Schleck fears damaged image

Andy Schleck of Team CSC Saxo Bank is worried that his image and that of his older brother Fränk has been damaged by doping rumours, even as he took his first win of the season in the Amstel Curaçao Race.

"I am frightened that we will not be presented in the press in the same light as before," he said, noting that two months ago it was rumoured that five CSC riders had tested positive during the Tour de France. Those rumours have been laid to rest, but "there have never been any apologies for the reports," Schleck told sportwereld.nl.

Older brother Fränk was placed on inactive status after he admitted having paid 7,000 euro to Dr. Eufemiano Fuentes in 2006. Fränk called it "a one-day problem" and said that the matter was now in the hands of the Luxembourg anti-doping agency, which recently said it hoped to have things cleared up by the end of the year.

Fränk, the older of the two Luxemburger, said that he was enjoying his time off "because I have a clear conscience". He added, "the last two months have been great. I had free time, I went fishing and had a vacation in Florida."(SW)