we are heading over into the Basque Country, where I had so many great days in my cycling career. Not to forget the last edition of the Vuelta al Pais Vasco, where I took 3 stages and the GC. With my current form I feel like being able to continue the succesfull pre-Ardennes campaign, let´s see how it goes!
Before starting with stage one I have to say that the opponence looks strong these days. All the big men with ambitions in the Ardennes besides Gilbert are here, from Aru to Kwiatek. My team is fully here to build up form, including our prospect Sarda who hasn´t found his form yet but should be the last man to support me here.
Stage 1 was a hilly one with a flat finish in Guenes. These stages can either go really well (when I´m managing to finish with the first group I am really competitive in a reduced sprint or with a late attack) or absolutely horrible (when you´re not making to get into the first group your GC can be f***ed). How did this go out for me?
Secondly. Tinkoff-Saxo once again put the hurt on everybody, so that a group of seven managed to go away on the final climb, three yellow men in it. I just didn´t had the legs to follow these guys, and already lost one minute here, while from the group upfront it was too easy for FDJ rider Michael Matthews to take the day.
1
Michael Matthews
FDJ
3h36'22
2
Mathieu van der Poel
Lotto Soudal
s.t.
3
Michał Kwiatkowski
Desigual
s.t.
4
Eddie Dunbar
Tinkoff-Saxo
s.t.
5
Eduardo Sepulveda
Orica-GreenEDGE
s.t.
6
Alejandro Valverde
Tinkoff-Saxo
s.t.
7
Vincenzo Nibali
Tinkoff-Saxo
s.t.
8
Andy Schleck
Bora - Argon 18
+ 1'01
Next up was the only really flat one, finishing in Vitoria Gasteiz where the strongest spanish basketball squad has their home. Not an interesting stage for us, so my teammates and I just attempted to stay safe and did so. On the line Matthews was kind of favourized, but Vereecken stole his show for Lotto-Soudal to spoil the party.
Coming to the third, where against tough opponence the hardest day waited for me, going all the steep roads up to Arrate. Before the stage I thought that it looks like that I haven´t got the legs to repeat my last years attempts here in the Basque Country, but I shouldn´t have called that this early in the race. But let´s start 20 kms before the finishing line, when the break was already caught and Aru made the first move on the penultimate climb. The man bringing him back before the final ramp of a hill was Eduardo Sepulveda, I wondered who he´s working for but couldn´t think of any Orica GC contender.
I knew the hill to Arrate from the past years well and reminded myself of the narrow roads, which is why I placed myself directly on the fore beneath Kwiatek to ride my own pace. We worked well together, although we had completely different interest. He wanted to crack Matthews and take over the lead, while I just didn´t want to get blocked by struggeling riders and go for my own pace.
This must have been pretty high, the break with good climbers (Hirt, Saez, Garcia) had over a minute of an advantage for the final climb an was crushed by us. As soon as we left them behind I turned my view around and could only see Sepulveda with us. Tinkoff must have had a desaster with his narrow roads, seems like if I want something funny this night I should look at his twitter history for today...Aru went backwards from us, he seemed like he just couldn´t hold the pace, while young irishman Dunbar came nearer by the time.
But he couldn´t reach us, so we three upfront battled out the stage glory. The Argentine wasn´t strong enough, but he had a brilliant day so won´t be too unhappy with third, while Michal seemed to not give his last and more or less donated me the victory for my help to ride him into yellow.
1
Andy Schleck
Bora - Argon 18
4h03'19
2
Michał Kwiatkowski
Desigual
+ 10
3
Eduardo Sepulveda
Orica-GreenEDGE
+ 26
4
Eddie Dunbar
Tinkoff-Saxo
+ 34
5
Fabio Aru
Tinkoff-Saxo
+ 47
For me this means a GC improvement into fourth, being behind the three riders placing themselves on this stage directly behind me.
Now it doesn´t look too bad for this tour anymore, especially with that confidence boost being one of the strongest on the hardest day. Despite that I´m still fear of that time trial on stage 6, what might be my biggest weakness. Some of you will call that a classical disease of mine, call me an uncomplete rider who can never win Le Tour without these qualities. Hopefully I can prove you wrong, although knowing that I´m late in my career.
a similar stage to the previous coming up, leading into Bera-Ibardin. On the day the break wasn´t too strong and all stayed calm until the finishing ramp, where the puncheurs sprinted for the victory.
Tinkoff-Saxo dominated all the way uphill and nearly recieved a triple victory. THey would´ve if I wasn´t there, but I managed to scrap into their drag train and finish on the lowest place on the podium.
