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| Thursday, August 7, 2008 |
Luxemburgers bid to end 56-year medal famine
by Agence France-Presse at 7:24 AM EST
Categories: Pro Cycling
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They are normally fierce competitors in the tough world of elite road cyling.
But on Saturday Luxemburgers Andy and Frank Schleck will be expected to put their differences with compatriot Kim Kirchen aside in a bid to claim a rare Olympic medal for the landlocked Duchy.
The last time Luxembourg stood on the podium of a summer Olympics was in 1952 when Josy Barthel claimed the men's 1500 metres athletics title in Helsinki.
The trio's respective performances at this year's Tour de France have raised expectations significantly, but team coach Bernhard Baldinger has called for a cool head. "We have a strong team, but it is a small team as we don't have five riders like many of the other teams," he said. "I have no expectations for them, just that the riders do well."
Although huge talents individually, one of the pressing questions is whether the trio can forget recent skirmishes and join forces to give Luxembourg a real medal chance.
At the three-week Tour, Kirchen, who rides for team Columbia, wore the yellow for four days and came close to winning stages on several occasions - an achievement said to have peeved the Schleck siblings, which they later denied.
Yet their rivalry in the European scene is alive and kicking.
In Luxembourg there are two diametrically opposed camps, which are also nourished by the fact father Johnny Schleck is a former pro and the brothers of Kirchen's grandfather Ben were all cyclists, notably Jeng Kirchen, who raced the Tour de France several times.
At the 2008 Tour older brother Frank Schleck, 28, went on to get a taste of the yellow jersey himself, and had the ultimate pleasure of handing it to CSC teammate Carlos Sastre prior to his overall triumph.
Andy, 23, was an equally vital cog in the CSC team's domination of the race.
Upon the trio's return home, a stunning 35,000 people turned out to see them at a post-Tour criterium.
Not bad for a country with less than half a million people.
Saturday's first big endurance test of the Games is more likely to favour reigning champion Paolo Bettini of Italy and Spaniard Alejandro Valverde.
However 30-year-old Kirchen, who arrived in Beijing over a week ago to try and acclimatise and is arguably more suited to the hilly course than the Schleck siblings, can not be ruled out.
"I'm glad I came as early as I did because yesterday (Wednesday) was the first time that I've been able to really breathe properly," said Kirchen, who earlier this year put his climbing skills on display in winning the Fleche Wallonne Belgian semi-classic race.
Even Valverde, who upstaged Kirchen on the hilly finish to the first stage of the Tour de France, believes he can be a danger. "I believe Kim is the rider (of the three) whose characteristics are best suited for this course. We saw he was very strong in the Tour de France," Valverde said here Tuesday. "He is the fastest of the three (Luxemburgers) and he is the most dangerous."
Whether they ride for the flag remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure, the Luxembourg trio will be closely watched.
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