Although the team will be competing all across Europe, they will be based in England, with all training and publicity operations here, and will all - of course - be coming to live here.
Wednesday, 10 August 2011
Andy Schleck To Join Team Sky
Although the team will be competing all across Europe, they will be based in England, with all training and publicity operations here, and will all - of course - be coming to live here.
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No no no.....I am fairly certain they will be joining team Garmin Cervelo (that boy needs a better TT bike after all) and they will be living here in the US :-)
ReplyDeleteAs though I needed further incentive to pull up stakes, and move to Britain.
ReplyDeleteThe Cotswolds, Oxford, Cambridge, food purveyors who consistently offer to heat your food, Wimbledon, Schlecks-in-Stoke-on-Trent...
I guess we need to continue to ask: Coug, Coug, are you alright?
ReplyDeleteHead trauma?
PeeDee
Well that ruins my plan to move to Mondorf and live in the same apartment complex!! :P
ReplyDelete(also, lmao @ Beaker Dominic!!!)
YES!!!! say its true!!! hahahahaha :D
ReplyDeleteActually, they are all going to be moving here! They will be joining Garmin Cervelo, based in Boulder, and I will be working for them!! I do management and administrative work.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy to hear of these transfers!
Ha Ha...don't I flippin wish it were so!! Since I can't speak Luxie and my German and French is sketchy at best...(though I was prety fluent as a kid) I figure this is the most practical fantasy!
BE
Ah-ha-ha neighing! So glad no-one took that too seriously.... although I did think that perhaps Jakob should go to GreenEdge for the convenience of Leelu and Nim.
ReplyDelete(*adjusts bandage over head trauma injury*)
(*blinks in the light*) You mean it was all a dream? Awww, shame....
Coug
PS Anyone read the Leopard-Trek Calendar page for the Vuelta? Under Description, second paragraph "as it is a race chalked-full of mountain-top finishes"
Chock-full, guys, the expression is chock-full.
Ken, do you need a proof-reader for your English text pages???? (*sits up attentively in "begging" position*)
I've also noticed the lack of English proof reading on the LT site and haave found myself in the " (*sits up attentively in "begging" position*)" as well. Great minds!!
ReplyDeleteBolderEl
PS- Son is "under the knife" at this moment. Good thoughts please!
From Twitter:
ReplyDelete"andy_schleckAndy Schleck
Just finish a 4 h mountain bike ride in Boulder thanks to @trek_ben and Chris Walweer for guiding me true Jeffco trails! I love Colorado"
BolderEl
(rubs hands together and giggles hysterically - heh, heh - plan is in process...)
Good news! I really started doubting my stalking talents ;)
ReplyDeleteFor not-born-English speakers, I think the LT reports are quite understandable, e.g. clear. For me its sometimes difficult to just fully understand all the meanings you native-English-speakers imply in your words/texts... As a student we had to read a lot of English written scientific books and after some time exercising it, I was able to understand almost everything. On the other hand reading for example, something like Newsweek, was hell and it took me a long time to not miss half of their points. Hope you get my point now :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esHiSVc8FRI&feature=related
ReplyDeleteEnjoy!
BE
BE,
ReplyDeleteBE - I just saw your note about your son's surgery. I hope all went well and his recovery is smooth. And I certainly hope you're spending as much time as possible in public areas trying to catch site of any interesting cyclists rolling by!
Interestingly, I see that Frank is back in Lux - so he's not spending the days acclimating to the altitude that Andy is. I wonder about Jens?
I am most curious about Frank being in Lux. I wonder if Andy is still here or if he just took an extra couple of days? I tweeted back to Frank "what are you doing back there? You should be here adjusting to altitude!" Unfortunately, Andy is/was riding in back country areas and this old bat can't access those areas. I need a spy to tell me where in town he might be found. Maybe I should just hang out at the Trek store?