Kwiatkowski defended his lead, while Nibali took the day.
1
Vincenzo Nibali
Tinkoff-Saxo
3h34'30
2
Fabio Aru
Tinkoff-Saxo
s.t.
3
Andy Schleck
Bora - Argon 18
s.t.
4
Eddie Dunbar
Tinkoff-Saxo
s.t.
5
Roman Kreuziger
Sprite
s.t.
6
Michal Kwiatkowski
Desigual
s.t.
For me this podium meant the lead in the points classification, just ahead ofMichal & Michael.
1
Andy Schleck
Bora - Argon 18
49
2
Michal Kwiatkowski
Desigual
47
3
Michael Matthews
FDJ
46
Time to defend this jersey on the stage to Onati while attacking the GC podium. The toughest days already lie behind us, but everything is possible on hilly days, so I attacked on the last climb of the day with 23,2 to go.
But this year I don´t have the brilliant legs from last years edition, so T-S and Desigual managed to reject my effort. Hanging onto the bunch sprint I still had something left, and from the backwheel of Matthews I sprinted for the white points jersey.
But it shopuldn´t be it, as Alaphilippe was the fastest of the day beating the FDJ sprinter and me. Without that attack I might could´ve won this, but Matthews would´ve been more careful with me though so I shouldn´t be too sad.
1
Julian Alaphilippe
Nike
4h13'37
2
Michael Matthews
FDJ
s.t.
3
Andy Schleck
Bora - Argon 18
s.t.
He also took white, but with a TT to come this advantage could still turn around given the fact that I´m only one point down. More of a threat should be Kwiatek, who is still in a good position.
1
Michael Matthews
FDJ
66
2
Andy Schleck
Bora - Argon 18
65
3
Michal Kwiatkowski
Desigual
56
The closing stage were 18,2 around finishing city Onati. Early it was clear that Matthews won´t add something into his points jersey, while GC prospect Lawson Craddock bet the long lasting leading time of Bobridge.
His lead should stay alive until the end, while I had my best day here, beating my own hopes and finishing 6th just 19 seconds down on the winner.
1
Lawson Craddock
Etixx - Quick-step
26'21
2
Jack Bobridge
Orica-GreenEDGE
+ 3
3
Rigoberto Urán
Desigual
+ 7
4
Chris Froome
Bwin
+ 10
5
Vincenzo Nibali
Tinkoff-Saxo
+ 17
6
Andy Schleck
Bora - Argon 18
+ 19
11
Eduardo Sepulveda
Orica-GreenEDGE
+ 27
18
Eddie Dunbar
Tinkoff-Saxo
+ 38
29
Michal Kwiatkowski
Desigual
+ 44
Kwiatek really had an off day and not only couldn´t compete for the points jersey, but also lost his GC lead to Sepulveda, who finished this race with the biggest victory of his career. Another GC decided by 1 second!
I couldn´t make my way up the GC to defend the title, but fourth is nothing to complain about.
This surprise also decided the points classification in favour of mine, that´s nevertheless something I could defend this year.
1
Andy Schleck
Bora - Argon 18
70
2
Michael Matthews
FDJ
66
The form now really looks good for the Ardennes classics, with Fleche Wallone first to come. There I might move up in the UCI Pro Tour rankings, where I´m third at the moment.
Pais Vasco was great, clearly one of my favourite races and I will come back next year. But now it´s time to move on away from the Mediterrian spring. So next up you`ll hear from me when I´m in clearly colder and rougher territory.
today I´m writing you from Valkenburg, where as always the famous Cauberg decided about winners and loosers at the Amstel Gold Race, the Dutch of the "Wallonian" classics.
I´m not into the pot of favorites, but you know that an outsider can win huge classics, especially if he´s born in Luxembourg, living the passion of cycling and already a winner of a monument (some years ago though, but why not again ). But the big favs are these:
All the climbers for our team are here, so everyone can ride for himself. The outcoming downside is that I will be more or less unprotected for the whole race.
Tinkoff-Saxo controlled the race and cought the break containing Looij (Giant), Tuzi (Lampre), Flakemore (Orica) and Tecchio (Astana) pretty early. With 25 km to go there was a group of seven up the road containing some really big names, they went away on a steeper section: Kwiatkowski, Dunbar, ALaphilippe, van der Poel, Teuns, Oram, Tecchio. I still had them well inside, but I was already alone in the peloton.
With 11 then Tecchio, last man standing from the break, was brought back, which made the leading group six. But instead of him another three men (Polanc, Costa, Matthews) gone off for glory. Seing these groups from behind I thought it was laready over.
