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Back in Action: A Conversation with Frank Schleck

by VeloNews.com

• April 25, 2009
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By Fred Dreier

Schleck – here at the Tour of California – says he’ll be able to take on Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Photo: Graham Watson

Luxembourger Frank Schleck has been cleared to start Sunday’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège after crashing hard at last week’s Amstel Gold Race.

“I joined the boys for a ride down in Bastogne [today] and it’s the first day I have felt better,” Schleck said. “I have one more day to get better and I hope to make the best of it.”

Schleck suffered a minor concussion and some scrapes and bruises when he crashed with Matthew Lloyd (Silence-Lotto) as the peloton was cranking up the chase. Both riders were transported to a local hospital. TV cameras showed a grisly scene as both men lay motionless on the ground for minutes.

Schleck, who met with reporters on Friday afternoon, said he remembers very little from the incident. The Saxo Bank rider was knocked unconscious for between 10-15 minutes and woke up in the back of an ambulance alongside team director Bjarne Riis.

“I do remember that I had a first crash and then I came back. I had some gear problems, but I went to the car and they fixed it,” Schleck said. “I made it back to the peloton with my team supporting me. They brought me past Andy right to the front. I remember [Andy] asking me if I was hurting, and I told him my shoulder hurt but I was OK. After that it comes a point where I can’t remember anything. It is gone. I am missing 40-50 minutes.”

Schleck said the incident is unlike anything he’s faced in his career as a cyclist.

“This was really scary,” he said. “If you crash and break your collarbone or hurt yourself, at least you know what it is. When I woke up in the back of an ambulance I was very scared.”

The concussion forced the Saxo Bank team captain off of his bike for Monday, and he was forced to sit out of Wednesday’s La Fléche-Wallonne race. His younger brother and teammate, Andy, finished second in that race to Italian Davide Rebellin. Watching his brother race without him, Schleck admitted, was tough to stomach.

“I was very happy for Andy, but to be honest I was really furious,” Schleck said. “I was furious that I wasn’t there to help him.”

Schleck and his brother Andy were stars at last year’s Liege-Bastogne-Liege. The two made the final selection alongside Rebellin eventual winner Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne). The Schlecks had to finish for third and fourth, however, as the Spaniard and Italian bested them to the line.

“Of course I sucked in the sprint, but I think we did a great race,” Schleck said. “We’ll try to hit that again this year. I’m not going to promise we’ll win, but we will be there.”

Schleck noted Valverde, Rebellin and Italian Damiano Cunego as the men who had the best chances to win Sunday’s race through Southern Belgium.

And if both Schleck brothers arrive at the finish together?

“We do a full sprint, or [Andy] will have to pay me a lot of money,” Schleck joked.