It’s official. Andy and Frank Schleck, the Luxembourger brothers who finished second and third in last month’s Tour de France, will be in Colorado’s inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge this month, race officials announced Monday.
Team Leopard Trek listed them on the roster they submitted Monday, ensuring that the race will be the first in American history with that year’s entire Tour de France podium taking part. Tour winner Cadel Evans also will compete.
“It’s great credibility for a first-year event,” race co-chairman Shawn Hunter said. “For them to have confidence in us and choose us over the Vuelta (a España) is a great feeling.”
The pair are among the best cyclists in the world. Andy, 26, is a three-time Tour de France runner-up who won two stages a year ago. He also took second in the 2007 Giro d’Italia. Frank, 31, won last year’s Tour de Suisse and took fifth in the 2009 Tour de France.
“They’re phenomenal,” said Hunter, who watched them for five days in the Tour. “Cadel is clearly the champion of this year’s Tour de France, but people are equally excited about the Schlecks’ great personalities and that they have so many years ahead of them.”
Three-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador decided against the Vuelta, which conflicts with the Colorado race dates, but it’s highly doubtful he’ll compete here.
He hurt his knee in a crash early in the Tour de France and finished fifth. He told Spanish media last week: “Maybe next year I’ll be in the Vuelta. This year it does not enter into my plans. I need to rest.”
