21 August 2010. La Vuelta a Espana, the Tour of Spain, begins with a team time trial on 28 August in Seville. Frank Schleck is the captain of the Saxo Bank team for the 21-day grand tour and its focus for a win in the general classification. Although the Schleck brothers are leaving Saxo Bank at the end of the season for a Luxembourg based team, Saxo Bank Team Director Bjarne Riis has every confidence in Frank for la Vuelta. However, Frank has something to do before he leaves for Spain, a church wedding to Martine Schmid in Luxembourg.
Church Wedding for Frank Schlek and Martine Schmid on 21 August
Frank twittered on Friday that after 3 hours and 125 kilometres on the bike behind a scooter driven by his father, ex-racer, Johnny, he was off to help his wife with their wedding. The couple were married in a civil ceremony in Mondorf, Luxembourg on New Years Eve with only close and friends and family there. They put off their church wedding and celebration until August 21. They have a daughter, Leea born in May. It will be a short honeymoon as Frank will have to be in Spain for the teams presentation of la Vuelta on 28 August.
Bjarne Riis' Hopes for Frank in La Vuelta 2010
The couple's wedding plans prevented Frank racing in the four-day Tour du Limousin from 17 to 20 August. The Sporting Director of Team Saxo Bank, Bjarne Riis, told Politiken he is nevertheless confident Frank Schleck will be ready for the Tour of Spain although Frank has only raced once since breaking his collarbone on the cobbled third stage of the Tour de France in July. Riis said,
"I have not asked about Frank's start in the Tour du Limousin, that's up to our sports director, Bradley McGee. I know Frank very well and I don't think he would be very happy to race so close to his wedding. It's not ideal for the Vuelta that he has only raced one day, and it may mean that he finds it a little difficult at the beginning of the race. But it was Frank himself who announced that he wants to race for the overall classification in the Vuelta."
"I have full confidence that he'll make sure to be in good shape despite these circumstances. He is experienced enough to know what is required and there's no reason why he would not want to be ready for one of his season's targets."
Frank's Preparation and Hopes for la Vuelta
Frank's first race since the Tour de France was last Sunday in the the 216 km Vattenfall Cyclassic in Hamburg which was won by Tyler Farrar of Garmin Transitions. As to his preparation for la Veulta,
"I haven't been able to train much with my brother Andy, because after the Tour de France he was either not riding much or was taking part in post-Tour criteriums. However, I rode a lot with Laurent Didier and the training went very well."
His hopes for la Vuelta are modest even though brother Andy has said he won't be contesting the GC. In a conversation with wort.lu Frank said,
"We want to win the Tour de France next year. With that in mind, I'm of the opinion that I need to race a three-week tour this year. I do not know what results I can manage at the Vuelta. I'll need to take it day by day and see how each race goes."
The 2010 Vuelta will depart from Seville, with a night team time-trial along the banks of the River Guadalquivir, with the team presentation of the Vuelta 2010 to be made in Seville and not in Madrid as is usually the case.
Something to do on the weekend, have a Spanish party and watch la Vuelta.
Toni Bartush - Toni Bartush was a Barrister at the New South Wales Bar and a Solicitor in private practice, specialising in civil litigation. She was a ...
