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RadioShack-Leopard confirm Fränk Schleck won't rejoin team when ban expires next weekGiro 2012 S11 Frank Schleck signs on (Gian Mattia D'Alberto - LaPresse - RCS Sport)

RadioShack-Leopard confirm Fränk Schleck won't rejoin team when ban expires next week

News comes less than six-months before US bike maker Trek takes over team's WorldTour licence...
by Simon_MacMichael
Thu, Jul 04, 2013 17:40
9

RadioShack-Leopard have confirmed that Fränk Schleck will not be rejoining the team when his ban expires a week on Sunday - in effect, sacking him. The 33-year-old, third overeall in the 2011 Tour de France, tested positive for the diuretic xipamide during last year's race, with the positive test being announced on the second rest day in Pau and in January was handed a partially backdated, 12-month ban.

In a statement, the team said:

With the end of Fränk Schleck's suspension approaching, Leopard and its partners have assessed the situation in view of a possible renewal of the collaboration with Fränk Schleck. Having finalized this assessment in a broad and objective way, Leopard has decided to not renew the collaboration between Fränk Schleck and the RADIOSHACK LEOPARD TREK cycling team.

Leopard wishes Fränk Schleck a successful continuation of his career.

News that the senior Schleck sibling won't be returning to the team whose line-up at the Tour de France includes his brother Andy, himself looking to put a difficult 12 months behind him since fracturing his sacrum in the 2012 Criterium du Dauphine, is perhaps unsurprising.

Earlier this week, it was confirmed that bicycle manufacturer Trek will be taking over the licence from Leopard SA at the end of the season.

 

Trek
Radioshack Leopard
Frank Schleck

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9 comments

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Leviathan | 11 years ago
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Frank Schleck looks like Jamie Murray methinks. Both not quite as good as younger siblings.

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georgee | 11 years ago
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He could always go all repentant on us and then head over to Garmin, however he strikes me as the greasy, slippery fucker who'll never repent

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James Warrener | 11 years ago
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Expect Andy to abandon the Tour in the next few days...

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ragtag | 11 years ago
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There's always Katusha or Astana. 19

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PJ McNally replied to ragtag | 11 years ago
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Quote:

Leopard wishes Fränk Schleck a successful continuation of his career.

They are joking, right? That's pretty cruel.

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Gkam84 | 11 years ago
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So that's Frank done for then, because of the MPCC?? Any team signed up to that, can't sign Frank, is that right?

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drheaton replied to Gkam84 | 11 years ago
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Gkam84 wrote:

So that's Frank done for then, because of the MPCC?? Any team signed up to that, can't sign Frank, is that right?

The MPCC rule is:

Quote:

■Teams won’t sign a rider caught in a doping ban for longer than six months (except for Whereabouts mistakes) for two years following their eligible return

So technically he may come back (possibly on a lower ranked team) or one not signed up with MPCC but I agree, if teams stick to this then his career is almost over.

Wouldn't put it past Astana to sign him up immediately though.

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ridein | 11 years ago
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"My stomach is full of anger, and I want to take my revenge,” Andy said. Since Frank is Andy's crutch, maybe this is how RST get Andy fired up.

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Leviathan | 11 years ago
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Hmm, I had hardly notices Andy was in the tour. I would be surprised if he does more than rise a bit in the GC when the mountains come. He is a big boy now and should not need Frank. If he is to make a substantial comeback it has to be on his own efforts.

As for Frank, well I don't know anything about Xipamide, so I guess he can continue doing his job not troubling any of the big titles so I don't have to think about all the ambiguity and convoluted wikipedia results entries.

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