Andy
and Frank Schleck's Career Building
Many,
many years ago, I was dreaming myself of winning the Tour de France. Let me
insert a picture here to lend some credibility to
Emile Lamberty, Pierre Meyer, Marcel Holtgen, Egide Thein as members of UC Dippach, time ago
what I'm saying. But after a
while, I postponed that ambition, and though I haven't completely given up hope
yet to one day win the Tour, I have to consider those critical voices in my family that argue that a
grandfather never won the Tour. Defeatists in my family! But I can still lecture
the Schlecks I hope!
I did so in 2009, when it was obvious that what the Schleck brothers needed was a
strong team, and learning from the Master. And the biggest Teacher at the time
was Lance Armstrong and the best team was Radio Shack. In my analysis, it
combined the most efficient training program, the best biking technologies, a
scientific approach to diet and life style. Of course no one knew at the time that
Armstrong's success also included a toxic component, prescribed by the famous
doctor. As much as Armstrong is to blame, the supervisory bodies of UCI and
other sports authorities are to blame for failing to detect the wrongdoings.
Was it permissiveness, or willful blindness or another reason? Those certainly failed the
public too.
I
still argue that joining Radio Shack by then would have been the right move for
the 2010 season. Indeed you could have joined the team, and maybe when confronted
with a culture of doping, decide to either participate or reject it. That's what grownups do.
For
Frank in any case, convicted and barred for doping for one year, it wouldn't
have made a difference, right?
Finally,after losing two years, an altered version of the once great Radio Shack team emerged
from the Leopard constellation. But to me it looked like a Luxembourg "me
too" shadow of the great Brand. Mr. Becca, the Luxembourg builder and
sports fan being the new engine behind the team. The little engine that could not. And things went the way they
went.
Today,
Frank Schleck at age 33 has no team when his ban expires on July 15th. He is
not happy, and Andy Schleck is not happy either about his brother's fate. Both
Schlecks have to contemplate the obvious solutions: they were dealt a lemon,
they should make lemonade.
Which
means that the two brothers have to make the best out of their two particular
situations. They are no longer linked by the hip. Andy has to show a good
result in the Tour, all by himself. Recrimination about his brother's fate does
not help. Actually, I would also like to understand the geniuses at the team management, who felt that now was the moment to fire a prime associate, Frank, and
demoralize the team in the midst of the one hundredth Tour. Continuing mediocre results will
of course disqualify Andy Schleck from the A-list of serious contenders for
anything, and that is not a career.
Frank
is the equivalent of a 55 year old employee who lost his job. It will take some
good luck, help and optimism to get into the saddle again.
Impossible?
No, certainly not, given the talent. However the two brothers integrating the
same team might just be a wishful possibility. It cannot be a condition
anymore.
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