Former podium finisher Frank Schleck ruled out of Tour de France

Sport360 staff 10:57 24/06/2015
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  • 35-year-old Frank Schleck has found good results hard to come by.

    Former podium finisher Frank Schleck will miss the Tour de France due to a knee injury.

    The Trek rider is suffering from inflammation of a ligament and a problem with the bone.

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    Schleck – whose now-retired younger brother Andy won the Tour in 2010 – was third in 2011, fourth in 2009 and fifth in 2008 but the Luxemburger has more recently found good results increasingly hard to come by.

    Trek named their nine-man Tour team yesterday with timetrial and one-day classics specialist Fabian Cancellara set to take part in his 10th edition of the Grand Boucle.

    The 34-year-old Swiss will be one of the favourites for victory on the opening stage 13.8km timetrial in Utrecht. Trek’s overall hopes will rest with Dutchman Bauke Mollema, who was 10th last year.

    Meanwhile, South African outfit MTN-Qhubeka have named an unprecedented five African riders in their nine-man team.

    Four of the five took part in the Criterium de Dauphine earlier this month where Eritrea’s Daniel Teklehaimanot won the polka dotted climbers’ jersey. Another Eritrean climber, 21-year-old Merhawi Kudus joins the Tour de France line up as the ninth man and much is expected of the two in Africa. 

    There are also three South Africans in the team, namesakes Jacques and Reinardt Janse van Rensburg and national champion Louis Meintjes.

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