With the Saxo Bank team’s spring season having been largely successful so far, team boss Bjarne Riis is now looking to his biggest stars, the Schleck brothers, to start to show themselves. Swiss champion Fabian Cancellara’s Ronde van Vlaanderen victory on Sunday adds to his E3 Prijs Vlaanderen and Tour of Oman wins. Danish champion Matti Breschel won Dwars door Vlaanderen last month, while Juan Jose Haedo, Alex Rasmussen and Jens Voigt have all taken stage wins.
So far in 2010 Andy Schleck has been troubled with a knee problem picked up when he was hit by a car while training over the winter. Elder brother Fränk though has taken 13th in the Ruta del Sol, 16th in Paris-Nice and 22nd in the Volta a Catalunya; unspectacular by his standards.
For Riis, it’s time for the elder Schleck to step up, particularly with the Ardennes classics on the way. “It is also my opinion that Fränk has worked well in the winter, said Riis to Danish newspaper Politiken, “and that he has seemed really well prepared, but now it is therefore time for him to show it by achieving some results.”
Conversely, with younger brother Andy’s knee problems affecting his winter preparations, Riis is prepared to be patient; particularly with his main target some way off. “Where Andy is concerned,” Riis continued, “he’s had various health problems to contend with in the early stages of the season, but he doesn’t worry me so much at the moment. He’ll have time to be there for the Tour de France, which is the season’s big goal for him.”
Both Schlecks are riding this week’s Tour of the Basque Country where Riis will expect to see some performances.