The Luxembourg all-rounder will finally get the chance to ride out of injured brother Andy's shadow at this year's race backed by a team full of savvy veterans.
The 32-year-old did the hard yards in the saddle for a variety of amateur teams before Team CSC gave him his professional break in 2003 with Andy following two years later.
With grandfather Gustave and father Johny also riders, the odds were on Frank taking to the road too and he soon began to impress manager Bjarne Riis with his efforts helping team-mates.
His performances during the 2005 season were enough to secure a new three-year deal with a famous Alpe D'Huez victory over Damiano Cunego bringing him his first Tour stage win.
The 2008 edition of Le Tour saw Schleck claim the maillot jaune after lighting up the race with a series of classy finishes in tough stages, the effort eventually too much as he slipped back to sixth overall.
He won the Tour de Luxembourg in 2009 to the delight of the team, his second place in Paris-Nice together with his fifth spot and stage 17 win in the Tour de France confirming to the peloton that he was here to stay.
A triple fracture of his clavicle in a crazy first week of the 2010 Tour saw him sidelined after hopes were raised following Tour de Suisse glory. He recovered to finish fifth in the Vuelta a España.
Frank and Andy left Team Saxo Bank at the end of 2010 and formed Leopard Trek with director Kim Andersen. Frank duly triumphed at the Critérium International and came second in the Liège–Bastogne–Liège.
He followed that up with third overall behind Andy in the 2011 Tour with the four-time national road race champion tipped to improve on that in 2012 if he can thrive without Andy alongside him.
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