LIEGE-BASTOGNE-LIEGE:ANDY SCHLECK!

There are lots of things I could say about today's race.One of my favourite riders,Andy Schleck,has won.He's just 23 year old (he'll turn 24 in June),he comes from Luxembourg and has raced in an amazing way.He dominated the race,in my not-so-neutral opinion.He got away with about 20 kms to go,and nobody could see him again before of the finish line.

He arrived 2nd also in Fleche Wallonne and,the day after that,he went fishing and said he was happy with his result because he wanted to win Liege.

On Repubblica website,even before of the finish of the race,there was written:Andy Schleck has won the race.Second should arrive Rodriguez.Remember,there's still a climb before of the finish line.Unbelievable.

His team was unbelievable as well today.Frank Schleck kept on disturbing the guys who were pulling together with the other riders.Chris-Anker Sorensen,Kroon and Kolobnev tried to attack.Fulglsang pulled very hard.

CONGRATULATIONS ANDY! (also Frank raced in a nice way)

Interview with Frank Schleck about L-B-L:

I know,I haven't written anything in the last days,but I've been terribly busy and awfully tired (going to bed at midnight and waking up at 6 o'clock for a week is not very relaxing). Anyway:today is the Liege day and I've found something about the Schleck brothers and this race.
Andy seems to be very confident after Fleche's second place (well done Andy!): "My goal is to win Liege,I don't care about anything else.And if I want to win,I have to attack because I can't allow myself to wait for the sprint".
Frank will race as well today.Here's what he said: "Now I'm okay,because you don't lose your condition in a week.So I'll run in order to win the race,just like my brother".

Here's an interview of Frank.Hope you like it.
Frank,what do you remember of your fall in AGR?
FS: Nothing.I remember my first fall.After that I got again on my saddle,my teammates waited for me,I went near to the team car because I had some problems with my bike and the mechanic solved them.Then I went again in front of the group.Andy asked me if everything was okay and I told him that I had just hurt my shoulder.Then,the dark.I woke up on the ambulance.They told me I've been unconscious for 10-15 minutes.Apart from the trauma and some little bruises,I didn't have any other big problems.Before of going back to the hotel,they told me to be careful for the first 3 days.For the first night,my girlfriend had to wake me up every two hours (Yes,he's got a girlfriend).I was really under control".
Then?
"On Monday I stayed in the hotel.I had a headache and I was frightened.Then I came back home,to Luxembourg.On Monday I didn't ride my bike.On Wednesday I rode it for an hour.On Thursday for 3 hours.Yesterday (on Friday) I rode with the team for other 3 hours.I'm ok.You don't lose your condition in one week.Tomorrow (today) I race".
To win?
"Always.Then,if I realise that I can't win,I begin to work for my team and for my teammates. I've always behaved in this way."
Will you help Andy as well?
"No,I'll never run for my little brother!! Ok,I'm joking,Andy's in great form:he's one of the favourites."
The "tandem" Schleck was born one year ago,during Liege.
"It was exciting.In the last kms we were there,together,in front of the other riders in a great race.We didn't have a lot of luck.This time it will go better,we hope.We'll be there.And if,at the end,there were just Andy and I,well,we'll have two chances: first,we sprint together.Second, Andy must give me a lot of money.
No Giro,you'll ride the Tour.Some predictions?
"In 2008 we had 3 leaders in the Tour:Sastre,Andy and I.This year,there will be just Andy and I,so the team will be more stronger and united".
Sastre won the Tour on Alpe d'Huez.Have you got some regrets?
"No.I wouldn't have won last year Tour anyway.That day Carlos made a great attack and he deserved to win."
This year?
"It won't be a battle between Saxo Bank and Astana.Astana is strong,we are strong as well.I'm not saying that we'll win the Tour,but that we'll try winning it.Not just against Astana,but against everybody".
Armstrong,Contador,Kloden,Leipheimer...In which order would you put them?
"This year's results say:1st Contador,2nd Leipheimer,3rd Kloden.But this has no importance at all".
And Armstrong?
"I believe in Armstrong.He won 7 Tour de France.Not 1,but 7.And if he's come back,it's just because he wants to win his eight Tour."
Do you feel pressure before of an important race like Liege or Tour?
"Yes,I feel it.And it gives me something more".

Other links:if someone knows Dutch,here's an article (or at least I think it should be an article) about the Schleck brothers:Enjoy it! Link: http://www.schleck.nl/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=3&Itemid=14

And then:here's alink to a video about Andy's race in Fleche Wallonne: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mgkuSmMIEU .I
PS:I haven't read any blog for some days,so I don't know if those articles are new or not.If they aren't,please don't get angry at me.

