My name is Elin - A pro cycling lover's reflections

No more Team Saxo Bank for Schleck brothers

Category: Cycling

Fränk and Andy Schleck won't race with Bjarne Riis' team next season. The rumor has now become official. Instead, they will compete for a brand new team, based in Luxembourg.

Riis has been struggling to find a new backer for next season, but has now announced that the team will continue with a new sponsor that replace Saxo Bank. Without the Schleck brothers.

Perhaps Alberto Contador will race for the team. The Spaniard has said that he doesn't intend to stay with Astana team, which many see as the Kazakh team's closure. I don't think Astana Team will leave, but it is certainly a great loss that Contador don't stay. Though not particularly shocking.

"It's official that we will not be riding with Bjarne next season." Andy Schleck wrote in a message to Cyclingnews. "We're not going to stay. We're going to leave at the end of the year. All the doubts and news about us racing in the same team as Contador are now finished. We're not going to continue." He continued.

I like environment changes, it makes you see things in another way. I think that Andy Schleck has been prevented by himself to win the Tour (and a bit of technology!). Now he actually has a chance to think about what to do. He has a chance to see himself in a different way. What do I need to actually win.

"It's been a fantastic five years for me [in Saxo Bank] and eight for Fränk and I learnt a lot in that time. I'll still stay friends with Bjarne but this is the end of the road for us as a team."

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