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".
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".
What a nice interview. Thank you for posting. :)
RispondiEliminaI'm very glad you liked this interview, although it is a bit old :)
RispondiElimina