Jungels follows Andy Schleck's wheel tracks for victory in Liege-Bastogne-Liege
April 22, 2018 (20:00) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
History repeated itself in the best way possible for Bob Jungels on Sunday as the Quick-Step Floors racer netted Lige-Bastogne-Lige. It was his first Monument victory, but in an almost identical fashion to Luxembourg's previous win in La Doyenne with Andy Schleck nine years ago. In one of Lige-Bastogne-Lige's most exciting finales in years, Jungels stormed away over the top of the Cote de la Roche aux Faucons, the same climb where Schleck launched his winning, lone attack, nine years ago, 19 kilometres from the finish. Clad in the Luxemburg's national champions jersey, Jungels slowly but steadily carved out a winning margin that reached nearly a minute at one point. The advantage sagged dramatically to a third of that on the Cote de Saint-Nicolas, but then expanded again on the long draggy ascent to Ans, and which allowed him to celebrate his first-ever Monument win.ADVERTISEMENT "I'm a bit tired, and feeling very emotional and very proud about having won this Doyenne for the team," Jungels said afterwards. "Being so close to Luxembourg is something special too. "Yes, it was an early attack, but I think I wouldn't have had such a good chance in a sprint against [Alejandro] Valverde. There were other, faster guys there too in the main group. So I used my time trialling skills to make it to the finish." His success with a long-range attack was, he said, yet more proof that a lot of races have been won and lost this year by not waiting until the final kilometres. "We saw it again on Wednesday at Flche Wallonne, where a lot of teams came under pressure by our making the race hard from a certain point onwards" - as Quick Step did in Lige, too, with Philippe Gilbert on the Redoute and again on the Roche aux Faucons. You can read more at Cyclingnews.com More...

Hesjedal and Schleck close out their careers at Il Lombardia
October 02, 2016 (20:00) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Il Lombardia was the final race of the 2016 WorldTour, and for several riders, it was the final race of their careers. The champagne corks were popping at the Trek-Segafredo bus in Bergamo as both Frnk Schleck and Ryder Hesjedal hung up their wheels and reflected on the past 15 or so years. "Everyone told me that I need to enjoy the last kilometers because it's going to be something special, and I was waiting to feel this special moment, but nothing really happened. I just felt really tired like I normally do at the end of a race," Schleck of the moment he crossed the line. "But then when I came to the bus there was a nice reception from the boys, the team, the fan club, and some family, my kids, my wife, and they reminded me that this is it! I realized it's not just a switch that you turn on or off. I think it will come in the next days that then I will realize that it is finished."ADVERTISEMENT Hesjedal wasnt able to soak up the emotions on the run to the finish line as he climbed off his bike and abandoned during an especially tough and selective edition of the 'race of the falling leaves'. "I really wanted to finish it today, but realistically I know how things work on the road. I dont know how many guys finished in the end [61 " ed], but you definitely had to have good legs, and I didn't so it was impossible. I still enjoyed every moment out there," he said in an interview with the Trek-Segafredo team's website. Hesjedal began his career in mountain biking, before switching to the road in 2004, riding alongside Lance Armstrong at US Postal and then moving to Phonak in 2006. He spent the bulk of his career at Jonathan Vaughters Slipstream set-up, winning the Giro d'Italia in 2012, but admitted to doping earlier in his career before he joined the clean-ethos team. He moved to Trek for the final year of his career and one more crack at the Giro, but he was forced to abandon. No regrets for Schleck You can read more at Cyclingnews.com More...

