In 2014 Andy Schleck aims at returning to his best after two disastrous seasons but admits that he can't allow himself to be too ambitious. Since he last fought for the Tour de France win, the cycling world has changed and the Luxembourger admits that Sky has taken the level of preparation to a whole new level.

In 2009, 2010 and 2011, Andy Schleck was one of the two best stage race riders in the world and entered the Tour de France as one of the major favourites. In all three editions of the race, he rode into Paris as runner-up and was awarded the overall win in the 2010 race when Alberto Contador was stripped from the title.

However, much has changed since those days. A bad crash in the 2012 Criterium du Dauphiné left him with a broken pelvis and his recovery has been much more complicated than expected. He showed signs of life when he finished 20th in this year's Tour de France but his performances were still a far cry from his past achievements.

While Schleck has been absent from the fight for the yellow jersey, Sky has taken over the position as the world's best team. Twice in a row, the British has won the biggest race in the world and it has become famous for its focus on marginal gains and scientific approach.

In 2014, Schleck will ride for the new Trek team and while he is convinced that his team will be a forced to be reckoned with, he admits that Sky is now the benchmark in the cycling world.

“They do things differently,” he told Cyclingnews. “They also have the science and the training but they also have a big budget so they can have the best riders in the world. Big riders cost money and they have it. I don’t think at all that we’re behind. Maybe we’re ahead, maybe not of Sky but certainly of other teams.”

However, Schleck has also seen chinks in their armour. In this year's Tour de France, Chris Froome was isolated at points and especially the stage to Bagneres-de-Bigorre could have become disastrous if he had not been able to defend himself against his rivals.

“Everyone talks about how they train and it’s impressive how they race but this year at the Tour, in terms of the whole team, they lacked a little bit," Shcleck said. "If Froome wasn’t that strong he would have lost because of the team. We do our thing and maybe Sky are a benchmark but we don’t copy them.”

In 2014, Schleck will be reunited with his brother Frank who is back after serving a ban for a positive test for Xipamide. The brothers will again focus on the Ardennes classics and the Tour de France.