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"This is no life!" Johny Schleck advises sons Fränk and Andy to quit cycling

Father's thoughts come as Fränk awaits outcome of doping hearing and Andy continues comeback from injury...

Johny Schleck has advised sons Andy and Fränk to turn their backs on cycling following a season in which the former has struggled to return to racing after fracturing his sacrum during June’s Criterium du Dauphiné and the latter awaits the outcome of a disciplinary hearing into his positive test for a banned diuretic in the Tour de France.

Quoted in French newspaper le Journal du Dimanche, Schleck senior, himself a former pro who won a stage in the 1970 Vuelta and also helped team mates Jan Janssen and Luis Ocaña win the maillot jaune, confirmed that he had advised his sons to quit cycling.

“Fränk is depressed,” he added. “He has spent a lot of money on medical analysis and lawyers’ fees to prove is innocence. This is no life!”

The newspaper adds that while Fränk’s lawyers are confident he will be exonerated by the Luxembourg national anti-doping agency (ALAD), the family fears that an example may be made of him as a result of the authorities being seen as having been too lax on doping during the Armstrong era.

The brothers’ season had gone badly even before Andy’s injury and Fränk’s positive test, with reports of a breakdown in the relationship between them and team management, including Johan Bruyneel, at RadioShack-Nissan.

The team had been formed through the merger of Luxembourg-based Leopard Trek, launched the previous year and very much built around the brothers, and the US-registered RadioShack outfit.

Fränk, who had led the team in the Giro d’Italia as a late call-up to replace the injured Jakob Fuglsang, abandoned that race early and there were reports that the team believed he had exaggerated the injury which led to that decision.

Following his brother’s injury in the Dauphiné, he also became the focal point of its challenge during the Tour de France, but was already nearly 10 minutes down on eventual winner Bradley Wiggins when his positive test for Xipamide, a diuretic that can be used as a masking agent, was made public during the second rest day in Pau.

His B sample also tested positive and his case was heard last Monday by ALAD’s disciplinary committee, which is expected to announce its decision shortly.

His younger brother Andy, meanwhile, is still struggling with the aftermath of his injury, abandoning last week’s Tour of Beijing, and plans to spend the winter getting back to full fitness.

Awarded the overall victory in the 2010 Tour de France following Alberto Contador’s ban for a positive test for clenbuterol during that race, he is expected to attend Wednesday’s presentation of the route of the 100th edition of the race in Paris.

He will be joined by three other winners of the race – Contador himself, who had previously won in 2007 and 2009, Cadel Evans, victor in 2011 and, in the place of honour as defending champion, Bradley Wiggins.
 

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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13 comments

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gordonmarkus | 11 years ago
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Wow - the majority of people here are anti-schleck! Whilst I'll admit that they are perhaps not the best advert for the sport, watching Andy in the 2009 tour was the reason I got back into cycling. When they are on form they are amazing - Andy's win on Galibier in the 2011 tour was one of the most epic stage wins I have ever seen.

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Ciaran Patrick | 11 years ago
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What a bunch of negative, kangeroo courtist the road cycling lobby is. Every post above gives the idea that all are on drugs - the illegal kind and the new new breed will clean up the sport until one gets done wrongly or rightly and then that new breed will be thrown out and we wait for the next group of cyclists. Not one person looks at the evidence accuse someone of doping and they are guilty even if the evidence shows otherwise.

How about having a bit more of an open mind here - it will help the sport do the right thing.

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Bob's Bikes | 11 years ago
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Don't let the slamming door hit your arses on the way out!

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Celeste08 | 11 years ago
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Gosh, with so many question marks behind so many names it'll be interesting to see how it all takes shape over the next few months. 2013 might turn out to be the 'this is my chance' season, for many riders, with several new vacancies at the top...

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James Warrener | 11 years ago
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Ok bye. Don't come back.

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Seoige | 11 years ago
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I will join Side burns and sign up. I can see my check list in the morning. Spare tyre check, computers check, drinks check, EpO check, steroid sore ass cream..check.  24 Why on earth would you need a diuretic in cycling when you go through like 2 litres of fluids on a long run. This sounds very suspect to me.

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SideBurn | 11 years ago
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What do you mean no one left Gkam? I will sign up  16 how hard can it be?

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russyparkin | 11 years ago
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always listen to your parents, now go away you cheating cry babies.

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Gkam84 | 11 years ago
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ALWAYS listen to your parents. Good riddance to bad rubbish. I for one would not miss them both. But then again, if we pulled all dopers or suspected dopers. We'd not have anyone left  19

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Karbon Kev | 11 years ago
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this is just funny ...

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bushman | 11 years ago
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Is that the same Schleck senior who was arrested by French customs at the Tour searching for contraband-and I dont think they meant duty free fags? I wouldnt miss them

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Gary613 | 11 years ago
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If I recall correctly I think he also spent a lot of money on a "training plan" from Dr. Fuentes..... Yes please retire and make way for the new generation

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Stumps | 11 years ago
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Lets face it any GT race with TT in it isnt going to suit Andy cos he just isnt good enough at it.

As for Frank, well if he is found not guilty he will forever have it hanging over his head - did he or didn't he - which wont be pleasant for him and will any future team take him on ?

In my opinion Frank should take his dad's advice and pack in although i dont know about Andy.

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