Broken collarbone for Frank Schleck after Fleche Wallonne crash
April 20, 2016 (20:00) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Frank Schleck will miss Lige-Bastogne-Lige on Sunday after suffering a broken collarbone in a crash at La Flche Wallonne. The Trek-Segafredo rider confirmed on Twitter he would have to undergo surgery on Thursday. The Luxemburger was a victim of a crash that occurred in the middle of the bunch around45 kilometres from the finish. He was one of two Trek-Segafredo riders to go down, but while Haimar Zubeldia was able to get back on his bike, Schleck immediately reached for his right shoulder, often a telling indication of a broken collarbone. Schleck immediately abandoned the race, and the Trek-Segafredo team told Cyclingnews that he was taken to hospital in "a lot of pain" and that the team doctor accompanying him in the car was almost certain the collarbone was broken. The 36-year-old is currently undergoing tests at the hospital to ascertain the severity of the injury.ADVERTISEMENT While it is unclear at this stage how long Schleck will be out of action for, what is certain is that he will miss Lige-Bastogne-Lige on Sunday. It comes as a fresh blow for Trek-Segafredo, who lost Fabio Felline to a neutral zone crash at the Amstel Gold Race on Sunday, with the rider suffering a fractured skull and facing two to three months out. "For us it's a shame because we've already lost Felline at Amstel, and now Frank," team general manager Luca Guercilena told Luxemburger Wort after the race. "It's complicated for us for Lige now." Schleck suffered a severe collarbone injury nearly six years ago when he crashed early on in the 2010 Tour de France. It was the other collarbone - his left one - that was affected that day, broken in three places, and he required surgery that involved inserting a plate and six screws for a period of nearly six months. " frnk schleck (@schleckfrank) April 20, 2016 You can read more at Cyclingnews.com More...

Schleck hoping Utah can propel him to Vuelta success
August 03, 2015 (02:30) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Trek Factory Racings Frank Schleck said Sunday that he hopes competing in the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah this week can vault him to success at the Vuelta a Espana later this month. I had to renounce on being a part of the Tour de France this year because of my injury I had, Schleck said during the pre-race press conference Sunday in Logan. I ripped up the interior tendon in my knee and I hoped to be back quicker, but in Tour de Suisse I realized its not going to get any better. So together with the team we decided not to do the Tour. Schleck initially injured his right knee in a crash at Lige-Bastogne-Lige at the end of April. He raced next at the Tour of Norway in May, followed by the one-day GP du canton dArgovie in June. He pulled out of the Tour de Suisse ahead of the closing time trial, and then an MRI showed inflammation to the medial collateral ligament had not yet healed.ADVERTISEMENT Of course when we made the decision it was a hard decision for me not being able to do the Tour, he said. Then I sat down with my Dad, with Kim Anderson and the team and we talked about whats next. I wanted to do the Vuelta, and I decided to sacrifice spending time with the family and going first to a training camp in the Alps for five days, then five days back to sea level, and then heading out to Park City. Schleck has been in Park City for the past 10 days, training at altitude and reconoittering some of the climbs hell face later in the week. You can read more at Cyclingnews.com More...

Jungels overcomes mechanical for second Luxembourg time trial title
June 26, 2015 (13:30) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Bob Jungels returned to the top step of the podium at the Luxembourg national time trial championship ahead of Jempy Drucker of BMC Racing and defending champion, Trek Factory Racing teammate Laurent Didier. Jungels won the 2013 title and was the fastest rider in the 2012 titles but as an U23 rider was ineligible for the elite category which went to Ben Gastauer. Jungels overcame flatting on the second circuit of the 24.6 kilometre course as he had Drunker in his sights. "I was confident, not about the victory, but about my performance," he said. Earlier this year at the Tour of Norway, Frnk Schleck described to Cyclingnews his compatriot as more mature for his age both mentally and physically adding, "He's very strong and he can go far."ADVERTISEMENT Despite losing time due to the mechanical Thursday, he kept his focus, exhibiting the qualities his teammate had praised. "I had a flat tire in the second lap and I had to change the bike," he explained. "I was just about to catch Drucker who started in front of me by a minute, and then I punctured, so I was not nervous, I knew I was in a good position. I changed the bike and I was about 100 meters behind him at the line so I knew it was probably enough to win it." The course was similar to previous editions, taking the riders twice around the 12.3 kilometre circuit. "It was a pretty hard course, a lot of false flat climbing and one climb at the end," he added. "It was not easy. I felt really good, pretty recovered from the Tour de Suisse and I am super happy to take the victory again." You can read more at Cyclingnews.com More...

