# Poor Jens Voigt



## master2129 (Mar 30, 2007)

I feel for Jens. I love the way he races. His crash looks extremely painful. I sure hope he is OK and didn't break anything.


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## Cat 6 RCR (Jun 2, 2008)

*From CyclingNews Live Report*

Okay, we got word on Jens Voigt's condition - he's got injuries to his head, face and shoulders, and is being taken to hospital. However he never lost consciousness. We hope he has a speedy recovery.


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

Just a few day left in the Tour but Saxo is going to miss him.


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## master2129 (Mar 30, 2007)

Cat 6 RCR said:


> Okay, we got word on Jens Voigt's condition - he's got injuries to his head, face and shoulders, and is being taken to hospital. However he never lost consciousness. We hope he has a speedy recovery.


Geez I so feel for him. Did you see the way he got bucked off the bike? It was violent. He slid for like 10 seconds straight. I think his face took the brunt of the skid too. From afar it looked like his cheek and nose had been scraped off.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

master2129 said:


> Geez I so feel for him. Did you see the way he got bucked off the bike. He slid for like 10 seconds straight. I think his face took the brunt of the skid too. From afar it looked like his cheek and nose had been scraped off.


If you looked closely, you could see showers of sparks as his bike slid on the road.


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## iliveonnitro (Feb 19, 2006)

Nooooooooooooooo!

If you think Jens looks bad, look at what he did to the pavement!


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## Len J (Jan 28, 2004)

Slow mo looks like his left hand was off the bars when he hit that bump...the rest was just ugly

len


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## master2129 (Mar 30, 2007)

Len J said:


> Slow mo looks like his left hand was off the bars when he hit that bump...the rest was just ugly
> 
> len


Indeed. In a word: UGLY totally sums up his horrific crash.


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## Swish (Jul 31, 2004)

There were reports that the handlebar broke after hitting a bump. Hope he recovers quickly, but he went down bad, poor Jens.


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## master2129 (Mar 30, 2007)

Swish said:


> There were reports that the handlebar broke after hitting a bump. Hope he recovers quickly, but he went down bad, poor Jens.


Seriously? That's why, no matter what bike I ride/race, I use ALU handlebars. Carbon is not safe under that kind of stress and speed.


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## Len J (Jan 28, 2004)

master2129 said:


> Seriously? That's why, no matter what bike I ride/race, I use ALU handlebars. Carbon is not safe under that kind of stress and speed.


It wasn't equipment...it was rider inattention. Watch the slo mo.

len


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

he has had hincapie-like luck. first that break (where he might have pulled it out) and he gets a flat + bad neutral support. then a crash that initially sounds like it might have been a blown front tire.


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## olr1 (Apr 2, 2005)

_Seriously? That's why, no matter what bike I ride/race, I use ALU handlebars. Carbon is not safe under that kind of stress and speed._

Is there an event in cycling that people *won't* use to slag off carbon? 

Jeez, if you don't like it, don't use it, but you don't have to keep sharing....


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

That looked extremely nasty. I sincerely hope he makes a full and speedy recovery.


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## lookrider (Dec 3, 2006)

I pray the guy's alright.


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## damonripper (Jul 9, 2009)

Man that sucks. He really laid it all out there today as well. Hate to see a hard worker struck down...


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## karatemom (Mar 21, 2008)

God, I hope he's allright--That was a horrible, horrible crash.


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## JoelS (Aug 25, 2008)

That looked awful. Hope he comes through ok.


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## olr1 (Apr 2, 2005)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7V0VsKznyzA

Looks like he hit a small bump and lost his right hand grip on the bars, I can't see any evidence of equipment failure, punctures or mechanical problems.


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## huez (Mar 15, 2002)

master2129 said:


> Seriously? That's why, no matter what bike I ride/race, I use ALU handlebars. Carbon is not safe under that kind of stress and speed.



Really? What kind of fork do you use? Do you realize the scariest place to have carbon (the fork) is where carbon is on almost every bike made in the last 12 years?


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## Cogito (Nov 7, 2005)

It was horrible. I love Jens and hope he recovers. Vaughters twitter reports word of cranial trauma. Still too early for substantiated reports though. As one who has left his share of DNA samples on the road, I can't bear to watch the endless replays of crashes in the tour. I avert my eyes. 
Get well Jens.


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## huez (Mar 15, 2002)

Get well, Jens.


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## Slow Eddie (Jun 28, 2004)

lookrider said:


> Was that Frankie interviewing A. Schleck?
> 
> It was terrible, he was congratulating him on his ride and that seemed to be the last thing on Schleck's mind.


