End of an Error
Jens Voigt is set to retire as we speak, having one final crack at a long break in some race in the Cycling backwater of the USA. Is it fair or fitting that he should go out like this, slipping out the back door with little fanfare, while others have been doing a farewell tour of all the big races, replete with fancy commemorative shoes and a song and dance? It’s probably apt that Jens is just doing what he’s always done: getting on with the job at hand and not saying too much. It’s almost like he’s been given the Golden Handshake, received his gold watch (well, another Trek), and gently herded out of the room, along with the elephant.
There’s no doubt that Jens is a hero to almost the entire cycling world; fans and contemporaries alike instantly warm to the big guy. He’s probably a great bloke to get on the beers with, keeping everyone entertained with his goofy German sense of humour (an oxymoron, I know) and regaling his enthralled audience with stories of that time he towed the peloton up the Galibier, dropping pure climbers like flies one by one. And because he’s a big, goofy, lovable German, no-one would even consider to question his morals or ethics when it comes to his role in the sport, and his considerable time in it. He’s Jens, he’s a bloody legend.
There’s always double standards applied when it comes to our Cycling heroes. Pantani: revered, matyred. Gunderson: condemned. Contador: forgiven, re-accepted. Valverde: despised. O’Grady, Rogers: well, they’re Australian, so even though they admitted/tested positive, no Aussie would ever cheat, right? They’re just lovable larrikins who got caught in the crossfire, and were unlucky or only “did it once”. Sir, your pig is fuelled and ready for take-off.
I’ve loved watching Jens going on crazy long breaks, laughed at the many soundbites he’s provided us, and he was even convinced to mouth our catchcry, although he probably had no clue as to what he was being cajoled into. He always has time for his fans, and that’s a sign of a true champion of the people. Imagine if Gunderson was a bit more humourous, if he’d cracked a few jokes instead of cracking skulls, if he’d told some part of his body to ‘shut up’ instead of telling other riders to do the same. Maybe he’d still be squeaky clean in the eyes of the fans, just like Jens.
While I respect a man who has ridden at the front of the peloton for 20 years and well into his 40s, and take inspiration from that, I can’t just sit here and digest every stock-standard quote that is rolled out. Jens came from one of the world’s most notorious doping programs in the East German system, but somehow wasn’t earmarked for the treatment. He rode professionally from 1997, the height of the EPO era, through Festina, through the Gunderson years, through the Landis/Rasmussen/Contador years. Yet he saw nothing. He rode on teams with more than a sprinkling of convicted and/or known dopers, yet he heard nothing. He rode under Directors Sportif who oversaw some of the biggest doping programs ever witnessed, yet he witnessed nothing himself. He continued to race at the same high level, and above, as the world’s best racers, well past the age when they threw in the towel, yet he wants us to believe he’s done it all on mineral water and sauerkraut.
While I love the guy, I’m not stupid, and neither are the cycling public. We don’t need to be treated like fools by every rider that ever rode in the Pro ranks, but we are, still. Even Gunderson has admitted he’d still be lying to us all, his family, children and cancer community if he hadn’t been outed. That’s the mentality of the Omérta in action. Jens is as old school as they come, and unfortunately he’s taking that mindset with him into retirement.
I wish Jens all the best, but I also wish he’d shown the same hardman qualities off the bike as he did on it, and spoken out about what he did actually see, hear and do. That would make him even more a legend.
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/[email protected]/Jens/”/]
Great read…hits the nail on the head when you say that the reason why people are able to ignore Jens’ undoubtedly shady past is that he is simply a likeable guy. LA might have gotten a better reception to his confession were he not a bullying, control-freak psychopath. The other thing is LA duped the whole world and made millions, I imagine Jens is not a multi-millionaire and is relatively unknown outside of cycling.
Nice comment about the Aussie Rules doping too. I get the p*ss taken out of me by my non-cycling mates for following these “doped-up riders” but they are kidding themselves if they think the English Premier league isn’t awash with doping.
I’d like to see Jens come clean, maybe write a book. Funny how I could probably accept the excuse “but everyone else was doing it” from Jens but not from LA.
Bugger me, I’m struggling a bit with this one Brett. You’re right to talk about double standards and the doping saints and sinners, with the saints being those who have doped but that we somehow manage to forgive. It’s the one aspect of Velominati that I’m at odds with. I don’t recall Contador acknowledging taking clenbuterol, yet he’s off the naughty list , probably because his winning smile and PR machine is more effective than Valverde’s, who I must admit, doping aside, does seem to be a complete COTHO. Marco is gone and takes the facts with him. Is it better to have doped and shown penitence than to wish you hadn’t and keep that from the fans? The only ones who can know for sure are Jens himself and his team mates, DS’s, Swannies and med staff and for whatever reason their silence is deafening. Jens has denied it, but then again so did Michael Barry.