ReplyDeleteSon's surgery went longer and harder than expected - but he is doing alright. I've had things removed (tonsils) or cut (tubes tied) or stiched up but never had anything like this procedure. Just gives me the heeby jeebies. He's got three foreign objects holding things together and....it just creeps me out! But - he's OK so far. Thanks!
BolderEl
Good to hear your son is doing ok BoulderE.
ReplyDeleteBut you are letting the team down. You should be out mega stalking OGL- hunting that boy down for some insider info for us! May I suggest the Trek store for some hints where he may be at, as definately the first stop. Beg, bribe whatever for any info on LT. If that fails then hang out the front of any of the decent hotels to see if any LTs might be there.Stake out the carparks to see if any large buses may be hiding or any LT cars. Drive up and down all the busy roads and try and find a LT bus. Cut across traffic and ram any car that is in the way.
Find out where the likely training routes may be then you can hide behind a tree and leap out when a cyclist pasts, jump on them and demand to know where LT are at. Just remember how thin a pro cyclist is so are quite squashable. Maybe take a couple of pillows to make landing on them not so dangerous. Or better still dress up in bear outfit and jump out demanding the said info. Just take a stun gun in case they try and escape.
You BoulderE are a Schlecklander and if a Schleck is in your area, you are dutifully required as a member, to track,locate,stalk and gather all possible data (pics included) for your fellow members. You may need to recruit some extra helpers and it may be hard to convince them why OGL is our group leader but that is their ignorance. Once they see him or hear him then they will want to join up to our club.
I think also if OGL is staying in the US for such a while theres a good chance that one tinkerjil may be there? So happy hunting to you.Stay safe, keep out of jail and if any other cyclist takes your fancy as well then its probably okay to stalk them to. Cindy
LOL! Cindy, you are quite, quite deranged, and I laughed out loud (with some a-ha-ha neighing as well) at the concept of ramming any cars that are in the way.
ReplyDeleteI also quite like the idea of leaping out with pillows to squash and potential information-bearing cyclists...
So yes, Boulderado, get out there and stalk!
So glad to hear that your son's surgery is going well - poor boy, send him a big virtual hug from me. (He's probably not interested in virtual hugs from Schleck fans, but it's the thought that counts)
Loved your video, by the way! Especially the bit where Andy says - very straight-faced - to Fabu that he's not as good as he used to be! You can see Fabu being shocked, then realising that it's a joke, and deciding to play along. Nice to see that they all have a sense of humour. I particularly liked Frankie, when asked "what are your race tactics for today" reply "I need to get rid of my brother." Deadpan. Great stuff!
Barara, I do try to write clearly and with not too much slang, as I'm very aware that a lot of Schlecklanders don't have English as their first language: it's not always easy! But I do try, and honestly, do feel free (all of you) to query anything that you don't understand, or which seems to be badly phrased. I am always happy to help Schlecklanders improve their language skills, ha ha!
Ouch, I have to stop typing now as I dropped a pallet on my wrist an hour ago (don't ask) and it hurts like crazy! I'm pretty sure it's not broken, otherwise I wouldn't be able to type at all, but I'm beginning to wonder if I should go and get it x-rayed (*groans*) or at least checked out.
Fingers crossed - ouch! Maybe fingers not crossed...
Coug
Thanks for the link BolderEL, and a speedy convalescence to your son!
ReplyDeleteI've read on the Leopard Trek website, there have been Stefan Denifl sightings on a Highway 36, near an Estes Park? My apologies if that covers a huge tract of land; I'm not a sat-nav / GPS.
I tend to think of teammates as pilot fish--when they're around, THE gangly carp with the overbite is somewhere nearby...
In a perverse way, I kind of agree with Cindy. It's an unwritten rule in the Schlecklander charter, that if a Schleck is in our midst, we're obliged to stalk, at least perfunctorily.
Incidentally, Cindy just made my day, keeping one of my insane coinages in circulation--Tinker Jil *cackles mightily* "I do believe in fairies, I do, I do" :P
Cindy, wow impressive work on that stalking plan. You have found your niche, I think.
