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)

I reacted in the very same way when I first read the news! Luckily Christmas is coming soon and so we may be able to ask the book as a present ;)
RispondiEliminaWell, I'm not sure I want this book. It's probably full of photos I've already had on my computer and some typical interviews I've already read...
RispondiEliminaMaybe, only if it's signed, I'd like to get it.
I haven't decided yet if I'll buy or not this book.Serge Waldbillig's photos are always great,but I'd prefer to buy a book written by the riders or containing some interviews with them than buying a book with just photos in it.And then,if CA's book is translated in English,I'll probably have to choose between "Velomania" and Sorensen's book,and therefore I guess I'll buy the second one.
RispondiElimina