Leopard Trek co-leader Andy Schleck believes that allergies hampered his form in Wednesday’s Flèche Wallonne and, despite the pollen count remaining far higher than usual, expects to be strong in tomorrow’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
The Ardennes region has been covered in a fine yellow power for days, with big clouds of pollen drifting on the wind and dropping all around. The weather is warmer than usual and it has increased the amount of the allergen.
“I know I have been training good, I was good in Amstel, my shape is good. In Flèche, I just simply was bad,” Schleck said at yesterday’s team press conference at Francorchamps. “I don’t know what it was. I felt in the race that I had pain in my eyes from pollen in the air. I haven’t had any problems like that before, I never had any allergies.
“It was an extreme day…I came back to the hotel and the cars were yellow, covered in stuff from the trees. I don’t know if it was that or if I just had a bad day, but normally I don’t believe in bad days.”
Schleck finished back in 44th place, his form being far off that which saw him attack so strongly in the finale of Sunday’s Amstel Gold Race. Although the pollen has persisted since Wednesday, he is hoping that he won’t be affected in the final Ardennes Classic.
“Today I felt good…we did good training, pretty hard training too, so I am confident I will be there,” he said.
Click here for more video from the press conference.