what should I do?), the off-season, his book about the Tour (I hope it will it be released also in English or in German!), the future and other things.And if I've managed to make you like Chris Anker so much that you even want to see some vids with him (perhaps in the English language,since Danish is so terribly complicated to understand),on this link (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7oOZ7Bb9xw ) there's a nice interview with him.
Btw,back to the interview,here it is:

He was saved by the bell. The goal for the 2009 season was the same as for many others in the field - a win. And Danish Chris Anker Sørensen took it by himself. On the last passing of the steepest hill on the circuit in Japan Cup he dropped his companion, Pablo Lastras (Caisse d'Epargne) after having taken the initiative to slip away from the peloton.
"It was great to win in Japan. The season has, however been great and full of amazing experiences where I have helped teammates to great achievements. But there was still a large and gaping "0" next to “number of victories” this season before the trip went to Asia and it was such a satisfying moment crossing the finish line in solitude”.
In several aspects, there is a long way from Japan to Hammel, Denmark where he was born and raised and visiting his parents.Chris Anker Sørensen has just returned from a run in a meteorologically bad temper which primarily consisted of sleety gales before he picked up the phone to speak with me about the 2009 season. But apart from the geographical gap there are some cultural differences between Japan and Denmark which put his precision skills to the test.
"Michael Mørkøv and I had agreed that everything we ate in Japan had to be consumed only by the use of chopsticks and naturally it turned into a competition of ability which I clearly won.I wonder now whether the chopsticks may be a great tool of helping me keep my weight down over Christmas since gravy and pudding seem rather difficult to consume with a pair of pointy pieces of wood”,says the skinny climber with a wink in the eye and continues:"I am training very hard to the upcoming Christmas holiday so I don't have to restrain myself completely during Christmas dinner."
The fat percentage is being kept to a minimum and does not cross the six percent boundary at any time of the year. Chris Anker is still on his bike several times a week in the early off-season and he even tops his training off with a couple of jogging sessions every week when we hit late autumn.But otherwise,the 25-year-old Dane enjoys a welcome opportunity to meet with his friends and talk about things other than cycling.In addition, there will be a golden chance to be spending time with his girlfriend, Michelle-a Danish soccer player from Copenhagen.
Reaching December, the mountain bike finds its way in the cold and rainy Luxembourg where he resides on a daily basis.To achieve a spot in the line-up for the biggest cycling event in the world requires an endless number of training hours in vast examples of weather conditions. "There have been several great moments this season. Tour of Luxembourg was special because it took place in my second home and because we won the race in superb style with three stage wins, the point classification and the overall victory.But Tour de France was a childhood dream came true for me and it was much bigger than I ever dreamed of. The number of spectators and especially the number of Danes, journalists and the fact that just a few weeks on the bike making me world famous was a slightly surreal but also a truly fantastic experience. In fact,it was so personally rewarding that I along with sports journalist,Dennis Ritter has written a book about my thoughts and conversations during the race. In addition, the book contains race reports of the stages from my and from Dennis' point of view”.
It is no secret that Team Saxo Bank says goodbye to eight riders at the end of this season. But it is not necessarily all negative according to Chris Anker Sørensen:
"Personally,I will without a doubt miss being around several of the riders who are leaving the team. On the other hand, they are leaving a few empty spots in the upper part of the hierarchy and other young riders now have the opportunity to take responsibility and thus get to develop on a higher level and every team needs progression like that.From a Danish point of view,to become successful national representatives in the biggest events like the World Cup or the Olympics,we need an expanded approach to gain the necessary experience which can only be achieved through participation in major races.I am looking forward to welcoming four new riders on the team when we all are going to take part of the survival camp with B. S. Christiansen in the beginning of December."
Thus, the young Dane gets a month off work before he embarks on another season. A new year from which he expects quite a lot:
"My main objective is the Tour de France as I hope to get another chance in the line-up.I expect to become even stronger so I can be an even greater help for Andy.Besides the Tour, I hope to receive a chance in the overall classification in the Vuelta in the autumn where I aspire to take another win in the Japan Cup.All in all,I would like to take another step up the rankings and that is now possible on Team Saxo Bank”, concludes Chris Anker Sørensen.
NB: The Dane's book release, "Debutantens dagbog" (Diary of a Debutant) is being published Monday 23rd November.
(Pics by Amstel Curaçao Race 2009 and by Cycletime website).

Curaçao Pics:

Yes,the first pics from Curaçao have started to appear in Internet and make Fangirls happy.
Here are few of them (thanks Corvos!):
Andy and Frank,ready to go snorkling:Andy and Koos Moerenhout: Frank and Leo Van Vliet:
On http://www.corvospro.com/arimages.aspx you can also find pics of Lars Boom,Koos Moerenhout,Thor Hushovd (will I ever learn to write his name correctly without looking it up somewhere?),Brice Feillu and Alberto Contador.

