Happy New Year, Andy and Jil!

Well spotted, Schlecklanders - Our Andy is back on Twitter, and very kindly posted this lovely pic of himself and TinkerJil:






He's looking so happy,  she's looking gorgeous (and turning into Olivia Wilde, which is no bad thing!) and there's that Baby Bump for all to see.

And yes, there is still that delicate little ring on her third finger - we would have liked to have seen a hulking great wedding ring, but all things will come in time.

In answer to the question, I don't think it's a specific custom in Lux to have the wedding after the baby,  it's just that Frankie and Martine did it - they had their civil wedding on the New Year, quietly and privately, then had the beautiful big white dress day the following summer, after Leea was born.  So it's entirely possible that Andy and TinkerJil might do the same: it's their business, not ours, but yes, I would like to see them married.

And thank you, Barbara, for reminding us of that old Schleckland post: there was Martine on her "proper" wedding day, looking fabulous, holding a bouquet in one hand and baby Leea in the other, and I was cheeky enough to make a comment about Martine looking lovely, while repeating under her breath "hold baby, throw bouquet: HOLD baby, THROW bouquet".

Well, I thought it was funny!

It will be New Year in a couple of days' time, so here's best wishes to Andy and Jil, to all the Schlecklanders, and to all the riders, for a happy, prosperous and drug-free new year! (Oh, except for Jil, of course - she's allowed to have whatever she wants to get through the birth!!)

Merry Christmas, Andy!

Yes, Schlecklanders, it's that time of year - it's nearly Christmas, it's nearly the new season, and we haven't had any cycling to watch for weeks and weeks.

The transfer season has been the strangest ever, with no-one daring to leave a team which still has sponsors, meanwhile the remaining teams are hanging on and hanging on about making offers, in order to get the best possible bargain.

Even Sky "Huge Budget" Procycling have only announced a ream roster of 25: makes you wonder if they are waiting for a last-minute bargain somewhere.

We even have a rider who won a Grand Tour last year, without a contract for next year! (Mad Dog Horner, that is.)

Still, we can put all that behind us for now, and turn our thoughts away from racing, and towards the personal side of it all - with very best Schleckland wishes to Our Andy for a super, super Christmas.

Tinkerjil must be getting pretty "round" by now, with the new baby due about March/April time, we think - and the pair of them must be so excited. This time next year, they'll be having their first Christmas as a family - d'aaaw!

Hey Andy, if  you don't know what to get Jil for a gift - get her a wedding ring! Go on, do the right thing, do what Frankie and Martine did: nice quiet civil wedding now, then after the baby arrives, have a big summer outdoor "do" so that we can all come and throw gel wrappers confetti at you. (This is not an idle threat, I do have a passport now.) It's the right thing to do - avoids all that business with children not having the same surname as their parents, which is just confusing...

Christmas wishes also to Frankie and Martine:  he'll be off to the Tour Down Under in a few weeks (*waves to Leelu*) with Jensie,  can't wait to see the new kit - so go, Frankie, go! Stay, Jensie, stay!

And to all Schlecklanders past, present, and future, Have a Super Super Christmas!

Love to all of you,

Auntie Coug

Training can be a bit - "boar"ing

Frankie, mate, I hate to sound critical but I think you've been eating too much during your recent break from racing...