This Wednesday Andy Schleck of Saxo Bank will make his 2010 racing debut in Italy at the Giro del Friuli.
The 2009 Tour de France runner up was scheduled to start his race season at the Challenge Mallorca. However, due to knee pain his doctors recommended he delay his season debut so he wouldn't risk his build up for July.
A February 16th Twitter post from Schleck's account stated, “I got my knee pain free and can get back on track.”
Again using his personal Twitter account, Schleck posted his revised race calendar. After the Giro del Friuli he continues in Italy with the Monte Paschi, Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-San Remo.
With cobbles included in stage 3 of this year's Tour de France, Schleck has wisely included a Belgian campaign. This includes the cobblestone semi-classics Dwars door Vlaanderen, E3 Prijs and Gent-Wevelgem.
“It is an area where you cannot win the Tour, but where you can lose it. It’s nonsense, I think it is ridiculous,” said Schleck regarding the inclusion of cobbles in the Tour de France.
It was rumored late last year that both Schlecks would contest the Tour of Flanders, but that idea was struck down by team director Kim Anderson.
At the conclusion of those races Schleck races in Spain at the Vuelta al País Vasco and the Klasika Primavera.
The final block of racing includes Amstel Gold Race, La Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, where he is the defending champion.
His final Tour de France preparation includes returning to the Amgen Tour of California, followed by the Tour de Suisse and his national championship in Luxembourg.
With two best young rider classification wins [2008 and 2009] and second place overall in the 2009 Tour de France, it is obvious that Andy Schleck has the makings of a Tour champion. All that remains is to see is if his knee pain will affect his bid to climb onto the top step of the podium in France.