Andy won Emmen Criterium + Worlds News:

Yesterday's criterium in Emmen,Holland,was won by Andy Schleck.Second came Robert Gesink, while third was Albert Timmer.
If you are in Luxembourg right now,I've got a little news for you.Tonight in Mondorf-Les-Bains there's the celebration of the results achieved by Andy and Frank at Le Tour.If someone of you is interested,on this link (http://station.lu/newsDetails.cfm?id=24454 ) and on the luxembourgish fan club of the 2 brothers there are some info about the event.

Worlds:As you all know,between a month and a half there will be the Worlds in Mendrisio. Luxembourg team is allowed to bring 9 riders at this race,but the president of the FSCL (Federation du Sport Cycliste Luxembourgeois),Jean Regenwetter,has said that,more probably,just 6 riders will take part in the Worlds Championship Road Race (see link: http://lequotidien.editpress.lu/les-sports/5013.html for more info).Regenwetter in fact said: "Just like last year,we're allowed to bring 9 riders at the Worlds.Last year I didn't want to take so many riders to that race,but eventually our team was formed by 9 men.This year I think we'll ride in 6.Of course there will be the Schleck brothers and Kim Kirchen.The other 3 riders may be Christian Poos,Laurent Didier and Jempy Drucker".
Last year the Luxembourg team was formed by the Schleck brothers,Kim Kirchen,Vincenzo Centrone,Laurent Didier,Jempy Drucker,Steve Fogen,Benoit Joachim,Christian Poos and Claude Wolter.
Talking about the Worlds,between the teams that will be allowed to have 9 riders there will be also USA and Norway,while Netherlands will have just 6 riders.
(pic by Serge Waldbillig)

Frank winning a criterium in Lux + San Sebastian Start List:

The "Tour de France Gala",a criterium held yesterday in the city of Luxembourg,was won by Frank Schleck in front of Ballan and Kirchen.4th was Little Bro' Andy.On these 2 links (http://station.lu/newsDetails.cfm?id=24378 and http://www.wort.lu/wort/web/sport/artikel/35958/%2040000-bei-sportfest-in-rot-weiss-blau.php) there are lots of pics from yesterday's race.

In the meanwhile,the Tour of Denmark is going in a great way for Saxo Bank team.In fact the 1st stage was won by Matti Breschel,while the 2nd one was won by Nicki Sorensen (who's also wearing the leader jersey now).The previous rider to wear the leader jersey was Breschel.

Tomorrow there will be la Clasica de San Sebastian.Here's a not-complete start list:

Caisse d'Epargne:Valverde,Joaquin Rodriguez,Oscar Pereiro,David Arroyo;strong team,I must say.And considering that tomorrow's one is a Spanish race,I think that Caisse d'Epargne riders will do their best to try and get a good result.

Astana:Contador,Paulinho,Zubeldia,Brajkovic,Noval; Everybody knows who Contador is,but also Janez Brajkovic is a very good rider:he did well at the Giro this year and he also came in 2nd in Lombardy Tour 2008.And considering that Contador may be tired after winning le Tour,the Slovenian rider may be the team leader.

Liquigas: Pellizotti,Kreuziger,Nibali,Vanotti; of course me hopes that Vanotti will get a good result in tomorrow's race because of territorial reasons.

Quick Step: Sylvain Chavanel,Davis,Barredo,Cataldo,Devolder,Tosatto,Pineau,Devenyns.

Katusha: Ivanov,Karpets,Petrov,Mazzanti,Pozzato.Will HGS try to get a good result after a "slightly" disappointing Tour? The answer will arrive tomorrow.

Saxo Bank:Andy Schleck,Chris-Anker Sorensen,Kolobnev,Larsson,Bellis and Bochmann are the riders who will form the team for tomorrow's race according to Saxo Bank website. Cyclingnews instead says that between the Saxo Bankers racing in Spain tomorrow there will be also Frank Schleck,Nicki Sorensen and Kurt-Asle Arvesen.Considering that Sorensen the Older is racing the Tour of Denmark right now and will be racing in his home country until August the 2nd and that Kurt Arvesen started training again just 2 days ago,me thinks that the true Saxo Bank team will be formed by los Schlecks, C.A.Sorensen,Kolobnev, Larsson,Bochmann and Bellis.

Silence-Lotto: Evans,Lang,M.Lloyd,Van Den Broeck,Van Summeren.

Rabobank:Freire,Menchov,Garate,Boom,Langeveld.Looking forward to see Lars Boom.

Eusaltel-Euskadi: Astarloza,Egoi Martinez,Samuel Sanchez,Perez Lezaun,Verdugo.
Lampre: Cunego,Spilak,Bandiera.
Garmin: Vande Velde,Millar,Zabriskie,Dean,Hesjedal,Pate.

AG2R: Nocentini,Arrieta,los Efimkins,Roche,Dessel.
Cofidis:Duque,Moncoutie,Kern,Minard,Moinard,Pauriol,Taaramae.Pay attention to Taaramae, the boy has talent.