In spite of that I tried to drag them bag together with Sepulveda and de Tier, and we somehow pulled all together in the middle of the Cauberg. I launched one last attack to use my overspeed, but the caught guys were stronger than expected. I reached the top of the Cauberg first, but then my legs completely exploded.
So nothing less then 12 opponents made their way to the line faster than I was able to ride. At the end P13 is what stood their. Not the podium we wanted this classics campaign, but there are two opportunities left.
Michal Kwiatkowski took the win to extend his fabolous palmares; completing the podium were James Oram for Phonak and Julien Alaphilippe for Nike. At the end 15 riders were on the same time:
Maybe I shouldn´t have killed myself in the chase, because it seems like I wasn´t as strong as I thought. But real cyclists ride also for the spectators, and that´s what we´ve done in the chase. Is a win you´ve not worked for as worthful as a victory with the last breath?
Must've been tough recovering from the hills with a gap of just 10 days. 13th isn't a bad result and this outing should help Andy in the coming classics.
first of all I want to say thanks for the kind words to my closest followers and great story mates, sutty68, Tamijo, AbishkekLFC & The Schleck Fan. It´s great to have such a warm-hearted support from you guys.
At La Fleche Wallone I want to make up for the missed Top10 at the "beer race". The race of nearly 200 kilometers of length starting in Binche and finishing on the legendary Mur van Huy has most often an uphill drag as deciding element, but there are chances to get away early.
As an addition to our squad with a lot of climbing ability Petr Vakoc adds some punching abilities for this race to our options. He is in stunning form and will be the co-captain.
The break of the day contained Vandewalle (Sprite), Occhiliani (Telecom Italia) and Paret-Peintre (FDJ), and somehow rescued a decent advantage onto the last 20 kilometers, nearly 90 seconds. For me the race was kind of togh, but after early trouble with the legs where we already thought to ride for Buchmann it felt better heading nearer to the Mur. Despite plenty of attacks happening everything was together at the foot of the Mur, where I started the ramp sprint from around 20th position.
On the tough sprint I felt the legs of around 15 kilometers before and couldn´t progress really. It wasn`t too much of a pain not to contain for the victory, but it kind of disappointing not to have a real shot on the Top 10 here and see some younger guys batteling them out.
For me stands a lower Top 20 at the end, that´s both not enough for some WT-points and my own expectations on myself. The deserved winner was once again Michal Kwiatkowski over Dylan Teuns and James Oram.
One opportunity left, at the biggest of all hilly classics: Famous Liege-Bastogne-Liege, where I won before and this year I want to duplicate that story. I know it´ll be hard, with other riders on top form. But an outside shot is always possible, I was nothing more on my first steal.
the last chance for a good result in a hilly classic was on the line today. Let´s see how I did!
At the queen of the Wallonian classics of over 250 kilometers of straight-out racing we had again a group of three in the break. Kerrison (Drapac), Destiaux (Verandas Willems) and the most active breaker of this classics, Tuzi (Lampre), gave it a go.
But as you know the break mostly has no chance at the big classics, and so was the case here. First big split was caused by enourmos pace at La Redoute, which devided the bunch. One bigger group of around 15 riders was up the road, another with around 30 in behind.
Most of the main favourites were up the road, but not all and there had to be some firepower left, because with 13,8 to go only Alaphilippe and Meintjes were left on the front. Leading with around a minute of an advantage.
Coming into the Cote Saint Nicolas it was all over. For the riders upfront, and also for me. While Mathias Frank did a great job for Sprite to burn opponents, I was one of these burnt men, who had to lose contact on the steep section.
The rest of the day was just about finishing. Emanuel had a great day, but also missed out at Saint Nicolas to lead our group inside Liege 17th. For me it was P36, an inacceptable result. I need to think of what went wrong.
When we came in, the front group had already battled out the victory a long time ago. Kelderman surprisingly was the strongest, he´s known as the maybe best climber in the peloton but not as hilly superstar. But his good finishing speed lead him to this victory over Majka (Touch Africa) and Gilbert (Nike).
1
Wilco Kelderman
Team Giant-Alpecin
6h23'26
2
Rafał Majka
TEAM Touch Africa
s.t.
3
Philippe Gilbert
Nike
s.t.
4
Fabio Aru
Tinkoff-Saxo
s.t.
5
Julian Alaphilippe
Nike
s.t.
6
Roman Kreuziger
Sprite
s.t.
7
James Oram
Phonak
s.t.
8
Rui Costa
Rusal
s.t.
9
Floris De Tier
Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise
s.t.
10
Silvio Herklotz
TEAM Touch Africa
s.t.