Cancellara, Mollema will lead Trek at Tour de France
June 24, 2015 (13:30) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Trek Factory Racing today announced its Tour de France roster, using individual Tweets from pre-selected fans to reveal the nine-rider team on social media. Fabian Cancellara will lead the pinstriped US-based team into the Grand Depart July 4 in Utrecht, where he will likely try and take the prologue win and first yellow jersey of the race. The Swiss rider has led the Tour de France five different times thanks to his strength in the prologues or opening time trials (2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012) for a total of 28 days in the maillot jaune. Cancellara will forgo the time trial at this weeks Swiss national championships to focus instead on the road race and the Tour.ADVERTISEMENT Bauke Mollema will carry the bulk of the teams general classification hopes. The 28-year-old Dutch rider, who was sixth in the 2013 Tour de France and 10th overall last year, finished second overall earlier this year at Tirenno-Adriatico. The team announced earlier Tuesday that Frank Schleck will miss the Tour because of knee injury, but Mollema can look for help in the hills from Julian Arredondo, Markel Irizar and veteran Haimar Zubeldia. Cancellara, Stijn Devolder, Laurent Didier, Bob Jungels and Gregory Rast will provide power for the team time trial and the transition stages while also hunting stage wins. The 2015 Tour will be the first for 22-year-old Jungels and 26-year-old Arredondo. You can read more at Cyclingnews.com More...

News shorts: Frnk Schleck out of the Tour de France
June 24, 2015 (13:30) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Knee injury sidelines Schleck from the Tour de France and Luxembourg Nationals Frnk Schleck will not participate in this years Tour de France in July or the Luxembourg road championships this Sunday, as originally planned, because of a chronic injury in his right knee, Trek Factory Racing announced on Tuesday. Schleck first injured his right knee in a crash at Lige-Bastogne-Lige at the end of April. He next raced at the Tour of Norway in May followed by the one-day GP du canton dArgovie in June, but then pulled out of the Tour de Suisse ahead of the closing time trial in Bern on Sunday.ADVERTISEMENT An MRI taken in Basel on Monday revealed inflammation to the medial collateral ligament along with a bone injury that has not healed yet. This is a big disappointment for me, of course, but it had been in the air for a while now, said the Luxembourg road race champion. The pain never really lessened and the only way to let it heal would have been to take complete rest. It was a catch-22: if I wanted to make the Tour team, I had to rest. I needed to take a break in the preparation to let the knee heal. But if I wanted to be fit for the Tour, I needed to train hard. The knee wasnt getting any better during the Tour de Suisse, despite daily treatments and all of us hoping for a miracle. We took the decision together and I think its correct. I cant push it for 21 days straight and hope to make it to Paris. What I need is rest. You can read more at Cyclingnews.com More...

Frank Schleck out of Tour de France with knee injury (The Associated Press)
June 24, 2015 (09:15) [ Indexed from Yahoo! Sports ]
PARIS (AP) -- Frank Schleck will not compete in the Tour de France because of a knee injury. More...

Cycling-Schleck ruled out of Tour de France (Reuters)
June 24, 2015 (09:15) [ Indexed from Yahoo! Sports ]
Luxembourg's Frank Schleck is to miss next month's Tour de France because of a knee injury. The Trek Factory Racing rider, older brother of 2010 Tour winner Andy, has been struggling since crashing in the Liege-Bastogne-Liege race earlier this season and skipped the closing time trial at the Tour de Switzerland last week in a bid to recover. "This is a big disappointment for me, of course, but it had been in the air for a while now," Schleck said in a news release. More...

Frank Schleck out of Tour de France with knee injury
June 23, 2015 (17:30) [ Indexed from New Zealand Herald ]
PARIS (AP) " Frank Schleck will not compete in the Tour de France because of a knee injury.Schleck, a top-five Tour finisher three times, has chronic inflammation in his right knee following a crash at Liege-Bastogne-Liege in April.Schleck,... More...

