Out and about cycling

Contador leaves Astana

So Alberto Contador leaves Astana. And our commentator on Eurosport Russia was so sure he will stay, he was talking about it during all the stages. There we go. Russian speaking Asatana fans are very dissapointed.
Some possible scenarios:

- Contador to Quickstep. They were interested in him a year ago. Of course, everybody is interested in him, but maybe Quickstep has (or had) enough money?

- Contador to Caisse Depargne. Or how the team will name? Did they found a new sponsor? Anyway, why not? Spanish team, plus Velverde is suspended...

- Contador to Uncle Bjarne. Seems like Danish media are sure he will go this way. But Riis is mute, he still has the Schlecks. It's sad, he definitely love them more then just good riders. Or maybe now it's more like love/hate relationships.
honestly I don't want Schlecks to leave. I'm not sure that new team will be better then Saxo, at least at first. And without a good team Andy nor Frank won't win the Tour. There are so many superb helpers-leaders as Fabian, Stuey, Jens... And... So many aspects.

- Contador to his own team. What? There were the rumours a while ago. If it happens I'm sure it will be only for Spanish riders.

Some videos from the TDF

Frank interviews Andy

I found this article in the French blog. It's from 2nd of July, but I think it's interesting anyway. Let's remember about our brother's power.
Unfortunately I don't speak French, so I used Google translator. Sorry for the mistakes. I also don't know the source.

So.

Frank: Andy, what is your ambitions for the Tour?
Andy: It's not a secret: I'm going to win the Tour.

F: And for me?
A: I'm the leader, at least on paper. But you still have more experience then me on the Tour, which you did run twice [without me]. (Last year] I was second, you were fifth, that's not so far away, and again, you had knee problems all season. Anyway, the goal is to be both on the podium.

F: Do you think we have [advantages over our rivlaries]?
A: Yes. We have [very similiar scenario] this year. It may be even better as Contador andArmstrong ride for different teams. Each team is slightly weaker then last year. Perhaps it's out advantage, we still have two cards to play.

F: What is the quality for which you envy me?
A: I would like to do a little more. You are 100% professional in training and in everything. It's something I'm still learning from you.

F: And what do you have that I don't?
A: [...] [You should perhaps be less worried about what people are thinking. Less looks back, less falls, less nerves.]

F: [When] I was most helpfull [for you]?
A: In the last year's Tour, of course! In all the stages, but especiall in that one you have won. Without you I would not take 2 minutes on others. Maybe we wouldn't let Kloden like that and I finished 3rd, not 2nd [in general classification].

F: And when [in the races] did you fill to me the most respect?
A: When you won the Amstel. [Also] for you victory on Alpe d'Huez. It was different. You were in the break and [I thought in eyes of other riders who were with you, you had a good chance.] [It was a different story] last year on the Tour, because I knew you had a knee problems. On stage you wanted to stop after two hours, [but you didn't]. In the same situation I would not continued.

F: In which [occupation] you are much better [then me]?
A: We are {worth each other], but I'm better fishermen. I have a better technigue. (laughts while Frank protests)

F: What is your favourite childhood memory with me?
A: [There is not much memories with us together, because there are 5 years between us.] I remember, when I started cycling, I had something like 8 years old and we didn't ride away from home. We had a spint in the backyard and fell. We both broke foretooth. Today we laugh, but [in that day] our father wasn't happy... It's still unclear who was a reason [of that fall].

F: And how do you think, wht is our best experience since we are adults?
A: In 2008, when we both found ourselves in front of L-B-L. It was something special, it was the first time we highlighted both in a classic. It marked a spirit in Luxembourg.

F: How do you see yourself in 35-40 years?
A: In 40 I won't longer be on the bike! I hope to [go same road as you] and have a small family. But once I stopped I won't stay on the bike. I don't see my future behind the wheel of a sport manager. I'll need to stop. (that's probably means Andy don't want to have his own team?)

F: And I in this age?
A: Three children (Frank mimes a big belly and catches a tankard of imaginary beer) and a lifeon a countryside. We're not rockstars.

F: What puts you into a bad mood?
A: Bad cooking. For the rest, it needs a lot to put me in a bad mood, I think.

F: And me?
A: When I put the room into a brothel.

Knee problems keep dragging on for Andy Schleck

Sources: velonation.com, wort.lu

Andy Schleck is continuing to lose ground to his Tour de France rivals as his knee problems linger on. The 2009 Tour runner-up has had persistent problems in the joint this year and, according to the Luxembourg newspaper Wort, has been forced to head back home and undergo more treatment.

Schleck was originally due to start his season in the Challenge Majorca, running from February 11th, but had to scratch those plans due to the pain. He was told by doctors in Luxembourg to take a break from training and to work with physiotherapists, and duly did so.

He returned to Majorca last Tuesday, stating before the flight that he was feeling good. “[I’m] really happy, I got my knee pain-free and can get back on track,” he said on his Twitter feed, apologising for having to miss the Ruta del Sol.

The following day he said that he was able to ride without pain, but continued to feel some tenderness afterwards. Schleck returned to Luxembourg on Monday, having spent less than a week training on the island and, according to Wort, will now undergo alternative treatment to try to get to the bottom of the problem.

He stated before that he hoped to start his season in the Giro del Friuli, which takes place in exactly one week’s time. That will clearly now depend on how his knee responds to the latest treatment.

Schleck is likely to be concerned at the ongoing delays he is facing. Lance Armstrong, who finished just one minute and 13 seconds behind him in last year’s Tour, began racing over a month ago and has been training hard ever since. Alberto Contador, who beat him to take the yellow jersey to Paris, began his season last week in the Volta ao Algarve and won the mountain stage plus the final overall classification there.

In fact, every other rider in the top ten at last year’s Tour has started their season. Four of those have already taken victories; Contador had that impressive success in Portugal, Bradley Wiggins (4th in Paris) was part of the TTT-winning squad in the Tour of Qatar, Vincenzo Nibali (7th) won a stage plus the final classification in the Vuelta a San Luis and Christophe Le Mevel (10th) took the last stage plus the final GC in the Tour du Haut Var on Sunday.