The Schleck Brothers: More Than Just a Family Affair on Two Wheels

The Schleck Brothers: More Than Just a Family Affair on Two Wheels

The Schleck brothers, Fränk and Andy, they’re Luxembourg’s cycling heroes, plain and simple. But their story? It’s so much more than just winning races. It’s about family, about reaching for the stars, and about what happens when the cheering crowds fade away. Cycling was practically in their blood, you see. Their grandfather, Auguste, was spinning wheels back in the 1920s. And their dad, Johny Schleck, he wasn’t just any cyclist; he rode the Tour de France eight times! He even played support for legends like Jan Janssen and Luis Ocaña. Pretty cool, right? But it was Fränk and Andy who really took the family legacy to a whole new level.

Fränk Schleck: The Quietly Determined One

Born in ’80, Fränk turned pro in 2003, and right from the start, you could see he was a fighter. He just loved to attack those climbs. He wasn’t afraid to mix it up. And he racked up some serious wins: the Amstel Gold Race, that amazing stage win on Alpe d’Huez in the ’06 Tour – unforgettable! And who could forget his victory at the Tour de Suisse in 2010? He was always up there in the Grand Tours, peaking with a fantastic 3rd place overall in the 2011 Tour de France.

Now, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses, mind you. 2012 brought a real blow when he tested positive for xipamide during the Tour. A one-year suspension followed. Tough times. But Fränk being Fränk, he bounced back. He joined Trek-Segafredo and even snagged a stage win in the 2015 Vuelta a España. A great way to show he still had it. He finally hung up his racing wheels at the end of 2016.

Life After Racing: These days, Fränk keeps things pretty low-key, focusing on his family. A well-deserved break, I’d say.

Andy Schleck: The Tour de France Champion – Against All Odds

Andy, born in ’85, he’s the one most folks remember, mainly because of that Tour de France victory. He turned pro in ’05, joining Fränk at Team CSC. And almost immediately, it was clear this kid was special. A natural climber, with a knack for the Tour.

Twice, in ’09 and ’11, he finished second in the Tour. Gut-wrenching, right? But here’s the thing: in 2010, he was second to Alberto Contador… until Contador got disqualified. So, yeah, Andy got the win, but it wasn’t quite the same, was it? Still, throw in a Liège–Bastogne–Liège win in 2009 and those three young rider titles at the Tour, and you’ve got a seriously impressive palmarès.

The real tragedy? That knee injury in the 2014 Tour. A crash, and just like that, his career was over. He was only 29! Can you imagine?

Life After Racing: After calling it quits, Andy opened a bike shop and café in Itzig, Luxembourg, back in 2016. It’s not just a shop, though; it’s got a mini-museum with all sorts of cool stuff from his racing days. He’s also a brand ambassador, and you’ll see him at cycling events from time to time. He’s even said that he loves cycling more now that he’s retired. It’s like he can finally appreciate everything the sport gave him without all the pressure.

Their Mark on Cycling

The Schleck brothers? They were something special. They raced hard, they raced together, and they made you believe anything was possible. They put Luxembourg right in the heart of the cycling world. Sure, there were bumps along the road, but they’ve both found their way after racing, staying connected to the sport and embracing whatever comes next. And that, in the end, is what really matters.