[05.06 17:48] It was an active Team Saxo Bank-squad that did today’s 187 kilometer-long second stage of the race, Tour de Luxembourg, between Schifflange and Differdange. The entire team was at the front to catch the first breakaway and when it was inhaled, several team riders tried to go. But when Andy Schleck launched a counter-attack no one could follow the pace of the winner of Liege-Bastogne-Liege and he won a beautiful victory. Matti Breschel underlined Team Saxo Bank’s power by finishing second.

The team now has three riders in the top ten with Matti Breschel in third, Andy Schleck in fifth and Fränk Schleck in eigth position in the overall standings.

“It was great winning on home ground and with Matti on second place it was a perfect day for us. Tomorrow is the queen stage of the race and we have at least three riders who will be able to win it. Astana is in the lead of the race so they have the responsibility to control the events of the course. On the other hand we can go for the stage and hopefully create a gap big enough to take the jersey”, told Andy Schleck after the stage.

“Most importantly we got a victory for the team today and of course it is always cool to be at the front of the race and be able to ride for the victory in the finals. The course is generally only getting tougher from now on, and both Fränk, Andy and I are well-placed in the GC so we must be aggressive and play the other GC-riders against each other in the finals the last two days of the race. Tomorrow’s finish line is uphill so there should be an opportunity to create yet another successful result”, said Matti Breschel after the race.

Sports director Kim Andersen was content after today’s victory:

“We went for the stage victory and we even got it with Matti in second place so obviously we are very pleased about today’s result. The riders did the same hill three times on the last part of the stage where Chris went away with a bunch of riders on the first lap. Andy went away with a group of riders soon after and he stayed behind them before the climb but fired away as they hit it the bottom of it. But there were too many big riders on his wheel so he waited for the descent on the last lap where he gave what he had downhill and created the gap alone. Matti profited by the situation and stayed behind the riders in the group after Andy and made a sprint powerful enough to reach Andy’s back wheel and finished second”, said a happy Kim Andersen after the race.