Andy Schleck has been forced out of the Tour De France and the Luxembourg National Road Race Championships this weekend.
Schleck has been have problem with an inflammation in his knee following a crash in the Liège-Bastogne-Liège race and went to the Crossklinik in Basel, Switzerland for a scan which revealed 'a distinct inflammation of the medial collateral ligament and a bone injury that has not healed.'
This is a big disappointment for me, of course, but it had been in the air for a while now”, says Schleck to the Trek Factory Racing team press office. “The pain never really lessened and the only way to let it heal would have been to take complete rest. It was a catch-22: if I wanted to make the Tour team, I had to rest. I needed to take a break in the preparation to let the knee heal. But if I wanted to be fit for the Tour, I needed to train hard.”
“The knee wasn’t getting any better during the Tour de Suisse, despite daily treatments and all of us hoping for a miracle. We took the decision together and I think it’s correct. I can’t push it for 21 days straight and hope to make it to Paris. What I need is rest.
“I’ll take at least two weeks off and give the knee time to heal. “Not being at the tour, it’s a big thing for me. The Tour is the race I love the most, despite that it’s three weeks of stress. I did a lot of sacrifices, we did a recon of the key stages. It’s disappointing not to be able to race there and fight for the team’s goals.”
Trek Factory Racing have announced their team for the Tour De France which starts on July 4th in Utrecht, Holland and Fabian Cancellera will be the main man, with support from Stijn Devolder, Laurent Didier, Gregory Rast, Bob Jungels, Markel Irizar, Haimar Zubeldia, Bauke Mollema and Julien Arredondo.
Source: DSG
