Having initially hoped to return to competition in the Tour du Haut Var, Andy Schleck and his RadioShack Leopard team have now decided to scratch that event from his programme and to wait until the end of the month before he races again.
The decision is the latest setback for the 2010 Tour de France winner, who is still trying to get back on track after crashing and fracturing his sacrum in last June’s Critérium du Dauphiné.
He has withdrawn from his first two stage races this year, dropping out of the Santos Tour Down Under on the final stage when he suffered a mechanical problem and then pulling out of the Tour of the Mediterranean on day one due to a respiratory infection.
The team said today that he is over the latter problem, but had nevertheless decided not to start the Haut Var event, which runs tomorrow and Sunday.
“We were happy to see Andy doing well in training the last few days,” explained RadioShack Leopard manager Luca Guercilena. “There is however a big difference between training and race situations.
“We want to prevent a relapse because of the race. Andy’s main goals are situated later in the season. It’s better that we are cautious now instead of taking steps backward.”
Despite the withdrawal, the team has insisted that he is feeling confident. He will now head to Mallorca for training. At this point in time, the Grand Premio Città di Camaiore on February 28 has been pencilled in as his next race.
He will need to try to complete that single-day event, with his road back to being a Tour contender looking all the more complicated with each race he withdraws from.