Here in Schleckland, we all know that Jakob is an extremely good cyclist, not to mention a startlingly good-looking boy, but he's just given an interview to Cycling News that shows how his tact and diplomacy skills have improved over the last couple of years.
The interview - which I'm sure you've all read, but it's here if you haven't - is a really mean one: the interviewer asks seriously hard questions about Jakob's feelings about Bruyneel and Uncle Bjarne, whether they should be banned for life, whether Andy was working as hard as he could do, what Jakob felt about Uncle Bjarne selling the team, etc.
How on earth do you answer questions like those, with a reporter and his tape recorder in front of you, without jeopardising the rest of your career?
Answer, you do it as Jakob did - calmly, sensibly, without getting over-dramatic, and refusing to be goaded into saying anything that might be thrown back in your face later.
However, the most interesting thing - from our point of view - is where Jakob made a point within the interview about having his critics:
"It’s more the people writing on blogs here and there. They’ve not had
the trust in me and didn’t believe that I could do it. I think some felt
that I was a spoilt little kid who was riding on big teams."
Wow! Jakob reads blogs!! *waves enthusiastically* Hi, Jakob! If it makes you feel any better, it's nothing personal - you should read some of the things they write about Our Andy - it seems that any and every successful rider/athlete/pop star will have truly horrible things written about them somewhere on the internet: the trick seems to be to ignore them. We think you're lovely!
(As an aside, LLB asked me, in a puzzled voice, last year, "why do you always refer to 'the lovely Jakob' ?" *snorts through nose - have you not seen him?!*)
Meanwhile, somewhere in Luxembourg:
(Andy is sitting on the sofa, reading Cycling News. TinkerJil is sorting fan mail at the table. Martine is in the kitchen with Frankie, they are laughing and teasing each other as she tries to make coffee with Frankie putting mugs etc out of her [somewhat pregnant] reach. The apartment door opens, and a glorious yellow glow lights up the room.)
Andy: "Jakob! Put out that torch! Honestly, that whole yellow glow is so last year..."
(he turns and grins over his shoulder as Jakob walks in, bearing a basket of biscuits.)
Jakob: "Hey, Happy New Year everyone. What are you reading, Andy?"
Andy: "Some idiot gave an interview to that Benson bloke, it's hilarious."
Jakob: "Who?"
Andy: "Daniel Benson - you know : "Outside of cycling, he enjoys GoPro-ing, web-developing, and serving and loving God."
Frankie: (leaning out of the kitchen) "Huh? "
Martine: (leaning round him) "I think that's the Cyclocross Benson, isn't it? "
TinkerJil: (looks up from huge pile of fan mail) "Yes - you mean the Benson that is the editor of Cycling News. "
Andy: (grins) "Yep, that's the one. "
Jakob: (plonking himself down on the sofa) "So what has this idiot been saying, then? "
Andy: "Well, for a start, there's a comment about me not working as hard last year as I could have. " (he pulls a threatening face at Jakob.)
Jakob: "And your point is? "
Andy: "Aww, c'mon, cracked pelvis - cut me some slack, I had pain right down inside myself for months, and there were days when I thought I was never going to ride properly again. You can't blame me for not wanting to push myself, in case I made it worse. "
(Jakob laughs, and punches Andy on the shoulder)
Jakob: "yeah, I know. Better now, though, right? "
Andy: "Much better. "
Jakob: "Good. Because Astana and I are going to stomp all over your skinny little Schleck-ass this season.... "
Andy thwacks Jakob with a cushion, the dog starts barking, TinkerJil starts giggling, and the doorbell rings.
Martine answers the door. It is a courier, delivering the first box of new kit for Andy and Frankie...
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