On this link (http://www.telegraaf.nl/telesport/wielersport/5247219/__Operatie_Schleck_geslaagd__.html) instead you can find a nice pic of Frank and Martine and a little interesting article.Here's a really short (and hopefully correct) translation:
Talking about his proposal,Frank said:"You suddenly feel that it is the right moment and you do it.It really couldn't go better,with this fantastic setting and almost the whole family around us."
About the operation:"Although my knee is still vulnerable,it seems that the operation has been successful.I haven't had any intensive training session yet,so we have to wait and see how the knee will react when I take up training intensively again".
About the Amstel Gold Race crash:"It was the scariest moment of my life.I opened my eyes and suddenly I found myself in an ambulance,without knowing what had happened.Anyway the pain in my knee didn't come from that crash,since I already felt it during the Tour of the Basque Country. The cause is something else."

(Pic by Wessel Van Kreuk/Corvos Pro website).

Frank proposed to Martine yesterday evening :)

I don't like publishing things about the private life of the Schleck brothers,but this time there is an important news about Frank.In fact yesterday he proposed to his girlfriend Martine and now they're going to get married :)
I'm truly happy for Frank and Martine and I wish them all the best for the future! Felicitations!!
Here you can find the translation of the article that Ilaria published on her blog (original link: http://www.telegraaf.nl/telesport/wielersport/5241940/__Schleck_in_de_wolken_op_Curaao__.html):
Frank Schleck asked his girlfriend Martine to marry him yesterday evening in Curaçao.During a fireworks display that the Lions Dive & Beach Resort Hotel offered the riders,the elder of the Schleck brothers had the spontaneous idea of proposing.On the edge of the pool under the colorful sky,Frank asked his girlfriend whether she wanted to marry him.Martine immediately answered "yes".Later there was a small party with champagne celebration.Also the Tour winner Alberto Contador raised the glass to the next Luxembourg couple.

Once again,best wishes for the future to Frank and Martine!

(Pic by Serge Waldbillig)

Interview with Frank part 2:

Here's the second part of the interview with Frank that appeared 4 days ago on Luxembourg Wort.In this second part of the interview Frank says he'll be in Curaçao (yay!) and talks about his plans for the 2010 season and about the operation he underwent in September.
NB: Before of publishing the translation of the article (I had to translate it from German to Italian and from Italian to English,so please don't get angry at me if I I've made some mistakes!) I must say a bit "Thank you" to Ilaria (http://allezandy.blogspot.com/) for having sent me the whole article.Grazie 1000!

Here's the translation of the article:Six weeks after having undergone an operation,Frank's knee is ok again."I can move my leg without problems and I can also train.The swelling has disappeared and I don't feel pain anymore".
Before of starting the preparation for the 2010 season,the Schleck brothers have decided to allow themselves some other days of relax."After a season that was very stressful also under the mental point of view,I think it's very important to switch off for a while.I took advantadge from the operation because I've managed to have more time to do the things I usually don't do during the season,or that I do just few times because I don't have enough time.Right now there is a journey to the Caribbeans on my schedule for the next days",says Frank.Yesterday (29th october) in fact Frank drove to Amsterdam in order to take the airplane that will bring him to Curaçao,in the Netherlands Antilles.At the moment Andy Schleck is in the USA and will fly to Curaçao from the United States.The Schleck brothers,together with other riders (this year the organizators of the Curaçao Criterium have invited also Contador,Cavendish and Hushvod to take part in the race),will spend some days in the paradisiacal island of Curaçao,lay on the beach and relax before of taking part in the Curaçao Criterium (7th November),a race that Andy Schleck won last year.
From the 10th of November until the 30th of November the 2 brothers will be in Luxembourg. Then they'll go to the Fuerteventura Island on the 30th of November in order to take part in Saxo Bank's traditional boot camp.The brothers will be able to come back to Luxembourg after 2 weeks.During the first week of the boot camp the riders will have to face a series of proofs. During the following week instead they'll train normally.After spending the rest of December in Luxembourg,the Schleck brothers will face the beginning of the 2010 season.

"The first goals of the year are going to be the Ardenne classics.The second goal will be the Tour de France.The World Championships in Melbourne are a goal as well:it's always an honour to wear the jersey of the Luxembourg national team".
"This year we had our seasonal debut in the Tour of California,but next year this race will take place in May and so we'll probably have to start our season with an European race.The Mallorca Challenge (7-11 February) will probably be our first race of the year.We'll have a training camp in the Balearic Islands before of taking part in the Mallorca challenge and after that race we'll run the usual races we take part in during the spring.For example,we'll race the Paris-Nice.We haven't decided the complete schedule for 2010 yet,for example we aren't sure if we'll take part in the Tour of Flanders or in the Vuelta a Pays Vasco.Anyway,before of July we'll also go to see some Tour de France stages,although we still have to decide whether we'll go to see them before of the Tour de Suisse or after the Paris-Nice".
Frank talked about the 2010 Saxo Bank team as well."We're gonna have a very strong team also in 2010.Yes,Karsten Kroon and Kurt-Asle Arvesen were very important riders and they've decided to change team,but there are some very strong young riders that will close the hole left by Kurt and Karsten.Matti Breschel and Jakob Fuglsang for example will surely get even better in the next season.And I think that also the new entry Laurent Didier will integrate in the team without any problem.I also think that I'll be able to have an even bigger role in next year team.We've got a very strong team".

(Interview from Luxembourg Wort 30-10-09-Pic by Serge Waldbillig)