Doesn't surprise me. Frankie is a meathead.

Watched him doing sidebar pieces for OLN in the early 2000s.

Looked on with amusement at the whole Toyota-United thing.

Met him after the final TT in the 05 Tdf.

Meathead, meathead, meathead.

I don't even care about all the friction between him and LA Inc. Still a meathead.


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## SRV (Dec 26, 2006)

Marc said:


> If you looked closely, you could see showers of sparks as his bike slid on the road.


Those sparks were coming off of the man of steel. Unfortunately, at those speeds, even superman gets hurt.

Get well, Jens.


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## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

Len J said:


> It wasn't equipment...it was rider inattention. Watch the slo mo.
> 
> len


Watch the Youtube clip and freeze frame it. It looks like the bar breaks on the left hand side near the curve in the top of the bar and his hand falls away from the bars. When the bike is sliding you can see the left hand shifter separated from the handlebars and moving away from the bike.

I'd put money on the bars breaking causing the crash...carbon or not...though likely carbon.


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## Coolhand (Jul 28, 2002)

Hated to see one of my favorite riders go out like that. Hope Jens is up and back on the bike soon.


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## master2129 (Mar 30, 2007)

huez said:


> Really? What kind of fork do you use? Do you realize the scariest place to have carbon (the fork) is where carbon is on almost every bike made in the last 12 years?


Carbon Fork. But for me I'm still not convinced that Carbon Bars are the best out there. My opinion. I don't expect you or anyone in the Forum to understand or respect it. It is what it is.

On the other hand, I am not sure how much Frank knew about the crash. Often the Directors just say something like, "______ is down." They don't go into details. I'm sure back on the bus all the guys were briefed to the severity of the crash. After they get to see it I am sure they will be at the Hospital tonight wishing their mate the best. I can only hope his family is holding up. Hopefully they were present at the Tour and not back at home.


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## dagger (Jul 22, 2004)

*Wasn't a bump.*

Edit...


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## Len J (Jan 28, 2004)

Wookiebiker said:


> Watch the Youtube clip and freeze frame it. It looks like the bar breaks on the left hand side near the curve in the top of the bar and his hand falls away from the bars. When the bike is sliding you can see the left hand shifter separated from the handlebars and moving away from the bike.
> 
> I'd put money on the bars breaking causing the crash...carbon or not...though likely carbon.


I did...I'm not seeing what you are seeing....his hand was off the bar before the bump

Len


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## Cat 6 RCR (Jun 2, 2008)

*Jens Update*

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/voigt-in-hospital-after-horrific-crash

FTFA- _Jens Voigt (Team Saxo Bank) was taken to hospital after his crash in the 16th stage of the Tour de France. While descending the Col du Petit-Saint-Bernard, the German's front wheel slipped away and he went down on his shoulder and head, sliding several metres along the road. The race doctor who attended to him at the scene said that Voigt briefly lost consciousness.

"He is seriously injured, but conscious. He was able to move," said a visibly shaken team manager Bjarne Riis to the German press agency dpa._


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## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

Len J said:


> I did...I'm not seeing what you are seeing....his hand was off the bar before the bump
> 
> Len


Again...I disagree, it just looks that way because the bar broke. His hand falls away from the bar because he's holding onto a broken bar.


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

That was horrible. The photos will show the true damage.

fc


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## rogger (Aug 19, 2005)

Marc said:


> If you looked closely, you could see showers of sparks as his bike slid on the road.


Thank god they were sparks, I was afraid those were his effing teeth skidding along the road.


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## ttug (May 14, 2004)

*no kidding*



rogger said:


> Thank god they were sparks, I was afraid those were his effing teeth skidding along the road.


Thats gotta hurt.

A shame for a great rider


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## Len J (Jan 28, 2004)

Wookiebiker said:


> Again...I disagree, it just looks that way because the bar broke. His hand falls away from the bar because he's holding onto a broken bar.


Time will tell...but so far you are the only one seeing that.

The entire peleton was airborn in that section, unfortunatly, he wasn't prepared and had his hand off the bar.

Len


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Len J said:


> I did...I'm not seeing what you are seeing....his hand was off the bar before the bump
> 
> Len


Photos, if you have a stomach for such:

http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.aspx?EventId=88232141


He looks fortunate...it could been way worse.

PS-Bike is entirely intact, no broken handlebar.


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## Len J (Jan 28, 2004)

Wookiebiker said:


> Again...I disagree, it just looks that way because the bar broke. His hand falls away from the bar because he's holding onto a broken bar.