17
Emanuel Buchmann
Bora - Argon 18
+ 1'50
36
Andy Schleck
Bora - Argon 18
s.t.
As you see not only me but also Kwiatek, Dunbar and van der Poel, the three main favourites, had a horrible day. What a surprisingly bad classics campaign. Now we have to turn the focus to the two big tours for me this year, the Giro and Le Tour.
After this years desaster I´m not sure whether I come back next year, depending on how my form looks in the tours this year.
Maybe targeting both the classics and the GTs is a stretch too far for Andy's ageing legs. Full on attack on the Giro should be the only target now. The hills and mountains have been kind to him so far this season. So let's hope for the best
(I really enjoyed watching Andy in his 'growing up years', so to say. I kind of lost touch with the world of cycling after 2009, after watching Contador kill the field in the TDF that year. Got back to it this year, and was extremely disappointed to find out that Andy had retired prematurely )
Lets just hope for better luck in the first Grand Tour
that would´ve been amazing...
AbhishekLFC wrote:
Maybe targeting both the classics and the GTs is a stretch too far for Andy's ageing legs. Full on attack on the Giro should be the only target now. The hills and mountains have been kind to him so far this season. So let's hope for the best
The Schleck Fan wrote:
And what?No comeback to the Ardennes?You should peak for LBL-Giro or LBL-Tour for 1 year.
Indeed I´m thinking about reducing my aims for next year. But what to go for besides the Tour? Ardennes? Giro? Vuelta? Cobbled Classics & MSR? One week racing? Only clear thing is that I want yellow..that has always been my dream and I´ve never achieved it despite being so close.
What do you think about that?
Tamijo wrote:
Not easy to feel the years, while the youngsters are in top shape
Yep I feel my body, but for the moment what I loose in pure strength I can make up by gaining experience, especially in food concepts and life order to become the most well prepared rider in the peloton.
Firstly I didn´t want to tell you the whole story, but now there is no hope anymore. No Giro for me. Since a while I felt the pain right in my left knee, it really started at La Doyenne. Consulting my medicals we firstly hoped for a short-term and pointly located troublemaker, but it doesn´t look like this.
The day before yesterday we had a skype chat, Ralph, my trusted doctor, Frank and I. We all aren´t really sure what´s the trouble, but we decided to give it three weeks without racing. The plan is to come back at Dauphine and then aim for Le Tour.
Hopefully this won´t influence my major goal too much and is fully healed until then.
Bis bald, Andy
Spoiler
AbhishekLFC wrote:
(I really enjoyed watching Andy in his 'growing up years', so to say. I kind of lost touch with the world of cycling after 2009, after watching Contador kill the field in the TDF that year. Got back to it this year, and was extremely disappointed to find out that Andy had retired prematurely )
Writing from my own and not from Andy´s position: that´s more or less when I started watching cycling...Andy has been my first hero of cycling (then came Samuel Sanchez and Thomas de Gendt...lately I´ve gone a little deeper into German cycling and cheer for Greipel & Martin as well as Bora Argon 18 + my love for Adria Mobil)
This story is also meant as kind of a tribute to Andy as his career ended so badly. He should´ve been a GT winner, a symphatic, talented and stylish rider. I want to see him finally winning Le Tour! (though that´s going to be very hard as I play on hard and he´s nowhere near the Top GT riders, I won´t edit his stats)
Indeed I´m thinking about reducing my aims for next year. But what to go for besides the Tour? Ardennes? Giro? Vuelta? Cobbled Classics & MSR? One week racing? Only clear thing is that I want yellow..that has always been my dream and I´ve never achieved it despite being so close.
What do you think about that?
See how the TDF goes this year. If you get the much-coveted Yellow jersey this time around, then you can go for the LBL - Giro next year, while keeping the TDF as a secondary objective. Else, it might be better to go for the LBL - TDF - Vuelta option next year.
Firstly I didn´t want to tell you the whole story, but now there is no hope anymore. No Giro for me. Since a while I felt the pain right in my left knee, it really started at La Doyenne. Consulting my medicals we firstly hoped for a short-term and pointly located troublemaker, but it doesn´t look like this.
The day before yesterday we had a skype chat, Ralph, my trusted doctor, Frank and I. We all aren´t really sure what´s the trouble, but we decided to give it three weeks without racing. The plan is to come back at Dauphine and then aim for Le Tour.
Hopefully this won´t influence my major goal too much and is fully healed until then.
Arrate, 6.4.2018 
Onati, 9.4.2018 
Valkenburg, 19.4.2018 
). But the big favs are these:
Huy, 22.4.2018 
)
)