It’s too easy to write off a fantastic career with a few paragraphs and a photo suite with Jens alongside Gunderson, Riis, O’Grady et al, surely he was worth a bit more than that? Jens did win races admittedly, but nothing like on the scale of Gunderson, who seems to be the main comparison here. I simply can’t fathom some of the comments on this piece, such as his solo escapades being a little bit sad!! Isn’t that one of the reasons that we all love this sport, watching the break form and seeing if it will last, as many of Voight’s did.
I prefer to remember the character of the man, riding 15km on a kids bike in the 2010 Tour to avoid elimination, the horrific faceplant descending the Petit St Bernard in 2009 that would have ended a less resilient rider’s career. Watching him churning a massive gear on the climbs. The time he had for the fans and his genuine warmth.
He tried to do the things that we wanted to see in a bike race, that’s not a bad legacy is it.
@gilly I wouldn’t be too quick to assume that Cothodor is off any of the shit lists around here…the points you make in your last paragraph are probably why Voigt generally gets a pass on the full on accusations, but there’s long been an uneasy feeling about the hero worship he’s given & seems to bask in.
@Mikael Liddy
Point taken Mikael. This piece just feels like a bit of a cheap hatchet job to me. I wouldn’t class myself as JV’s number one fan but I did enjoy watching him race.
Why did you feel the need to point the finger at the guy as he walks out the door? Was it really necessary?
@Puffy Brett’s openly pointed the finger in Voigt’s direction for many a year now, there are some relevant questions being asked & what better time to ask than when there are so many platitudes being sent his way thanks to the cult following Jens has been so happy to embrace?
@Mikael Liddy
But’s over now. It’s done, he’s out. Nothing can be gained from it.
@Puffy
Oh no he’s not! Just when we thought it was safe, he’s only decided to go for The Hour! I shit you not…..
http://app.bronto.com/public/?q=preview_message&fn=Link&id=7854jrgel8vjepr0ivbzyr41ldb59&ssid=31334&t=3
@Mike_P Fanfuckintastic!
Ok, maybe I’m strange but I can hold two concepts in my tiny brain at once. First, Yensie is just about the perfect package for this crowd in terms of hard work, taking chances and going for it when others sit back calculating their odds. Plus he is a fun, nice guy.
Part two, Jasus H. Cripes can we get over the – they did it or did not do it thing – they all did some shite, from day one and still some are. Is Voight worse or better than others? Maybe that is the question but I do not think it is a question with an answer until everyone admits and confesses and my guess is that won’t happen unless there is amnesty.
For me this means that I hope the trend toward clean racing grows by peer pressure at the least and from consistency from the powers above to really clamp down on the heavy abuse.
In the mean time I am cheering Jens on for doing something that is brave, hard man awesome and cool, just going for it. I wish him luck and am betting that he may make it.
And I should say thank you to Brett for speaking the truth and all the good comments in this post. It is something that should be talked about in every sport (pro golf any one?). This dilemma is the paradox of being a fan in the 21st C.
@Rob
…until he announces Ondrej Sosenka is “coaching” him ?! I suspect Sir Bradley is sitting somewhere rolling his eyes and being a bit “sweary” this afternoon. As for Faboo, well he’ll just be whinging, as usual these days.
@Mike_P had to look up Sosenka and wiki goes straight to his doping but f me methamphetamine in 2008 for a time trial! I thought Tommy Simpson disproved the efficacy of that shit.
In full disclosure, of my questionable “history”, for laughs during winter roller racing I got a friend to give me (this was early 80′, he was a lawyer) a little Peruvian powder and between heats I snuck off to the loo. Came out at the start of the 40 second kilo ride like I was going to break 30 seconds but by 20 to go I was just hot air.
As this was done to see if I would gain an advantage by getting something for nothing – the lesson learned was NO.
And just for the record I was never tempted to even TRY anything in open racing except caffeine and that was a short lived experiment with CocaCola syrup in a few races. A few buddies were injecting B12 and I’m sure there was other stuff going on in the level above me, the ones who were headed to the national team, but I never saw it.
As to Faboohoo and Wiggo, well they just missed their windows of immortality!