ReplyDeleteBE, glad to hear recovery is going well. My son was hit by a car when he was 14 (he was a pedestrian) and has a rod in his leg still 9 years later. He doesn't even set off scanners at the airport! (Good luck on any stalking attempts!)
Coug, ooof! I hope you are able to get your wrist checked out - if not at least maybe some ice? I'm a big fan of the ice treatment. So sorry, that's a rough way to start a weekend.
As some of you know, I just joined Twitter, using KnittingGene. If we haven't connected yet, let me know if you're out there on Twitter!
On my honor, I will try to do my best to stalk a Schleck.
ReplyDeleteAndy's gone very quiet - so he's either gone back home or is "Jilin it".
Nyygard tweeted yesterday (I think, maybe it was Thursday) that he was still in California. This coming week should be interesting! I did contact the Trek store and am waiting for a call back from someone who may have information.
I used to be the executive director of a non profit here in Boulder (they've since moved to North Carolina) and I made good contacts with all the hotels in town since we would have meetings and they'd all need housing. I've made a few calls and I'm not sure they are staying in Boulder...but rest assured, I am on the case!
Thanks for the good thoughts about my man-child. At 36 it's a lot harder to try to prevent him from moving around and "doing".
An interesting question came up after his surgery - everyone was telling him how he'd just want to sleep after the surgery and in fact, he was very coherent and amp'd actually. We were wondering if it's a cyclist "pain cave" thing. When his body has been traumatized, the impulse is to dig deeper and carry on rather than withdraw (sleep). Most interesting.
I hope your hand is OK Coug. If I want to find out if something is broken - I use a tuning fork. If there is a break or fracture, you will certainly feel it via the vibrations. Old school diagnostic tool. I hope you are doing better.
BolderEl
A tuning fork? (*typing slowly and carefully*) I can't remember the last time I even saw a tuning fork!
ReplyDelete(*rummages in cutlery drawer, then tool-box. Alas, no luck*)
All is well, x-rays revealed no breaks, I now have a splendid huge hospital dressing on it which is great for a) reminding me not to lean on it or bang it against things, b) warning other people that if they bang against it, I am likely to explode, and c) getting lots of sympathy. Oh, and d) keeping dirt out of the bit where the skin broke. (It didn't bleed much, it was the swelling, the pain, and the loss of sensation in the fingers that worried me.)
Figgy, I much prefer TinkerJil to One L Jil, so let's all use TinkerJil! It's sort of cute, whereas the other one has an overtone of "To L with you" ["to hell with you"] Plus it always provokes the mental image of TinkerJil with pixie wings. Perhaps they help her to fly up to the basketball hoops, I would have thought that 5'6" would be a bit short for a basketball player!
Ouch, ouch, that's enough typing for one day, hope you're all enjoying the Enoco tour: Little Linus seems to be having a much better time than he did in the Tour. Go, Leopards!
And for Colorado - Go, BoulderEl, Top Stalker!
Coug
Sorry Coug - it did cross my mind that you might not have a tuning fork laying about - but hey, these daze, one never knows - so I thought I'd go for it. Maybe it should be a required item (at least for those of us without insurance or coverage of any sort (me)? Mine really only gets used these daze for diagnosing - and I confess I've had it since my very wu wu days.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got checked out and fixed up - and so sorry for your ouch!
Tour of Utah finished today. Levi took the GC. YEAH! I have been distracted all day with the guy replacing my water heater that started peeing all over the basement (where I live!) floor this morning in a final death protest.
I've had enough crisis for the month thank you very much! In need of some good news. Perhaps I'll go for a walk in hopes of seeing a Schleck? Doubtful.
BE
And my verification word for that post was...can you believe it????? "suffer".
ReplyDeleteI am really laughing out loud at that.
BE
Ah, BE, at least the universe seems to have noticed your "suffering." Brownie points, perhaps?
