While most of the Tour de France contenders are choosing between the Criterium du Dauphine and, less likely, the Tour de Suisse and their final build-up towards the French three-week event, Schleck brothers are opting to follow their usual schedule by participating in the Tour de Luxembourg held on their home soil, hoping to finally get the legs spinning before their biggest objective of the 2014 season.

The biggest general classification contenders of the upcoming Tour de France will cross swords for the final time at the Criterium du Dauphine before the real battle begins in July, but in vain to look for Schleck brothers on that list, since the times of their domination seem to be irrevocably over. Instead, Luxembourgers plan to participate in the five-day event held on a home soil where their biggest threat for the overall victory most likely would be an army of Colombians, but it still would be a brave move to pick them as race favorites.

Just before his participation in the Tour de Luxembourg, Frank Schleck claims to be highly motivated and happy for a rare opportunity to perform in front of the home crowds.

“This is not the most important race for us either, but personally, I was always motivated to do it. To have fun, this is simply ideal. This is a great opportunity to ride here at home.”

“Such schedule always worked out for both of us well in the past, so why change a programme which functions? Anyway, this will be our recovery race. Last time I raced the Ardennes classics and the Criterium de Calais, but with the Tour de Luxembourg racing is eventually resumed.”

While Frank has shown some glimpses of acceptable disposition at the Paris-Nice and Criterium International, the same thing can’t be said about his younger brother, still struggling to find his former self after the crash he suffered during the 2012 edition of the Tour de France. Thus, the 34-year old Luxembourger was reluctant to assess Andy’s chances to shine in the upcoming events.

“He is motivated, so now it’s all about racing and we’ll se afterwards how it went. We’ll see how it goes at the Tour de Luxembourg and Tour de Suisse. It is racing and can be judged only by its results.”

Meanwhile both brothers have made reconnaissance of some of the Tour de France stages, and Frank claimed that he expects tough Pyrenees stages to be the most decisive ones.