Hell, I’m rooting all the way for Jens. Whatever happened in the past, you know he’ll do this clean as the dope control boys will watch ever pedal stroke and test the shit out of his samples. Again, whatever happened in the past, Voigt isn’t going to rick something this ballsy on dope. I wouldn’t bet against him at all. Maybe we have an extra special VSP to guess the distance like we did with Frank a couple of years back?
If Jens gets the record, sure raises the bar/puts pressure on Wiggins and Fabs doesn’t it? I mean those guys would prep to the n-th degree, Jens does it as a swansong at the end of a busy season. Hell, if Obree did two attempts in two days (one incomplete, one successful) then Jens can do it. I’m stoked about this.
@wiscot +1 for the VSP idea. I think we’re all going to be stoked for it and rooting for him (oops, I almost sound Murican). Like everyone else, I’m just surprised.
@wiscot
I doubt I’ll have time to program the system to go for time guesses but its a great idea and I’ll certainly give it my best shot!
In any case, I’m wicked stoked for this! Can’t wait to see this and hopefully it ushers in a new era of Hour attempts!
@frank am I wrong but didn’t @ Buck do this for your attempt? I nominate him to do it – he did such a good job!
(Big shit eatting smiley face)
@frank
As always, I’m humbled by the amount of time you and the Keepers put into this site. If time isn’t in your favor, I’m sure we all understand. I’m sure we could all throw up our guesses on a fresh article and posters can keep track of who gets closest. Keep it fun and low key. (So says the guy whose VSP picks have been unadulterated shite all year!)
@Rob
I believe he did: http://www.velominati.com/racing/festum-prophetae-the-impossible-hour/
@Mike_P
http://www.trekfactoryracing.com/news/jens-voigt-targets-hour-record-september-18
Fuck yeah!
@Mike_P
The day Faboo has a crack at the hour, he’d whinge an hour is too long if he keeps on this current path he’s on.
One hour to go!
http://road.cc/content/news/130168-jens-voigt-reveals-hour-record-trek-speed-concept
I’m officially excited. Today’s the day!!
All fingers and toes crossed for Herr Voigt. Smash it, sir, smash it good.
Come on Jensie
Frinckin Jensy, he looks like the little kid about to go in the candy store, lovin the clock discs. My bet is around 52 kph…
After looking at the current records:
(a) UCI unified record (from 2014) – Sosenka 49.7
(b) UCI hour record (until 2014) – Merckx 49.431, Bordman 56.375 and Sosenka 49.7
(c) UCI best human effort (1972-2014) Bordman 56.375
(d) IHPVA/WHPVA hour record – Russo 91.556
Sosenka was sauced to the gills, Bordman was on superman/disc/ carbon and we all know what Merckxs was! So Jens seems to me to be somewhere in the middle techno wise and coming off a hard ass summer so his form is good if he is peaking… and the guy is hard so I’m going for a very respectable time…
Go Jens!!!
“In the hierarchy of the family, I’m just above the dog. But I like it that way.”
The real thing…The Prophet down Mexico way…
@Rob
I’m going for 60 mins on the dot…….
@Teocalli
Ho ho… I reckon 51.6km. He should be able to beat Sosenka easily, given that Sosenka was on a road bike.
Looking forward to it. I’ve never watched an hour attempt live on TV/online before – has anyone?
Were the Obree/Boardman efforts live?
@ChrisO I remember watching Boardman on the beeb and I think Obree too.
Anyone way a tickertape on here?
way = want
@Teocalli
10 mins in and 10 secs up on previous record.
lap 56
54km/hr
52.92km
according to the livestream i’m watching, the commentator mentioned he HAS to maintain <18 sec. laps
20 mins and 21 sec up, average speed falling slightly at 50.789 kph
Shame we can’t see the data they are looking at.
According to the Trek guy they are seeing a real-time feed of cadence, power, HR and even drag coefficient.
lap 100 & he’s 40 seconds ahead
30 mins 26 sec up average 50.666 kph
40 mins 40 sec up average 50.643 kph
lap 156, 14 min. left
50 mins 1:06 up at 50.824 mph
Remarkable moment when he gave himself a wedgie around the 120-lap mark.
10 min. left, needs 26 laps
20 laps left, 6+ min. left
avg. speed is rising, 50.9km/hr
Live right here guys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjjM2tI6THs
55 mins 1:24 up 50.989 kph
10 to go, 4.20 min. left
4 mins to go and into 51 kph average