Team Schleck in 2011 peloton?

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Fränk and Andy Schleck are reported to be considering creating their own team for the 2011 season, when their contracts with Team Saxo Bank end. Former Astana manager Marc Biver and Saxo Bank Directeur Sportif Kim Andersen are said to be set to join the team, according to Gazzetta dello Sport in Italy.

However Fränk Schleck seemed surprised by the story. “Oh yeah? Not that I knew,” he told the Luxembourg newspaper Tageblatt. “We have been asked by many teams. But our goal is to win the Tour de France this year. That is what we are concentrating on.”

According to Gazzetta, Marc Biver would be the team manager. He was team manager at Astana in 2006-2007. Andersen, who lives in Luxembourg, is currently directeur sportif at Saxo Bank and reportedly would assume that same role at the Schleck's team, according to the Italian newspaper.

In addition, the brothers are said to be interested in signing World time trial champion Fabian Cancellara. His contract with Saxo Bank runs through 2011, so that he would not necessarily be available for the coming season.

Saxo Bank's sponsorship with Bjarne Riis's team expires the end of this year and will not be renewed. The team management is looking for a new sponsor, but the possibility exists that the team may not exist in 2011.

“I don't know anything about this,” Biver told the Tageblatt, but admitted that he had been approached about a new team. “There were informal discussions the end of last year, start of this year,” but “not with the Schleck brothers.” As to the Gazzetta story, Biver said, there is “nothing concrete. I can't confirm it.”