decisions are there to be made, and now it´s the time for it. Do you remember what I told at the beginning of my comeback? It´s all about the passion of cycling. It´s all about achieving your dreams. It´s all about being an idol for the young guns. It´s all about showing what you´ve got - to yourself and to all the guys who love or hate you. Feeding your fans with something to cheer for and proving the critical voices wrong.
With my comeback, I managed to do all this. I won the Tour de France, the Olympus of cycling. I´ve done my supportes proud. I´ve shown myself that I can reach the ultimate top. Riding into yellow in Alpe d'Huez. What can be better?
It's funny to see that all this has started again by sitting in the team car of Stölting. The incredible fire in the eyes of these young guys. By training together with them I found this fire back myself. It was cool to be the grandpa of my guys, but still my demand was to be competeable.
Like this my way went back to professional cycling. Firstly it was just teaching Silvio, Lennard, Moritz and the others at Stölting, then I went over to Bora continuing my initial goal, helping young german cyclists developing. I found unseen talents in mine by lighting the fire with these guys, and both the young guns like Bokeloh, Buchmann, Nerz, Willwohl & Zabel and I learned from each other.
But my most weightful lesson I learnt back then from my old mate Jens. It´s all about resisting. It´s all about believing. It´s all about fighting. This attitude planed my way back into World Tour cycling. And by this I rehabilitated myself in the media. Now I was the German hope, though that still feels kind of strange. But all the guys out there respected my work with the talent groups, and there were more friends of mine in the peloton than anytime before.
Even my injuries couldn´t stop this developement. Therefore I have to give out a big shout for Ralph Denk and his team. You guys are just stunning, I will never forget how you built me up time after time again after falling back. Several times I thought that everything is over, but you were there for me. Thank you.
In my final year things didn´t went really well early. Great 1-week racing in spain was followed by an disillusionating spring and the injury at the Giro. But one last time I put all together and forgot all the pain. And it was worth it.
The epic battles with Thibaut and Wilco for the whole race were sport at it´s best. Clean sport. And then through all the big climbs; what a time I had. But the best thing was falling from the bike at Champs Elysee. Having the guys around me one by one. Firstly Rick & Marco together with Andre who waited on the line, then the our other finishers Marcel, Petr and Emanuel and finally Ralph and Enrico from the team car.
I really couldn´t hold my emotions, it was the biggest achievement of my career. The first and only Tour victory. And the third-biggest moment of my life. Only the day where I met my wife and the birth of my child stand over that.
Feeling this emotions I took a decision. Some people say you should stop something when it´s at it´s best point and that´s what I will do right now. All the time my With this statement I will officialy end my career on the 31st of July 2018.
I was in talks with the management how Bora will continue with this moment several times, therefore we already planned the future. The training group Schleck will continue. But for the next time I won´t be on the racing events anymore. You´ll see me having a good time with my family this year, enjoying the life and sometimes visiting bike races. As a visitor it will feel strange, but I´m sure that it`s the right decision. For the next year I will continue my university program in sports management, so that I will join Bora's management lateron in 2019.
This is also the point, where I will end my blog. Although I already miss you guys, who supported me for the whole 4 years, I won´t come back for this blog even as member of the management. With tearsn I also have to announce, that this is the official end of "Andy Schleck - Can´t slow down".
Credits to AbishkekLFC, Tamijo, sutty68, The Schleck Fan, DiCyc, trekbmc, Martii_Scots01, cunego59, jandal7, Ian Butler, Luxemburger, Ripley, cio93 & taaramae01 for your support. You guys were the reason to keep this up!
It has been a great time with you guys. My last 4 years were the most enjoyable time in my career. But now it´s time to say goodbye.
Thank you for an amazing story of Andy coming back against the odds - Wish him the best of luck in his future and you the same. Hope to read another story by you in the near future.
This is how a lot of us would've liked Andy to go out for real! It was great to be a part of Andy's revival. Thanks for bringing him back to the roads.
What a way to finish the career! Winning the TdF by 39 seconds - just like Andy lost by 39 seconds in 2010 (until Contador was disqualified). Thanks for the great story!
The feedback of yours has been amazing, thanks to all the nice words :) currently I´m busy with many projects, but sooner or later you´ll see me coming up with another story, I promise :)
Raubling, 30.7.2018 