So where is the broken Handlebar?

len


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## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

Len J said:


> Time will tell...but so far you are the only one seeing that.
> 
> The entire peleton was airborn in that section, unfortunatly, he wasn't prepared and had his hand off the bar.
> 
> Len


Looking at the photos, the bars are intact....so I guess I'm seeing something else on the film...maybe it's his radio sliding by, but it shure looked like a shifter *Shrug*


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## OldEndicottHiway (Jul 16, 2007)

Marc said:


> Photos, if you have a stomach for such:
> 
> http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.aspx?EventId=88232141
> 
> ...



Aww. Poor Jens. I hate that this happened to him, or any rider for that matter. 

Bike racing like so many things, no matter how well prepared for, still boils down to a crap shoot in the end. 

I can't believe the biffs and endos I took in my racing days and only ever ended up with a cracked rib once. Mom swears I took 10 years off her life in those days.


Heal well, Jens.


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## jhamlin38 (Oct 29, 2005)

He's always been a fantastic rider that epitomizes guts and the willingness to just torture himself. 
I really, really like Jens and hope he gets back to health very quickly. 
Just terrible.


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## mjdwyer23 (Mar 18, 2009)

man that must hurt. speedy recovery.


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## zosocane (Aug 29, 2004)

*This is why Jens is so beloved in the peloton*

Great sense of humor. Here's to a speedy recovery!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd4r_v19WgU


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## kmac (Feb 13, 2007)

I'm hoping he recovers as quickly as possible. He's one of my favorite riders. In the group I ride with our answer to any situation is to just quote Jens: "Pedal Harder." 

Hopefully the collective strength of all his fans thinking and praying for him will help him in his recovery. That looked nasty and I fear the recovery may be long.


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## cyclejim (Mar 31, 2004)

Hope he recovers from his injuries, love the guy.


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## lookrider (Dec 3, 2006)

Marc said:


> Photos, if you have a stomach for such:
> 
> http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.aspx?EventId=88232141
> 
> ...


 

I hope that was the worst of it.


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## harlond (May 30, 2005)

My favorite rider, here's to a fast and full recovery.


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## T-Doc (Apr 4, 2002)

Seems to be everyone's favorite rider....he is an inspiration to all of us in the sport. Speedy recovery, Jens...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UncELpyKQLU&feature=related


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## JSR (Feb 27, 2006)

"All it takes is for five Astana guys to get attacked by a bear in the mountains. Then we're just smokin'. Breeze into Paris."

Priceless.

JSR


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## shabbasuraj (May 14, 2005)

This was not caused by a mechanical.. he had a mental lapse, and lost control of the bike... further hampered by the white painted stripe that just slid that front wheel.


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## shabbasuraj (May 14, 2005)

__
Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
Show Content


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## iliveonnitro (Feb 19, 2006)

Rumors saying he wasn't able to move his arms/legs after the crash...anyone know if he recovered from that part?


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## BuenosAires (Apr 3, 2004)

Get well Jens!


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## olr1 (Apr 2, 2005)

_Rumors saying he wasn't able to move his _......

Having discounted the 'carbon' breaking theory, perhaps we could stop speculating and wait for information?

Y'know, like sensible folk would?


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## mjdwyer23 (Mar 18, 2009)

At least the chase cars stopped in time!


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## dagger (Jul 22, 2004)

*Not Good*



shabbasuraj said:


> __
> Sensitive content, not recommended for those under 18
> Show Content


his mouth is closed...a sign that he isn't breathing because his nose is all mashed up and probably blocked.


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## dagger (Jul 22, 2004)

It doesn't look good. The officials are pretty hushed up about it and the photos show him not breathing.


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## olr1 (Apr 2, 2005)

_his mouth is closed...a sign that he isn't breathing _

No, it's a sign that he is breathing through his nose.

Jesus.

Photo's can't show people 'not breathing'.....

Could you stop it now?


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 2001)

holy jeebus!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxTJMjiBKw0

fc


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## Blue CheeseHead (Jul 14, 2008)

master2129 said:


> Seriously? That's why, no matter what bike I ride/race, I use ALU handlebars. Carbon is not safe under that kind of stress and speed.


Hey, my friend had his aluminum bars break on him. 3 years of heavy sweating on the trainer took it's toll. Fortuantely for him he was not doing a monster descent. For my friend carbon would have been a superior material.

I ask you this:

1.) Do you know for a fact that his carbon bars broke?
2.) How many carbon frames, bars and other parts will make it through the tour without failure?

This is how mis-information gets perpetuated. (Remember Hincape's "Broken Carbon Frame" from Paris-Roubaix that was really a failed aluminum steerer)

Nice You-Tube Video above. Consider the broken carbon bar MYTH BUSTED. Pictures clearly show bars are intact.