Frank Schleck out of Tour de France with knee injury (The Associated Press)
June 23, 2015 (17:30) [ Indexed from Yahoo! Sports ]
PARIS (AP) -- Frank Schleck will not compete in the Tour de France because of a knee injury. More...

Cycling-Schleck ruled out of Tour de France (Reuters)
June 23, 2015 (15:45) [ Indexed from Yahoo! Sports ]
Luxembourg's Frank Schleck is to miss next month's Tour de France because of a knee injury. The Trek Factory Racing rider, older brother of 2010 Tour winner Andy, has been struggling since crashing in the Liege-Bastogne-Liege race earlier this season and skipped the closing time trial at the Tour de Switzerland last week in a bid to recover. "This is a big disappointment for me, of course, but it had been in the air for a while now," Schleck said in a news release. More...

Tour of Norway: Frnk Schleck mentors Jungels towards Tour de France debut
May 24, 2015 (06:00) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Stage 4 of the Tour of Norway has been marked by the long and courageous breakaway of Luxembourger super talent Bob Jungels who rode away after 30km with Pim Ligthart (Lotto-Soudal), continued solo until he ran out of gas and eventually got reined twelve kilometres before the end. So he's been at the front for 125 kilometres. "Bob is a big talent," his compatriot and team captain Frnk Schleck told Cyclingnews at his hotel in Geilo. "He's a very good rouleur but we must let him develop. Today he rode impressively but he still lacks experience. Firstly, it wasn't up to him to attack. But he's got a head on his shoulders. Mentally and physically, he's much more mature than his age (22). Do I look after him? Yes and no. He's from Luxemburg too and he's a very good friend. It makes me feel good that a young rider listens to me, I hope he does, but he can't be compared to Andy or myself. He's a different type of cyclist. He's very strong and he can go far." Two days after the Tour of Norway, Trek Factory Racing's duo from Luxemburg will embark on a pre-Tour de France reconnaissance of the important stages. "The Tour de France team is not composed yet but Bob should be part of it," Schleck said. As for himself, he's gearing up for his ninth Grande Boucle at the age of 35.ADVERTISEMENT "I see myself in the role of a domestique for Bauke Mollema," he continued. "The hierarchy in the team has to be based according to the most recent results (the Dutchman was sixth in 2013 and tenth in 2014). Then we'll have to see how the race unfolds but Haimar Zubeldia who has made the top ten five times and myself who has made the top ten three times, we'll go as team-mates. "Our team has been unlucky this year with many crashes like Fabian Cancellara at the classics," he reminded. He himself suffered a leg injury in the inaugural stage of the Vuelta Andalucia that cost him to participate to Paris-Nice and to be competitive at the Ardennes classics. Trek Factory Racing obviously works for a more successful second part of the season with Mollema set to replace recently retired Andy Schleck after being transferred from Belkin. "Leopard was a great team," Frnk remembered. "We'll never forget that we've finished second and third at the Tour de France. Now it's Trek. It's an American team with many nationalities and very wide horizons. The riders get on well. For now, we haven't had the big results we wanted but we hope to have put the bad luck behind us." You can read more at Cyclingnews.com More...

Quotes from the startline of Amstel Gold Race
April 20, 2015 (05:15) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
The hilly classics began in earnest as the riders lined up in Maastricht for the start of the Amstel Gold Race. Seven former champions were present, including three-time and defending champion Philippe Gilbert. Other previous winners on show were Roman Kreuziger (2013), Enrico Gasparotto (2012), Damiano Cunego (2008), Stefan Schumacher (2007), Frank Schleck (2006) and Davide Rebellin (2004). Gilbert is the hot favourite as he looks to add yet another victory to his to Cauberg scrapbook and he will have the backing of a strong BMC team. Going up against him will be the likes of world champion Michal Kwiatkowski (Etixx-QuickStep), Alejandro Valverde (Movistar), Joaquim Rodrguez (Katusha) and Daniel Martin (Cannondale-Garmin) if he wants to take victory. On a sunny, but chilly morning in Maastricht, Cyclingnews caught up with many of the big contenders and a few who are hoping to cause an upset.ADVERTISEMENT Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) All of these three are good for me and just winning one makes your entire week, Valverde told Cyclingnews on Sunday morning, Ive never won Amstel but Im not fussy about which! My conditions very good, what you need is luck. But bringing in that extra section before the finish after the top of the Cauberg like that isnt so great for me. I prefer the old Amstel finish. Dan Martin (Cannondale-Garmin) You can read more at Cyclingnews.com More...

