Interview with Frank part 2:

His father and his brother were in front of the tv.At the last moment they had decided to stay at home,letting the colourful buses from Luxembourg ride towards Holland without them.It was the 16th of April 2006 and at that time just few people knew something about Frank Schleck. The most careful supporters had noticed him in the finale of the 2005 Tour of Lombardy,the one won by Bettini.On that occasion,the victory of the race was decided by a sprint and Riis’ rider came in 3rd,although he had given the impression of being the strongest climber between the riders that were with him in the last kms of the race.
In the Amstel finale,that day,things weren’t very different.Together with Frank there were Bettini,who kept on attacking,and Rebellin,that kept on stopping the Cricket‘s actions.There were Boogerd,who was as motivated as usual,and Wesemann,that was full of energy.But at a certain point,the lanky Luxembourgish moved to the left side of the road and attacked.
At home,on that couch that used to see at least a cycling race pro day,the old Johnny and the little Andy started to jump and scream.And evidently,their support arrived to Frank’s heart, since the young boy managed to achieve a wonderful solo victory,riding in a very determined way,just like his brother did the following year on the Zoncolan climb. “Let alone the supporters”,Frank says with a smile."The other riders knew me and,when I attacked,I could hear few screams before of leaving all the sounds behind me.That first victory made me understand that,after all,in these legs there is something worth working for. Obviously,when the other riders know you better,it is harder to make the difference.For example,if during the 2007 Liége I had been a bit less famous,perhaps Di Luca would have let me 5 seconds of advantadge and I would have won.But Danilo is a champion and he grabbed his chance of winning in a perfect way".

“Also Cunego knew me,that day on the Alpe d’Huez,and I knew him.At first we rode side by side,but then we started to study each other.He was riding with a very hard gear on and I thought that he was a really strong man.Every time we had to face a hairpine turn,he used to get up on his pedals and I could his leg swelling".
"I was trying to ride as agile as I could and to stay sitted on the saddle as long as possible.Then at a certain point I noticed that Cunego had begun to move himself on the saddle,just like you do when you start to feel uncomfortable on it because you‘re tired.And so I waited until the following turn and there I attacked with all my strength.I thought: 'if I turn my head and he‘s still behind me,I collapse on the asphalt'.After my attack I kept on watching the road in front of me until the last meters of the race; there I finally turned my head and I saw that Cunego wasn‘t behind me.And when I realised that I had won on the Alpe d’Huez,well,I was very happy".
This happened in 2006,in the Tour de France ruined by Basso,Ullrich and Floyd’s cases.

Now Frank seems to have freed himself from the armchair's torpor;he leans forward,with his folded arms on his knees.He’s got used to the interviews about his brother,but you can realise that this doesn’t annoy him because,he explains,"Andy’s not just my brother-he's also my best friend”.
“The little boy”,he says with a crafty smiles,"could win the Giro even this year,I’m sure of this. Last year he surprised even me.To say the truth,he actually made me cry.Last year,as he was climbing the Zoncolan,I was in Germany.The previous evening,instead of focusing myself on my race,I was very nervous because of that terrible Giro climb.I talked to Andy on the phone.I was so nervous...Instead Andy-I know him and he confirmed me that later-was as calm as usual.He knew that the decisive moment was arriving,but he lived it as a nice challenge.And watching him racing in such a determined way,I'm not ashamed of saying it,brough tears to my eyes and so I started to cry"."The Giro is a wonderful race.In Italy there are true supporters,but unfortunately the schedule decisions aren’t often made by the riders.I’m sure that my brother will try to convince Bjarne to bring him at the Giro,and I’m also sure that the 'Chief' hasn’t closed the 'Giro-door' yet,but I also know that our sponsor just cares about the Tour.”

After Frank’s victory on the Alpe d’Huez the old Johnny,convincted that he would have had to wait some more years before of witnessing Andy’s first great victories,went to Frank’s room,knocked on the door and found Riis inside it.They joked together and hugged each other as men from the North of Europe usually do,and then they started to talk about Frank’s chances of winning the Tour.They agreed that Frank could climb well and that he had some problems in the TTs,but they also agreed that,after all,there weren’t lots of TT specialists around.
“The Tour”,Frank says with realism,"is the race that every rider dreams of winning.There you always find lots of riders that suddenly begin to ride as strong as they’ve never done before.But I’m not Armstrong,the Tour isn't the only race I think about.I like the Classics.The Liége,yes,but also the Tour of Lombardy,the most wonderful race of the World.The lake,the woods,the sun that suddenly appears after a turn on the Ghisallo…Last year I was strong.Very strong.I’m not saying I would have won,but actually I couldn’t see anyone that could beat me.And instead I crashed.If I had had a bit more luck,I would have ended the 2007 season with a podium at the Worlds (ndr;in that race he was 4th behind Schumacher) and with a victory in the Lombardy Tour.You may think that my 2007 season was disappointing,but actually I’d be happy if I could get the same results also in 2008...”

"The Tour is great,but it leaves time and space also for other races.To win it you need experience,shape,a strong team and the right mentality.Then in 2008 there will be the Olympic Games,even if it won’t be easy to get used to different situations in just few week time".
The Schleck brothers will live the Beijing adventure together and it will be a bit like when,years and years ago,the 3 little Schleck brothers used to run around their father in the Luxembourgian woods,making all the wild animals run away.
Steve,the oldest brother,isn’t a cyclist anymore,but Frank pays a lot of attention to his advice.
“Our passion for cycling is very deep”,he smiles."Also after the end of our careers,we will all keep on using our bikes.When you grow up with other 2 brothers,you learn to take your space and perhaps Andy is the one who had more advantdges from this situation.Of course between us there aren’t just smiles and laughs.When I realise that the little boy is angry,I know that it’s better to leave him alone.And he knows that the same worths for me.Btw it's nice to discover that sometimes we think the same things at the same moment.It’s nice to get up the day when your new bike will arrive and realise that your eyes shine as they do on the Christmas day,when you open the presents.At our home we live cycling in this way and we couldn’t do any different".
“After toasting for my Amstel’s victory,my father immediately warned me not to forget who I was and where I come from.There are many people that change personality after the first few victories.Instead I like thinking that I haven’t changed at all.And I’ll take care of my brother,so that he won’t change after the first victories either.Big brother's word!”.