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you've seen on Twitter that Andy has spent the weekend in Steamboat Springs and will be leading a community ride tomorrow morning for those lucky enough to be there and be able to ride. So, you're off the hook for Boulder scouting for the moment. I imagine he'll be back, though.
Oh, Coug, I'm so sorry this is so painful. Hope it got much better today.
PeeDee
Thanks, everyone, it's definitely improving.
ReplyDeleteLLB and I couldn't find a tuning fork anywhere, so we used a wooden spatula instead. As a "check" we tried it on various of my bones that we were pretty certain were not broken.
It made the same solid, "wooden" sort of sound no matter where he tapped me with it - were we doing it wrong? After an hour or so, I had rather had enough of it, so we stopped. However, I am sure that in the right hands, it's a really good diagnostic tool.
Well, that's the Eneco Tour over, well done Linus for making the top 10, that's another 4 UCI points in the bag, and a big "so there" to the commentators who, earlier in the race, were making very rude remarks about Linus' alleged lack of form and lack of direction.
And Leopard are Top Team in the UCI rankings at the moment, yay!
Well, I'm off to work this morning, with much fear and trembling, and hoping not to bang the damaged arm too often.
Coug
("Steamboat Spring"? What a great name!)
I'm afraid I'm actually not a very good stalker at all. In my young teenange years we would attempt to stalk pop/rock stars that came to town but in days before the internet and twitter it was a bit of a lost cause. Our only hope was to hang out at 5 star hotels or be hanging around the venue at sound checks.
ReplyDeleteIts quite ironic that now I'm a more mature lass that one of my friends is the manager of a 5 star hotel where most acts stay when in town. He used to ring me to tell me to quickly get there as whoever was in the bar or by the pool. I did used to rush down but after the first 2 or 3 times it sort of became pointless. I would rush there all excited but once in the same room I would become overwhelmingly self conscious and not be able to approach the star. I mean really what was I going to say. I love your music blah blah can I have your autograph(never really seen the point of autographs) can I have a picture of me smiling like a mad woman whilst they look uncomfortable so it was all rather disappointing.
So I would often end up sitting in the vicinity of the star, pretending to eat/drink and being totally underwhelmed by the fact there was a megastare in the room ( whilst actually observing every morsel of food or drink that they ate and every person they spoke to.) When another guest would do the starstruck fan act, we would sit there acting like it was so common and tacky.
So therefore if LT happended to be in my area I could probably stalk out where they were but would never approach them if found. The thrill of the chase maybe. However BoulderE this should not stop your mission as I'm sure you are far more courageous than me. And if OGL or Fabs did ride pass me and there were lots of people around me I would probably not be able to resist a grab of their butt cheeks.
I think TinkerJil is 170 cm so probably ok at basketball (sorry crap at metric conversion). And Barbara do you think she is number 7 in the pics on one of our shared sites. You can't clearly see her face (good shot of her butt) however she looks vaguely familiar. My internet stalking skills are still going but the Lux language barrier makes it a little hard.
Cougs before you do end up with a fracture from beating yourself with household objects the reason the tuning fork works is vibration. The fracture interrupts the bone mass vibration hence pain in the affected bone. Unfortunately wood is not a good vibrator. When you are injured the idea is to get better not possibly injure one self more with home diagnostic tests.Bad girl.
I enjoyed the Eneco tour (am a closet PhilGil fan) but it was funny how much they mocked Linus. LT didn't have a strong team and have to admit I didn't really follow them. Hermanns looks like a resonable signing and its a shame they didn't pick up big Thor.
I wonder if the Colorado tour is being shown on Eurosport or is it all Vuelta? Hmm I need something to feast my eyes on in the coming weeks. Cindy
Cindy, I wouldn't approach the team either--I was about a cricket pitch away from the cyclists on the Champs Élysées, and honestly couldn't handle being any closer, without having a paroxysmal attack. But I am an admitted coward that way.
