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Schleck takes Tour's white jersey, looks ahead to yellow

Oct 20, 2009
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<p>Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank) took the white jersey off the shoulders of Geraint Thomas (Sky) at the Tour de France today in Station des Rousses. He finished with the main group of classification favourites at the end of the race's first mountain test.</p><p>
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He leads the white jersey competition over his former rival in the junior ranks, Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas-Doimo), by 1'15". It's not white, though, that Schleck is after.</p><p>
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"White is not a colour," said Schleck, jokingly. "I don't know about tomorrow, but it is my overall objective is the yellow jersey."</p><p>
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Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel (Quick Step) won the stage and took the yellow jersey today. He leads the overall competition by 1'25" on Australian Cadel Evans (BMC Racing), 1'32" on Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) and 1'55" on Schleck.</p><p>
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Schleck's fourth place is a good position following a demanding day in the Jura mountains. The stage contained six categorised climbs, with the final being 14-kilometre climb to Lamoura.</p><p>
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"Today is what we expedited. We expedited Astana to be strong; the team is made up only of climbers. I don't understand their tactics and why they rode that hard. They dropped some riders, but not many," continued Schleck.</p><p>
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"I am moving up slowly if it continues like this it will be good. I have to be realistic, I am not the only one in good condition. Lance [Armstrong] is strong and [Alberto] Contador is strong."</p><p>
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Schleck will face the race's first high-mountain stage to Morzine tomorrow. He is without his brother and Saxo Bank's co-captain Fränk Schleck, and so he will rely on Chris Anker Sørensen as his final mountain man.</p><p>
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Fränk crashed Tuesday on the cobblestones leading to stage three's finish in Arenberg. He fractured his collarbone and is at home recovering.</p><p>
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"It is not a super position, before we had two cards to play, but now it is only me," added Schleck. "I am okay and ready to take the weight on my shoulders. The whole team is behind me."</p>

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