Published September 4, 2011 12:30PM
Leopard-Trek’s Andy Schleck announced Sunday morning that he would not be able to contest next week’s Grand Prix Cyclistes of Québec and Montréal, due to complications from an infected wisdom tooth.
The Tour de France runner-up posted on Twitter that he was forced to withdraw “because of an untimely, but imperative dental operation at the bottom left wisdom tooth.”
The rider from Luxembourg has been suffering from a toothache for more than a week and must undergo the operation immediately, a Leopard-Trek press release stated.
“An infection of the root of the tooth during the Tour of Colorado caused complications that demanded a minor but critical surgery,” Schleck said via press release. “I regret pulling out of these two races, as I adore racing in North America, and I was very excited about the idea of being in these two Canadian events.”
Schleck, 26, has been in North America for nearly a month, racing in the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge in late August. He did not contest for the general classification, although he did attempt to win stage 5 into Breckenridge, attacking from a breakaway over Swan Pass. His move was unsuccessful, and his breakaway group was caught inside the final kilometer.
Schleck was to be one of many top European riders at the Canadian WorldTour events, which take place Friday, in Québec, and Sunday, in Montréal. Other marquee riders include Philippe Gilbert, Thomas Voeckler, Ryder Hesjedal, Robert Gesink, Samuel Sanchez, Tom Danielson, George Hincapie, Damiano Cunego, Pierre Rolland, Edvald Boasson Hagen and Dominique Rollin.
At last year’s inaugural events, Voeckler won in Québec, and Gesink won in Montréal; both men won alone, soloing away on the hilly courses ahead of small chase groups.
Schleck’s older brother Fränk was not scheduled to race in Canada, instead racing the September 14 Grand Prix de Wallonie before the late-September world road championships in Copenhagen.
Andy Schleck will aim to return at the GP Wallonie, and both Schleck brothers are contemplating finishing out their season with the October 15 Tour of Lombardy.