Second place in the Tour de France will be Andy Schleck’s last result of note for the 2009 season, with the Saxo Bank rider deciding to call it quits for now. The 24 year old had a lacklustre Vuelta performance, with 68th on the stage to Xativa and 42nd in the Valencia time trial being his best performances prior to his withdrawal with stomach problems on stage eight.
He, his brother Frank Schleck and Kim Kirchen were all scheduled to ride for Luxembourg in the Elite road race in Mendrisio. Neither Schleck was destined to post a result there, with Frank missing out due to knee surgery and Andy withdrawing ten laps into the race.
Despite a disappointing post-Tour showing, 2009 has been a strong season for the rider. In March he finished a solid eighth in the Monte Paschi Eroica, then went on to take tenth in the Amstel Gold Race, second in Flèche Wallonne, first in Liège-Bastogne-Liège and net a stage in the Tour of Luxembourg. Another victory on home soil in June saw him become national road race champion, and he wore the red, white and blue jersey in fine style in the Tour de France.
Schleck was the only real threat to Alberto Contador in the French event, staying close to him in the mountains and finally finishing four minutes and eleven seconds behind. Having improved from twelfth place twelve months previously, he will target the 2010 race with realistic ambitions of chasing yellow.