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## dagger (Jul 22, 2004)

olr1 said:


> _his mouth is closed...a sign that he isn't breathing _
> 
> No, it's a sign that he is breathing through his nose.
> 
> ...


Watch your mouth boy. He is totally blown up from the effort. If he is conscious he would have to be breathing pretty hard. And his nose took the impact and so it's probably blocked up.


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## Blue CheeseHead (Jul 14, 2008)

dagger said:


> Watch your mouth boy. He is totally blown up from the effort. If he is conscious he would have to be breathing pretty hard.


Um, they were descending. At that speed it is hard to crank out many watts. 

I will wait for the official reports before speculating.


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## jpick915 (May 7, 2006)

francois said:


> holy jeebus!
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxTJMjiBKw0
> 
> fc


OK, that was just disturbing.


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## ademitt (Jan 23, 2009)

From Cyclingnews :

_
"He is seriously injured, but conscious. He was able to move," said a visibly shaken team manager Bjarne Riis to the German press agency dpa.
_

Best wishes for a speedy recovery Jens.


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## olr1 (Apr 2, 2005)

Watch your mouth boy...

How about you stop with the ghoulish and ill-informed speculation? This is a public forum, and if you were a friend or a relative of his, would you be happy to see that kind of comment, or would you say it to them directly?

I'm suggesting that you all stop with the 'OMG!' style commentary and wait until you have something to say that isn't guessing.


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## jpick915 (May 7, 2006)

dagger said:


> Watch your mouth boy. He is totally blown up from the effort. If he is conscious he would have to be breathing pretty hard. And his nose took the impact and so it's probably blocked up.


I usually just send my doctor a digital photo when I need a diagnosis. It saves me tons of time.


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## dagger (Jul 22, 2004)

olr1 said:


> This is a public forum,.


Thank you.


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## DriftlessDB (Jul 29, 2005)

http://nl.tinypic.com/player.php?v=33n926f&s=3 (video from the CN forum)

He was on the hoods and the bump appears to be enough to have knocked his left hand hand off the bars and caused the accident.

Either that or he was about to transition from the hoods to the drops at the exact time he hits the bump.

Dave


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## IAmCosmo (Jul 26, 2005)

Wookiebiker said:


> Looking at the photos, the bars are intact....so I guess I'm seeing something else on the film...maybe it's his radio sliding by, but it shure looked like a shifter *Shrug*


I thought it was his glasses that we saw flying off...

Check out the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxTJMjiBKw0

At about the 22 second mark, pause it. You can see whatever it is flying off. Looks like a pair of glasses to me...

Whatever it is or whatever the cause, I sure hope this isn't the end of Jens' career. He's long been a favorite rider of mine...


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## IAmCosmo (Jul 26, 2005)

More info via Bicycling Mag...

http://www.bicycling.com/tourdefrance/article/0,6802,s1-7-123-20165-1,00.html


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## master2129 (Mar 30, 2007)

shabbasuraj said:


>


Man that is just way graphic. My prayers are with you Jens.


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## novagator (Apr 4, 2002)

LA Tweet said he talked to Frank Schleck and Jens is doing good.


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## master2129 (Mar 30, 2007)

Blue CheeseHead said:


> Hey, my friend had his aluminum bars break on him. 3 years of heavy sweating on the trainer took it's toll. Fortuantely for him he was not doing a monster descent. For my friend carbon would have been a superior material.
> 
> I ask you this:
> 
> ...


Bars were fine. Nasty dip in the road that bucked him off causing loss of control. Initially I did not know if the bars were the culprit. For this reason I replied "Seriously?" 

All I know is that for every 1 Aluminum bar that fails, 10 carbon ones will give up the Ghost in that time same time frame. ALU bars for me. Now and forever.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

master2129 said:


> All I know is that for every 1 Aluminum bar that fails, 10 carbon ones will give up the Ghost in that time same time frame.


source?


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## eddy_mxl (Aug 21, 2004)

*Not for the squeamish*

Hope he recovers fully.


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## T-Doc (Apr 4, 2002)

DriftlessDB said:


> http://nl.tinypic.com/player.php?v=33n926f&s=3 (video from the CN forum)
> 
> He was on the hoods and the bump appears to be enough to have knocked his left hand hand off the bars and caused the accident.
> 
> ...


After studying the video several times in slomo...it definitely looks like the latter...he was transitioning to the drops just as he hit the bump...if you look closely his left hand was in motion before he hit the bump.


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## master2129 (Mar 30, 2007)

den bakker said:


> source?


