Four months after he announced his retirement from the sport, the first mechanism of Andy Schleck’s declared intention to remain in cycling has been made more clear with a company linked to his final team announcing a new role for him.
Trek Travel, an offshoot of the Trek bicycle company, has said that Schleck will be joining up with it on a number of cycling vacations in 2015.
The former pro rider has inked an agreement to ride on the Etape du Tour trip in July plus the Mallorca Ride Camp in May.
“There is simply no other way to ride with this former champion. And no excuse to pass this opportunity by,” said the company, announcing the news.
The Luxembourg rider won the 2010 Tour de France after Alberto Contador was stripped of his win due to a positive test for clenbuterol. Schleck was also second overall in 2009 and 2011, and was runner-up in the 2007 Giro d’Italia.
In addition to those results he clocked up three Tour stage wins and also scooped the 2009 Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
However his career ran into problems in 2012 when he crashed during the Critérium du Dauphiné time trial and fractured his pelvis.
He vowed to return to his former level but was unable to do so. He then encountered more difficulties in the 2014 Tour de France, crashing hard on stage three to London and being forced to withdraw from the race.
That proved to be the final event of his career, with the resulting knee injury forcing his retirement.
According to Trek Factory Racing press officer Tim Vanderjeugd, that injury has abated enough for Schleck to be able to ride his bike, although he cannot push as hard as is necessary to continue his career.
His new role enables him to continue his link with the sport and his fans.
It remains to be seen if further roles emerge for him.