Fleche:

So,I'm in aterrible hurry:it's 8.06 pm and I should have been ten kms away from here 15 minutes ago.Aber,ich denke das ist eigentlich kein Problem.So,here's what I read on VeloNews:

Frank Schleck won't start Fleche and is doubtful for Liege.
Luxembourg's Frank Schleck has pulled out of Wednesday's Fleche-Wallonne race and is doubtful for Sunday's Liege-Bastogne-Liege after his fall in the Amstel Gold Race, his Saxo Bank team revealed on Tuesday.
Schleck was taken to hospital after falling spectacularly during the Dutch race on Sunday but was discharged shortly afterward.
The 29-year-old had hoped to compete in all three Ardennes classics this season, but his team said the seriousness of his fall prompted them to take extra precautions.

And then:
Der Luxemburger Radprofi Fränk Schleck wird am Mittwoch aufgrund seiner Verletzungen nicht am Ardennen-Klassiker “Flèche Wallonne” teilnehmen. Das gab der Ausnahmesportler einen Tag vor dem Rennen auf seiner Webseite bekannt.Fränk Schleck war am vergangenen Sonntag beim Amstel Gold Race in Holland schwer gestürzt und hatte sich Schürfwunden und eine Gehirnerschütterung zugezogen. “Ich werde mich zwei Tage ausruhen und mich von unserem Kinetherapeuten behandeln lassen. Ansonsten ist zu befürchten, dass ich nicht rechtzeitig fit bin für das Rennen Lüttich-Bastogne-Lüttich, das am Sonntag stattfindet”, steht auf der Internetseite www.schleck.lu. Fränk Schleck möchte also unbedingt beim Klassiker in Lüttich an den Start zu gehen. Nach seinem Sturz leidet der Luxemburger Radsportmeister weiterhin unter leichten Kopfschmerzen, die für die Absage verantwortlich sind. Mit seinem Bruder Andy sowie Kim Kirchen sind allerdings zwei andere Luxemburger Profis mit dabei. Kim Kirchen geht bei der “Flèche Wallonne” gar als Titelverteidiger ins Rennen. Auch er musste wegen eines Rennunfalls längere Zeit pausieren.

Sorry for the lacking of the translation...Btw,here's a little resume: Frank's still got hedache,Andy will race and he's one of the favourites. Also dear boy King Kong should race tomorrow.
Sorry,but in this week I'm always in hurry and,d'you know what? Tomorrow I won't be able to see the race!!! Terrible.However,I'll support the guys with my mind and my soul,if my body can't be on the sofa in front of the tv tomorrow at 3 pm.Kein Problem.

Interview with Andy,news about Frank and AGR's classification:

So,yesterday I was too worried (and too in a hurry) to think about final classification of AGR. And I didn't even have time to publish any photo of the winner Ivanov.I've decided to solve the problem here:Photo (up) and Classification!

1 Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Team Katusha 6.38.31 (38.814 km/h)

2 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team Saxo Bank

3 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank 0.08

4 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Silence-Lotto

5 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C.

6 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team Saxo Bank

7 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Cervélo TestTeam

8 Nick Nuyens (Bel) Rabobank

9 Christian Pfannberger (Aut) Team Katusha

10 Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank

14 Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi

16 Nicki Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank (well done!)

18 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas

20 Gustav Larsson (Swe) Team Saxo Bank

21 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne

31 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Team Saxo Bank 2.26

34 Chris-Anker Sörensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank (uebrigens,he's updated his blog)

78 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team Columbia - Highroad 6.02

Dear blogmate Rina has given me the link to these 2 nice articles:this one is about Frank's crash,the following one is about Andy.

