Andy's looking forward to the Tour!

Good boy! *pets Andy*

Why this sudden demonstration of affection for Our Andy? It's due to the report out today with his response to the Tour 2013 parcours announcement, and the current doping scandal.

And they gave us a nice picture, he's actually smiling!

So, next year's Tour route has been announced: it's a lot lighter on the TTs, and has four good mountain top finishes, and generally speaking it suits Our Andy a great deal more than last year's one.

He's already in training, he says he still has pain from that broken pelvis, but says "I can ride my bike relatively well." Phew, I think if I had a cracked pelvis I would be taking it very, very gently for months and months.

You have to admire the dedication of these athletes, getting out there and getting on with it, don't you?

Andy has, as we know, already said that he's not giving up cycling, even though Papa Schleck has recommended it, and we are all glad to hear that - although not wishing any disrespect to his father, this is one time when I am glad Andy is making up his own mind.  I don't think it would be much fun writing a blog about a traffic cop in Luxembourg....

And when faced with the "inevitable" questioning about doping in cycling, he says:

“What has happened in the past has been really bad. We cannot just put it aside. But on the other hand: most of these things are from the past and we need to draw a line,” he said. “The young generation, and I count myself in that, has nothing to do with this past and we are the victims of it, in a way.

“So I'm saying: let's not forget about what has happened, but let's take lessons from it and move on."