Français des Jeux: Casar,Joly,Di Gregorio,Le Mevel,Roy,Veikkanen.
Milram: Wegmann,M.Fothen,Gerdemann,Rohregger,Velits.

Boygues Telecom: Voeckler,Fedrigo,Arashiro,Bonnet,Lefevre,Pichot,Rolland,Trofimov.
Fuji-Servetto: Cobo,De La Fuente,Capecchi.Why isn't Capelli scheduled???
Contentpolis-Ampo: Galparsoro.
Columbia: Kirchen,Lovkvist,Pinotti,Possoni.Of course somebody here at home is happy to read that a young Swedish rider is scheduled to ride tomorrow,while someone else is dreaming of a good result for Possoni and Pinotti.

NB: I don't know why,but yesterday I remembered what Kirchen said in April:"the Schleck brothers won't finish in the Top 10 at the Tour" (see post: http://fede-myblog92.blogspot.com/2009/04/kirchens-last-prediction-they-schleck.html ).Well,I guess someone up in Lux has changed his mind after having seen what the brothers have done over the last 3 weeks...

(Pics by Serge Waldbillig and Christian Kemp)

L'Equipé: Andy Schleck avec Armstrong?

Yes,that's the title of a news that appeared on L'Equipe website this morning (here's the link http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme/breves2009/).The little article says that Andy may leave Saxo Bank to join sir Lancelot's new team,Radioshack.It seems that the main problem in this "trade" is that Armstrong doesn't want to employ also Frank in his team because the American thinks that Frank's presence may "brake" Andy's performances.

I don't know if this is just a non-sense rumour (L'Equipé is considered to be a good newspaper),but I hope Andy won't go to Radioshack.In fact if Andy starts to race with Armstrong,I don't think he will have a leader role.And I don't want to see one of my favourite riders acting as a helper at Le Tour for a rider I don't like.

Armstrong has created a lot of problems to Contador during the Tour and I don't want this to happen also with Andy.Between the Spaniard and sir Lancelot now there is a "words battle" on.Contador in fact has said that "My relationship with Lance Armstrong is zero,he is a great rider and has completed a great race but it is another thing on a personal level,where I have never had great admiration for him and I never will."Armstrong responded via Twitter by writing:“Seeing these comments from AC.If I were him I’d drop this drivel and start thanking his team.W/o them he doesn’t win.” Armstrong also wrote:“Hey pistolero, there is no ‘I’ in ‘team’. What did I say in March? Lots to learn.Restated.A champion is also measured on how much he respect his teammates and opponents.You can win a race on your own, not a Grand Tour.”

I think there's no need to say who I'm supporting in this "battle" and that I don't want to see a battle like this,maybe next year,between Andy and sir Lancelot.So,I hope that Andy won't go to Radioshack next year.

Anyway,let's talk about better things.Andy won yesterday's Criterium in Booxmer,Netherlands, by outsprinting Koos Moerenhout.Frank came in 3rd.I've found an article in Dutch about the brothers and the criteriums they're racing in the next days (that's the link:http://www.sportwereld.nl/wielrennen/3397101/%20Broers_Schleck_lsquoon_tourrsquo.html).I can't understand Dutch,but with the help of my online translater I've managed to understand few things.Here they are:

Frank said:"We came here directly from France and we will stay in the Netherlands until Wednesday.I have no idea of how our performances have been received at home,I haven't read any newspaper yet.On Sunday I spoke with my father on the phone.Yes,Dad is proud.''

The goal of the podium in Paris hasn't been achieved,but the winner of stage 17 says that "is too early to look back on this year Tour".

Andy instead said that he's really proud of the performances of him and of his brother."We are the only riders who have attacked,I am proud of this.We have no regrets.''On Thursday the brothers will race a criterium in Luxembourg."That is certainly going to be a big party,''says Andy.The Schleck brothers will fly to the Spanish Basque Country on Friday evening with a private jet;in fact,on Saturday there's the Clasica de San sebastian.

For what I understood,the brothers will race a criterium in Stiphout (netherlands) tonight,one anohher criterium in Chaam tomorrow,"the Tour de France gala" in Luxembourg on Thursday and another criterium in Hamme on Friday.After racing in San sebastian on Saturday,the brothers will race in Belgium on Monday: Frank will be in Roosendaal,Andy will be in Lommel.

Talking about Criteriums,Cav won one of them yesterday evening.Designa Grand Prix (a race held in Denmark) was won by Aleksejs Saramotins of Team Designa Køkken.Second came the Emaciated Chickenman Michael Rasmussen,while 5th was Chris-Anker Sorensen.

On the 29th of July begins the Tour of Denmark.The Saxo Bank team for that race will be formed by Lars Bak,Nicki Sorensen (isn't he tired after the Tour?),Matti Breschel,Jakob Fuglsang,Frank Hoj,Kasper Klostergaard,Anders Lund and Alex Rasmussen.

(pic by Kochproductions.nl)