The Ardennes offensive of Luxemburger Fränk Schleck (Saxo Bank), winner of the Amstel Gold Race in 2006, and Australian Matthew Lloyd (Silence-Lotto) (sorry but I've read in some places that it was DANIEL Lloyd...Sorry sorry sorry!!) was abruptly stopped due to a crash 73 kilometres from the finish line in Valkenburg. Both riders received treatment on location and were then brought to the hospital in Maastricht. While Oscar Freire was attacking the peloton when riding up the Geulhemmerweg, the 22nd climb of the day on the bumpy, twisting and turning course, a crash occurred at the back of the peloton. Followers in the cars barely managed to avoid running into Johnny Hoogerland, Schleck and Lloyd who were lying on the road. Hoogerland could continue the race but the two other riders were seriously injured. Lloyd was clearly in a lot of pain, lying on the right hand side of the road while Schleck wasn't moving, lying in an unnatural position with his leg through his frame and blood on his head.
Medical assistance quickly arrived and Bjarne Riis - the Saxo Bank general manager - quickly ran towards his rider and checked on him. "It looks bad but he's ok. He hit his head on the ground. They're not taking any risks now," Riis said to the Dutch TV.
The team's PR man later said Schleck had been unconscious at first. "He has at least a minor concussion and we're doing more scans tonight," Brian Nygaard told Cyclingnews.
Schleck himself called Karsten Kroon on the phone after the race congratulating him with his performance. "He told me he was ok but he didn't sound well; at least he's still alive. We missed him in the finale and hopefully he'll be back in Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège," Kroon said.
The doctor of the Silence-Lotto team said that Matthew Lloyd's sacrum and pelvis were affected by the crash. "If it's only his sacrum it'll still take a couple of weeks, but I still have to see the scans to be sure about that," the team's doctor said. "We haven't been spared from bad luck recently and I just heard that Gorik Gardeyn - who just returned from injury - crashed and hurt his knee at the sprint in the Tour of Turkey today."

As we can see,Frank was very lucky in his crash.I've seen the images of it and they were very worrying.I'm very sorry for M.Lloyd as well because he's a nice rider.

Well,here's the other article about Andy (thanks again Rina!).He raced really well yesterday and managed to arrive 10th even if his brother crashed badly .

Andy Schleck kept cool under the pressure of attacks and the news of his brother's serious crash to fight for the win in the Amstel Gold Race on Sunday in The Netherlands. The Team Saxo Bank Luxemburger formed a key escape group in the final 28 kilometres and remained with the favourites to finish 10th for the day.
"I heard that he crashed and that he went to the hospital. It was on my mind, of course, but I tried to be professional to the end of the race for the best result possible," he told Cyclingnews.
Schleck's older brother and 2006 race winner, Fränk, crashed at kilometre 184. Medics took the Luxembourg Champion away on a stretcher in what fortunately looked more serious than early results indicate.
"I think he will be fine and back in the hotel tonight, so it's not too bad. I heard he is doing well."
Andy Schleck went on to animate the race on the Gulperberg, number 26 of the day's 31 climbs. He pulled in Dries Devenyns (Quick Step) to form a six-man move that included Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) and Enrico Gasparotto (Lampre-NGC).
"I was the first one who attacked on the top of the Gulperberg. I almost went away later, but Philippe Gilbert closed it down behind me. Then Serguei Ivanov went with Karsten [Saxo Bank's Karsten Kroon], which was a good move. There was no question for us behind: our team had to break the rhythm so they could make it to the end."
Kroon stayed clear over the following 8.5 kilometres with Ivanov (Katusha) and Robert Gesink (Rabobank). Kroon and Ivanov dropped Gesink midway up the Cauberg, but Kroon lacked a response to the Russian's winning surge.
Schleck's 10th-place finish was his best ever in Amstel. He finished 73rd and 93rd in the last two years, respectively. He will help lead the team in the next two Ardennes Classics, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Here's also an article of Bobby Julich about cycling crashes: http://fry.cyclingnews.com/features.php?id=features/2009/bobbyjulich_apr09 .

(Photos by TDW).

Thanks God,Frank's fine!

So,here I am,in hurry as always.
Amstel Gold Race: the race was won by Ivanov in front of Kroon (good race) and Gesink.Andy was 10th (go on CN for more news and results).
Anyway,the thing I want to focus about in this post (considering that I'm a Schleck fan) was the crash that happened with about 70 kms to go.The riders involved were Daniel Lloyd and FRANK SCHLECK.I was on the couch at my aunt's house when the Italian chronists started the report about the race by saying "Good day to everyoby,welcome to AGR,unfortunately a bad news: Daniel Lloyd and ("not HIM",I thought) Frank Schleck ("Fuck!") have fallen and have been taken to hospital".I wasn't at home,I didn't have any computer near and so I didn't have any info about what happened.I was sooo nervous and worried!
Then the journalists said Frank never fainted after the fall and that he could move.The initial fear was for his neck and his vertebrae,but fortunately NOTHING WAS BROKEN.NOTHING.
A news from 3 minutes ago says that Frank "just" suffered a slight concussion (I say "just" because crash's fellow Lloyd broke 3 vertebraes and his sacrum).He should quit the hospital this evening.Thanks God.
On Saxo Bank's team things are reported differently,but I do't know who's right and who's not.That's what SB website says:
The Luxembourg rider lay unconscious on the road long before he was transported to hospital in Maastricht, where studies later showed that Schleck escaped from the crash with only bruises. "Initially he escaped with a severe concussion and some bruises, but there is nothing broken. It was a cheerless crash, but fortunately Frank is being released tonight and we will then assess whether he can be ready to race again on Wednesday. Nothing seems to be keeping him from racing then" said Kim Andersen.