ReplyDeleteI'm not an autograph seeker either, and laughing at your insouciant / indifferent front! I have a slight variation on that: I just pretend I've never heard of whoever is around, and furrow my eyebrows in a "huh, who's that? never heard of him" expression, whilst furtively trying to document the whole thing on my camera :P
Coug, did the doc prescribe some kind of brace / tourniquet to use, after the dressing is removed? I will say that Tylenol 3, and prescription anti-inflammatories, like Naproxen, work wonders for dulling all kinds of pain.
Take it easy out there, and get an ultrasound if the x-ray showed nothing--I was misdiagnosed with shingles, thrice, before a Doctor Nathu (who looks, and acts like Jeff Goldblum!) thought to get an ultrasound of my right flank. It turned out that I had a gallstone the size of a golf ball, tearing my insides.
OK, I've stopped being thwacked with a wooden spatula, it really didn't seem to be helping.
ReplyDeleteIt's much, much better today, the swelling has all gone down, although it came up a bit when I changed the dressing - for a while, I wished that I had shaved my arm like a cyclist before allowing the dressing to be stuck on! Forget all those discussions about "why do cyclists shave their legs", after this experience I would definitely say that "to make dressings easier after hitting the deck" far outweighs any other reason, even that of massage (which I personally think is the best and "real" reason).
So, no brace, other than "brace yourself - this is going to hurt" before removing the dressing.
I assume the suggestion of a tourniquet was a joke???? If not, I am coming over there to poke you! (*makes threatening poking gesture with wooden spatula*)
Tylenol 3 sounds like a planet in a sci-fi movie, and the Naproxen sound like the villains. Need I say it? We don't have either of those over here! (Figgy, when you move to the UK, bring a big supply with you.)
Wow, Figgy, urgh, what a huge gallstone, how horrible. So glad that they finally found out what it was. Presumably you had it removed...(*sarcastic response from Figgy "no, actually, once I knew what was causing the crippling pain I decided to keep it in the interests of medical research.." *)
We've checked carefully, but we're not getting any coverage at all of the Colarado tour ("booo!") but we are getting la Vuelta from next Saturday onwards. Go, Fabu, Jakob, Stuey, and the other guys! I'm looking forward to it already.
Coug
Report from CO:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.steamboattoday.com/photos/galleries/2011/aug/15/community-ride-andy-schleck/
Heal quickly Coug!
BE
I thought a tourniquet might be of some use to keep your wrist from bleeding, as well as prevent infection where there was a skin tear? Er, sorry! *dodges wooden spatula with a coaster*
ReplyDeleteYou know what else is apparently not available in the UK (well at least not at the Boots in Earl's Court)? Polysporin / Neosporin antibiotic ointment! And root beer!
I like to think of the gallstone as the catalyst that inadvertently led me to cycling, and Eisen Andy. I was barred from boarding my flight to Paris last year because of it, and as a consequence, watched the Tour more closely, to sightsee. Then I overheard a commercial with Alberto Contador, and some guy I'd never heard of, utter in a difficult to place Gallo-Teutonic accent... "Wrestling is for girls. I took down a bear with a single punch". :P
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzPq0hDdDhs
Coug and BE, I hope all is healing by now and pains are bearable.
ReplyDeleteCindy, sorry I couldn't find it (anymore?)
Barbara.
Hi everyone!!!
ReplyDeleteAt the risk of setting a cat amongst the pigeons, I would not be averse to Jakob going to Team Sky... or another team (GreenEdge would definitely be nice, Coug ;)). His full potential will never be realised while he's in the services of the Schlecks unfortunately.
So, I'm back from my travels around Europe and can happily report I have not one, but two, photos with Jakob from Post Danmark Rundt! :D And it was amazing to get to see him racing at the Tour and PDR.
I saw TinkerJil before the start of the TT at the Tour. She was hanging around the bus. Looking slightly clueless...
