Andy Schleck on the eve of the 2011 Tour de France(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Andy Schleck and Fabian Cancellara (Leopard Trek)(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek) came home safely in the main peloton.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek) broke even with Alberto Contador at Super-Besse.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek) struggled on the Mur-de-Bretagne.(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
Luxembourg's Andy Schleck (L), flanked by his father, Johnny Schleck, poses at the Garabit viaduct in Anglards.(Image credit: AFP)
Luxembourg's Andy Schleck signs an autograph for a fan on a yellow jersey.(Image credit: AFP)
Deep in concentration, Andy Schleck considers the days ahead.(Image credit: AFP)
Luxembourg's Andy Schleck looks like he's meditating as he checks his pair of shoes prior to a training session in Anglards de Saint-Flour.(Image credit: AFP)
Samuel Sanchez was followed by Andy Schleck, but Schleck didn't stay with him(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
A tired but satisfied Andy Schleck at the finish(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
For the road. Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek) lines up in Limoux.(Image credit: Barry Ryan)
Andy Schleck only managed to get two seconds on his rivals.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Runner up in 2009 and again in 2010, Andy Schleck (Leopard-Trek) will come to this year's Tour de France knowing that anything less than a yellow jersey in Paris will not be a success. The Luxembourger famously relinquished the yellow jersey in last year's race after Alberto Contador (Astana at the time) took advantage of a mechanical that Schleck had on the Port de Bales. Dubbed 'Chaingate', that loss became a major talking point of the race, particularly as the final time gap in Paris roughly matched the deficit from the incident.
Schleck however arrives at this year's Tour in questionable form. Underwhelming rides in the Amgen Tour of California as well as the Tour de Suisse have many wondering if the Luxembourger has the legs to repeat and improve upon last years's exploits.
With Leopard-Trek, he does have a Tour winning team, but we may have to wait until the second and third week before we see the young Schleck really show his mettle - if he has it - in 2011.