News shorts: Andy Schleck to open bike shop
March 03, 2015 (22:45) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Dumoulin under the weather Tom Dumoulin (Giant Alpecin) was to be one of his teams hopes for the overall classification in Paris-Nice, but the 24-year-old has been ill, and said on Twitter today, "I'm afraid that I have to adjust my expectations for Paris-Nice." Dumoulin was named as a leader together with Frenchman WarrenBarguil and sprinter John Degenkolb. Last year, the German won a stage and the points classification.ADVERTISEMENT Whether or not Dumoulin can challenge for the final classification remains to be seen. "We have a diverse team that can challenge on every terrain,"team director Christian Guiberteau said. "We aim for a good ranking withTom, but much depends on his recovery." Schleck to open bike shop You can read more at Cyclingnews.com More...

News shorts: Schleck out of Paris-Nice
March 02, 2015 (22:45) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Schleck out of Paris-Nice Trek Factory Racing will start Paris-Nice without Frnk Schleck, who has not yet recovered from the injuries he sustained in a crash at the Vuelta a Andalucia last month. Schleck made the announcement on Twitter today, stating, "It's the right decision we took together with @TrekFactory to not do Paris Nice and do a proper recovery."ADVERTISEMENT Schleck was involved in one of the mass crashes near the finish of the first stage of the Ruta del Sol, and suffered deep contusions to his leg, but no fracture. He lost several days of training and did not expect to be at his best for the race. Fatal collision with spectator in Belgian elite race You can read more at Cyclingnews.com More...

Schleck lowers Paris-Nice ambitions after crash in Andalucia
February 24, 2015 (00:15) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
After falling victim to a massive crash in the opening stage of the Vuelta a Andalucia last week, Trek Factory Racing rider Frnk Schleck is doubtful he can be on top form for Paris-Nice next month. The Luxembourg champion was part of a pile-up near the finale of stage 1a when a Team Sky lead-out man swung off and took out Blel Kadri (AG2R-La Mondiale). Kadri was only the headpin, and when he fell, almost the entire peloton came tumbling to the ground as a result. Schleck had difficulty walking after the crash and did not start the afternoon time trial. After arriving back in Luxembourg, he was diagnosed with a deep muscular hematoma in his quadriceps.ADVERTISEMENT "Today I went to the hospital for another MRI and the conclusion was that it's healing, slowly, but it's healing," Schleck said today. "It's still very painful, but the doctors assured me I will be fine. They are letting me do some riding on the CycleOps and maybe by the end of the week I can ride on the road. "It's too early to say if I will be at the start of Paris-Nice, but it's not impossible. We'll have to see how everything evolves. For sure, the race can't be a performance goal for me anymore because I lost four valuable days of racing and I'm not training 100 percent yet. To be fully competitive in Paris-Nice, I would need to be doing intervals, motor pacing, etc. right now. The directors will take the right decision." You can read more at Cyclingnews.com More...

Frnk Schleck: I'm still competitive and have no intention of winding down
January 19, 2015 (10:00) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Frnk Schleck: I'm still competitive and have no intention of winding downTrek Factory Racing rider targets Ardennes Classics in April By Daniel Benson. January 19, 08:30 After a season of rebuilding... All the latest news headlines from Cyclingnews.com More...

Andy Schleck: Yes I miss cycling
December 20, 2014 (11:30) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
2010 Tour de France winner adjusting to retirement More...

News shorts: Andy Schleck receives 2010 Tour trophy in Paris
November 29, 2014 (23:15) [ Indexed from Cyclingnews.com ]
Details emerge of 2015 Vuelta route, Orica-GreenEdge's Ryan and Gerrans support Velon More...