Now,Frank could even race on Wednesday.Wouldn't it be too soon? Boh.
Anyway,Andy made a good race and attacked many times."Voices" say that he wanted to have news about his brother before of continuing the race.He's a really nice brother.
Let's hope things will be better soon (for Frank and also for poor Lloyd).Compliments to Ivanov and Kroon,1st and 2nd.Now I'm off to study.Sorry for the hurry and for the English I used in this post.

Amstel Gold Race:start list and little article about the Schlecks

Tomorrow there will be the first of the Ardenne's classics,the Amstel Gold Race.
Frank has said: "I feel very well,this doesn't mean that I'll win,but that I'll do everything in order to achieve a victory".
Of course it won't be easy,but Frank has already won AGR in 2006 and I hope he can win again this year (last year he arrived 2nd,in 2007 he had a bad fall but managed to finish 10th).
SB Team will be formed by Frank,Andy,the Sorensens (Nicki and Chris-Anker),Van Goolen,Kolobnev,Kroon and Larsson.A good team,in my opinion.
Regarding the other teams,here's a little start list:
Lampre:Cunego (if somebody's interested,there's an interview with him on CN),Gasparotto.
AG2R La Mondiale: A.Efimkin,Elmiger,Nocentini,Roche.
Astana:Bazayev,Horner,Iglinsky,Morabito.
BBox Bouygues Telecom: L.Lefevre.
Caisse d'Epargne:Pereiro,Rodriguez (also known as mr.Montelupone),Uran,Valverde-very strong team.
Cofidis:H.Duclos-Lassalle,Duque.
Euskadi Euskaltel:Egoi Martinez,Samuel Sanchez (watch out),Landaluze.
Francais des Jeux:Casar,Cherel,Sulzberger.
Fuji-Servetto:Capecchi,Cobo,De La Fuente.
Garmin:Hesjedal,Maaskant,Lowe,Van der Velde (who is someone different from Vandevelde).
Liquigas:Kreuziger,Kuschynski,Nibali,Willems.
Silence Lotto:Aerts,Dekker,Gilbert,Matthew Lloyd,Van Summeren,Vandenbroek (all together or separated?),Evans.
Columbia:Martin,Monfort,Pinotti (!),Rogers (on CN there's the name of Kirchen but not the one of Lovkvist:I think they've done a mistake,since Kirhen won't be riding tomorrow whereas Lovkvist probably will).
Katusha:Ivanov,Mazzanti,Petrov,Pfannenberger.
Milram:Ciolek,Frohlinger,Gerdemann,Knees,Terpstra,M. and P.Velits,Wegmann.
Cervélo:Gerrans,Klier,Daniel Lloyd,Rollin.
Colnago:Bert De Waele.
Diquigiovanni:Bertolini,Bertogliati,Ginanni,Rebellin,Scarponi,Serpa.
Skil-Shimano:Rooijakkers.
Topsport Vlaanderen:
Vacansoleil:Carrara,Leukemans,Lhotellerie.

Here's a little article about the race: http://www.wort.lu/wort/web/sport/artikel/16689/mehrere-truempfe-in-der-hand.php .It's in German,so here's my not-so-great translation (I've translated just the part about the Schleck brothers):
With Sunday's Amstel Gold Race,the Ardenne's week finally starts.Both the Schleck brothers,Andy and Frank,will take part in the race,whereas KK won't.
Three years ago Frank Schleck won the AGR wearing the National Champion jersey.This year he'll be wearing again that jersey during the 3 Ardenne's classics (AGR,Fleche Wallonne,Liege).
The form should be ok,considering the 2nd place in Paris-Nice,the 13th in Criterium International and the 11th in Klasika Primavera. "Until now,everything has gone really well in this season.I hope that my form will be good and that the weather will be sunny.My team will try to win the race,even if winning is not so easy:you need a very good day to win that race.Anyway I'm in good form,just like Andy",says Frank Schleck in an optimistic way.
In Saxo Bank team there will be also Karsten Kroon and Alexander Kolobnev.The leader will be the one whose form will be the best on Sunday."We've got 4 very strong riders in the team,and we could do a 'poker'.I don't want to say that we'll win the race,but that we'll try everything to make this happen",says F.Schleck,that tomorrow will be wearing the number 175.
Between the most dangerous adversaires there are Cunego,Valverde,Samuel Sanchez,Rebellin,Evans and Kreuziger.