We're getting 8 stages of the Vuelta televised here in Oz - I'm excited about that. Gonna cheer on Jakob and Jonas Aaen (who I may have fallen for just slightly whilst in Denmark)! :D
Leelu! So glad that you are safely back! (*sends big hugs*) (*ouch! Mind my arm!*)
ReplyDeleteJakob going to GreenEdge, for your delight and delectation - actually, I did think of suggesting that a couple of weeks ago, but I thought the others might squee too much at the thought of him leaving Frandy. Do you think he is really too restricted by being with the Schlecks? They are letting him off the leash for la Vuelta, AND they're giving him Fabu, Jensi, Stuey etc to play with... (*puts rest of long, long comment aside for a new post*)
Aw, poor TinkerJil! Can you imagine how much hanging around there must be, when you are the girlfriend of one of the top cyclists? (Chorus of "Yes!" and "We'd like to try it!" etc) And how much of a spare wheel you must sometimes feel? Like being the best man's girlfriend at a wedding: no role to play, nowhere to sit, and deprived of your fella's company. (In case that sounds a bit pointed, yes, I spent one summer being the best man's girlfriend FOUR times!)
Especially at a moment like that, when poor Andy was as white as a sheet and probably barely able to recognise his own face, let alone anyone else. [With concentration, that is, not with fear.]
Can't wait for Vuelta coverage to start, LLB and I will be finishing off the Tour of Poland stuff on Friday night, hopefully, then we can watch the beginning of laV as it happens, and then we wil no doubt spend the rest of the month trying to catch up with it.
Yay!
Coug
PS Linda from Luxembourg, hi, I'm still waiting for you to email me!
ReplyDeleteCoug
He is joint leader with Max as far as I know. But he probably only needs to look the wrong way before he's put into service for Max. (It's nothing against Max, he's a good rider and did an awesome job in the Tour.)
ReplyDeleteSorry if I sound bitter, but I've not been happy with the support Jakob gets from the team all year. I'll stop there before I really get started in on it, but he'll never be more than the 'super-domestique' if he stays with the Schlecks.
And what is this I keep hearing about an arm/head injury Coug?? Hope you're ok!!
Hi Lee,
ReplyDeleteSorry to disagree a bit with you about Jakob. He's is quite cute, but at TDF he wasn't acting like a super-domestique... Maybe TdF is not his podium? (Hope you don't hate me by now, sorry, sorry <3)
Do you have pictures of clueless TinkerJil?
Coug, it would be so nice to read your Schleckland post about being the wife of a cyclist again. It may even give TinkerJil some indispensible clues how to act.
Barbara, Jakob had something wrong with his pelvis from the end of week 1 of the Tour. This meant it affected his back and he couldn't feel one of his legs when riding. That is why he didn't get through the mountains so well and was unable to help the way he could have. His team management did not really communicate this and basically the message was 'Jakob is going shit' (sorry Coug). I don't know if this is stuff generally seen outside of Denmark, but Jakob was extremely frustrated and disappointed with both himself and because they couldn't find a way to fix it. By the time the Tour was finished, they realized that changing his saddle position slightly had caused it. I'm still proud of him for finishing the Tour. At one point he was telling Danish TV that he didn't know if he'd get through the whole 3 weeks with the way he was feeling. I don't just like Jakob because he's cute. That's a bonus, yes. I like him as a rider, he is tough, determined, a great team player and I respect the fact that he will always try to finish a race.
ReplyDeleteI don't hate you for your opinion, B. You're entitled to it, just like I am mine. That, and I'll go down swinging in defense of my boy! lol
x Leelu
Leelu, I already knew Jakob was having backpains and I didn't mean to downgrade him, but I also don't believe that LT is not completely loyal to him. Today he got the red jersey and the other boys were really extremely glad (for him). Me too! But, I also think that he'll never be able to win the TdF or another grand tour that has long and very high altitude climbs; his body is just too large (tall and not so skinny-build). I wouldn't mind to be proven wrong one day.
ReplyDeleteFor today I just want to say 3x hooray for LT and JF!!!