“First things first of all, get on the list for the Tour de France, we are 28 riders in the team and only nine enter the call”. Tempered as a wise man who respects above all the value of companion to his own to continue with a resounding, “if I’m on the list know I have to be next leader, it’s my job, but if I have an opportunity of triumph, I will fight to the end for it.”
Exercise self- constriction caused by who knows touched by a magic wand. Or earthly things, for a blissful madness that has led him to be unique for a generation. He brings the concept of “teamwork” a dimension beyond the reach of the most orthodox of the current cycle in which everything is measured and restrained schemes .
Contemplating the beauty of a rough, rude style, excited and sometimes violent, is closely aligned with his transgressive, nonconformist and pure facet struggle in the trenches that led him to challenge even main group of over 180 men when everything ran against him. Instinct anxious with a rebellious spirit possessing a “motor” of incalculable cylinder mixed with a sense of honor which are increasingly less and are chimera in a better future. Therefore, it has become a runner cult indomitable until exhaustion who even wanted to challenge the very same time that stands to lose the bet, a way to be reflected in the way he understands a cycling that transmitting, transcending, up to where that penetrate the heroes, that of a “Lord of the Roads”.
Jens Voigt (Grevesmuhlen , 1971) leaves it. At the end of the 2014 season bicycle parking to embark on a new life after 17 years as a professional. Years plagued race, miles and miles of anecdotes sailing on one last trip of no return, but as he says , have not yet been completed; “for this season I want two things, just two in my last year as a professional: the first is continue to build a suitable climate within the team, to keep the group together, be an element of cohesion between all parts and help at all times because I think it’s important to keep things running. Second, to achieve at least one victory”, a dignified farewell – states that he will try to consummate until the end.
Simon Clarke suffering mythical the “Voigt Attack” in the past TDU’13. Photo © tourdownunder.com.au
The trajectory of rider german began so bizarre at 26 going pro in 1997 with australian team ZWZ – Giant – AIS, called in their attention to the emergence of brilliant runner in his country get master amateur category with 12 triumphs but finding shelter where continue his progression. No wasting the season in aussie squad did not know where else you would not be coming to the podium to achieve six victories that would give a new opportunity in Europe. Particularly in France, where he believes that would begin his professional career as premiering their new status in Spain. “It was my first win in Hernani, in the fifth stage of the Tour of the Basque Country ’98“, then enlisted in the GAN team of Roger Legeay that from august of that same year would become Credit Agricole and for that he ran six years.
In the first, his debut with the french team could not be more hopeful, a part of the victory in the Basque round, he added a second place finish in his debut in the Tour de France on land would you like a glove, “is my middle mountain habitat, is where I find really comfortable for my work and spread my conditions.”That day in the ninth stage with finish in Pau, he shared getaway with Massimiliano Lelli, Christophe Agnolutto and Leon van Bon, who surpassed by the last sprint with the bunch on the heels of twelve seconds.
There was born the legend. For four consecutive years to become the highest classified in the UCI ranking of yours to enjoy full freedom to act and where he could finally achieve the stage win dreamed in the Tour de France in 2001, July 25 in corridor the town of Sarran in the 16th stage in the average elapsed Pyrenean mountain at 29 years of age.
His dabbling in the Tour were reaffirming their status as a broker who fit the role of “stagehunter“. “I enjoy contesting such races with a continuous up and down and I can launch a remote attack”, completely ignoring that never looked like a winner around three week tours, “need to do too much dedication and patience. When I was young I wanted to eat the world but I lacked experience and confidence in myself , I wanted to win at all going the most places, but could not. Gradually I came to realize that if I wanted to be in the club `elite´, I had looked for in elsewhere.”
Relaxed Voigt after giving the first steps of year in the Tour Down Under 2014. Photo © trekracingfactory.com
Three years after his victory in the Tour, he grabbed his bags for joining the CSC Pro Team (from 2009 Saxo Bank), led by Bjarne Riis ex rider, in his new role would be a luxury helper for leaders during the seven years he spent in the Danish team. There he seconding teammates like Carlos Sastre, in achieving the 2008 Tour de France, and Ivan Basso in the Giro d’ Italia 2006. “Working hard for a leader, yes get me excited to be a partner to support its challenges, I worked very hard to adjust and it has cost me a lot, but I’m proud”, because he had the opportunity to shine alone, “as I did not too bad, sometimes they happened to me that disputed a step, to calm me, I suspect .”
It combining both paths during all those years, he began an affair with races a week, most suitable according to him his “running way” becoming the Criterium International. In his favorite race that achieved mark best records to date: six partial victories and five individual classifications. Furthermore, he inscribed his name in Tour of Mediterranean, Tour of Germany (today missing), Tour of Poland and twice in the Bayern Rundfarht and Tour of Poitou – Charentes.
But their relationship did’t end there with the first step of the podium in 16 appearances uninterrupted in Tour de France, where he even get to dress in yellow, got two victories: in Sarran (mentioned above) and in the July 15, 2006, 13th stage in Montelimar´s end, in a step way back sawn finalizing the French Alps ahead of a trip that who would later become the final winner of this edition, Oscar Pereiro. It also, he had three appearances in the Giro d’ Italia in his highlighting victory in Varese 2008, arriving solo in goal after dropping abruptly -to 40 kms from the end- his breakaway companions among which they found themselves Spilak, Nocentini, Visconti or Bosisio Winning, in the purest style Jens Voigt, “I don’t need to wait a moment, I’m from East Germany, I don’t wait for anyone.”
Great successes in Criterium du Dauphiné Libéré, Paris -Nice , Tour of California, Volta a Catalunya, Tour of the Basque Country or six bronze medals at the national championships in the individual time trials, but triumphs continues, although at a more intermittent pace in four years when he linked his interests of the Leopard Trek (2011) structure created by Favio Becca and then a year later, with RadioShack – Nissan – Trek ( two seasons ) to complete their journey this new season at the Trek Factory Racing.
Image of victory in Montelimar 2006 Tour de France. Photo (c) letour.fr
With regard to the new team is hopeful with the squad, “We have experienced people who know what this is, middle-aged people like Andy and Fränk ( Schleck ) and Fabian Cancellara to work by then very young boys of tremendous quality as I had never seen that can mold honestly think the balance is perfect to take on the season and see the future with hope. “He began the current season at the Tour Down Under, to continue in the Vuelta a Andalucía, GP Camaiore, Strade Bianche and enrolled in the upcoming Volta a Catalunya and the Tour of California.
His subsequent calendar moves to repeat last year’s haunting races where Trek has own interests in the United States, Tour of Utah and USA Pro Challenge presumed as their chosen careers to finally hang the bike. “The Tour de France is the 17th time I attend, I know it’s special but I don’t think about it”, the Grande Boucle prepared with careful liking what will be their farewell tribute in Europe and it seems unquestionable that Voigt does not attend appointment but prefer to go step by step.
Finally, facing what awaits beyond racing links its future closer to the mark than the equipment itself , at least in principle, “it is a shame because I would have liked to sit in a car and know what is feels having a whip in my hand, “more specifically forming part of the media environment, “I will be near to the team and help all I can that certainly, but most of the time I’ll roll Trek Company and maybe I lose myself in the world of television as a commentator or writing articles. I want to do different jobs, I’ll what I like and I’ll make decisions”, without rule of all being sport director, work that he respects from admiration, “someday, maybe, I try it as a sport director but it is too early because I haven’t acquired sufficient preparation, time will tell.”