Allez Frank! (and Andy of course!)
(Photo Bettini).

Random Post about...Waaa!

When I had to decide a name for this blog,I decided to call it "My Blog" and not "My Schleckcentric Blog" or something like that because I said to myself: "and what if sometimes you'll want to write things also about other topics? What'll you do then?" Well,this is one of those posts who make me say thank to myself for deciding that.
Remember the self-therapy about which Andy wrote on his diary? Well,I need it just now.Because I keep on thinking about the same person.And that person is NOT a cyclist.I left a clue in the previous lines ("what'll you do now,my darling young one?") and I can also tell you that I went to his concert yesterday evening and that 24 hours ago I was in his same room,breathing his same air and we were singing the same words at the same time.
I'm talking about the guy who,in my not-so-important opinion,is the best songwriter of the last century.Still talking in my not-so-important opinion,I think that in pop music,in the last 50 years,there have been just 3 big names:Paul McCartney,John Lennon,and HE.

Born in Minnesota in the year 1941.Great songwriter and poet.Have you finally guessed who's the guy I'm talking about? BOB DYLAN!!!!

Yes.He.I first saw a concert of him in 2006.At that time I didn't even know anything about the Schleck brothers...It seems like a million of years ago,but it was just in 2006.Time goes fast,doesn't it?

Btw,a month ago someone told me that Dylan was going to play in Milan and so I bought a ticket and went to the concert.The same place and the same people of 3 years ago.The same atmosphere.And then,at 9 o'clock,Bob Dylan appeared on the stage.He played "Just Like A Woman" and that really made me melt down.I was there,singing happily one of my favourite songs.Just to tell you something,I listen to "Blonde on Blonde" everyday while I travel to school and I perfectly know where to start to listen to it and which songs to skip (sigh!) in order to arrive at school while listening to this song.Hearing Dylan singing live,in front of me, "'till she finally sees that she's like all the rest/with her fog,her amphetamine and her pearls" was one of the best moment of the evening.I don't know why,but I love those lines (and also the ones that come before them in the song).

And then,after "Just Like A Woman",Dylan played "A Hard Rain's A Gonna Fall".Unbelievable.I studied that song at school,during the hours of English Literature.We studied it right after "Lord Randal" and so,when he went "Where have you been,my blue eyed son?" I started to clap my hands like a fool and sing.I couldn't believe it: Bob Dylan was singing "And I'll tell it and speak it and think it and breathe it/(...) but I'll know my song well before I start singing" in front of me! U-N-B-E-L-I-E-V-A-B-L-E.
And then he also played "Stuck Inside a Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again" (me was melting again), "Desolation Row" (!),"Ballad of A Thin Man" ("Because something is happening and you don't know what it is/do you,mister Jones?") and one of my favourite songs of his last album,"Thunder On The Mountain".
Then,"Like A Rolling Stone".The public (me included) went crazy.During the bis he also played "All Along the Watchtower" ("the wind begins to hooooowwwwllll!!!") and,in the end,"Blowin' In The Wind" (One of the greatest song ever).
Before of leaving the stage for the first time,he said something about his band as well,but I didn't understand anything :(
And then,during the bis,he started to dance.BOB DYLAN.DANCING.Waaa!!! He's usually very firm (?) on the stage,instead yesterday he spoke (!) and he danced (!!!)! A great evening.Definitely.
Unfortunately after 2 hours of good music,Dylan went away."It's all over now,baby blue",that's what I thought as soon as he left the stage.Great great great evening.
Anyway,if some of you are looking for cycling references inside this post,here's one:I travelled on a Volkswagen Passat.Very comfortable car,I must say :D
And then,here's a link to a French article about SB and Ardenne's classics.I can't figure out very well what it says because,as you all probably know (vero Ilaria?) I can't speak/write/understand French.Btw,that's the link: http://www.eurosport.fr/cyclisme/amstel-gold-race/2009/au-tour-des-schleck_sto1908474/story.shtml .
Oh,and I was forgetting (?):sir Lancelot will be at the start of the Giro d'Italia.And HGS wants to wear the first Maglia Rosa.It will be a nice Giro,won't it? ;)

NB: I'll probably keep on talking/thinking/writing lines from Bob Dylan's songs everywhere at least for a week.Anyway,I think I'll be ok for Sunday ;)
(Photo by William Claxton)