Tour de France runner-up Andy Schleck will be able to take part in the Vuelta despite a heavy fall in this past weekend’s Clásica San Sebastian. Aside from a couple of days to recover from his hand and back injuries, the young Luxembourger is hopeful that his training will bring a good finish in the general classification.
The younger of the two brothers on the Saxo Bank team indicated, “The next day [after the crash] my body felt stiff, but yesterday I felt a lot better. My knee was a bit swollen, but fortunately, there was nothing wrong with my hand – it felt okay.”
Schleck was realistic about his chances in this year’s final Grand Tour, saying, “I’m not going to win, since I’m still too young to do two big Tours in succession in a row and finish amongst the top places. If I feel good, of course I will try. However, I am going into the Vuelta to use it as preparation for the World Championships and the Giro d’Lombardia. “
After winning his second Best Young Rider jersey in a row in the Grand Boucle, the talented climber could surprise everyone and could set himself apart in the history books sealing up a podium appearance in all three Grand Tours.