Consumer Reports.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

master2129 said:


> Consumer Reports.


I'm a google moreon. please help me out here.


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## master2129 (Mar 30, 2007)

T-Doc said:


> After studying the video several times in slomo...it definitely looks like the latter...he was transitioning to the drops just as he hit the bump...if you look closely his left hand was in motion before he hit the bump.


I was thinking the same thing. He was on the hoods and as bad luck would have it it looks like he may have been transferring position at the worst possible time. Either way, it was plain ugly and very sad to see such a thing happen to a great guy like Jens.


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## master2129 (Mar 30, 2007)

den bakker said:


> I'm a google moreon. please help me out here.


I can't help that. It's your problem.


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## Len J (Jan 28, 2004)

master2129 said:


> All I know is that for every 1 Aluminum bar that fails, 10 carbon ones will give up the Ghost in that time same time frame. ALU bars for me. Now and forever.


Support it or retract it...anyone can pull #'s out of their behind.

Len


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

master2129 said:
 

> I can't help that. It's your problem.


thought so.


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## master2129 (Mar 30, 2007)

Len J said:


> Support it or retract it...anyone can pull #'s out of their behind.
> 
> Len


I support it. That's all that matters. Get back on topic.


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## Len J (Jan 28, 2004)

master2129 said:


> I support it. That's all that matters. Get back on topic.


Thanks for the confirmation you pulled it out of your behind.

len


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## master2129 (Mar 30, 2007)

Len J said:


> Thanks for the confirmation you pulled it out of your behind.
> 
> len


Len: Using your own words " Support it or retract it." 

I didn't think so.


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## karatemom (Mar 21, 2008)

francois said:


> holy jeebus!
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxTJMjiBKw0
> 
> fc


I'm sorry I watched that. I got nauseous.


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## IAmCosmo (Jul 26, 2005)

master2129 said:


> Consumer Reports.


Hmm.... nothing on consumerreports.org about carbon handlebars...


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## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

why don't you start a different thread if you want to talk about equipment materials & failures (that would be thread number 1 billion of ill-informed speculation) and leave this one to the original topic - one of the good guys in the peloton's horrible crash.


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## master2129 (Mar 30, 2007)

stevesbike said:


> why don't you start a different thread if you want to talk about equipment materials & failures (that would be thread number 1 billion of ill-informed speculation) and leave this one to the original topic - one of the good guys in the peloton's horrible crash.


Steve. Amen. Len and his cronies can go play on another thread. Leave this one alone and dedicate to a great racer who we all wish a speedy recovery.


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## Len J (Jan 28, 2004)

master2129 said:


> Len: Using your own words " Support it or retract it."
> 
> I didn't think so.


I'm not the one that made the claim...you were.

if you can support it with facts, I'd be very interested......as It is, I'm giving it the credibility it deserves.

len


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## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

novagator said:


> LA Tweet said he talked to Frank Schleck and Jens is doing good.


That's the best thing I've heard at the moment


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## Len J (Jan 28, 2004)

master2129 said:


> Steve. Amen. Len and his cronies can go play on another thread.
> 
> 
> > That the funniest thing I've read on this board. You start the **** & then thrw it at others.
> ...


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## FondriestFan (May 19, 2005)

dagger said:


> Watch your mouth boy. He is totally blown up from the effort. If he is conscious he would have to be breathing pretty hard. And his nose took the impact and so it's probably blocked up.


The stupid speculation needs to stop.


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## kmac (Feb 13, 2007)

The story on bicycling mag's website said he was transferred to a hospital in Grenoble via helicopter, but was speaking coherently on being loaded onto the helicopter. That is good news.

http://www.bicycling.com/tourdefrance/article/0,6802,s1-7-123-20165-1,00.html


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## IAmCosmo (Jul 26, 2005)

kmac said:


> The story on bicycling mag's website said he was transferred to a hospital in Grenoble via helicopter, but was speaking coherently on being loaded onto the helicopter. That is good news.
> 
> http://www.bicycling.com/tourdefrance/article/0,6802,s1-7-123-20165-1,00.html


Good news indeed.


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## KenS (Jan 28, 2004)

novagator said:


> LA Tweet said he talked to Frank Schleck and Jens is doing good.


That is good news. 

Best wishes for a speedy and full recovery to one of my favorite riders in the peloton.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

iliveonnitro said:


> Rumors saying he wasn't able to move his arms/legs after the crash...anyone know if he recovered from that part?



http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/voig...horrific-crash

"He is seriously injured, but conscious. He was able to move," said a visibly shaken team manager Bjarne Riis to the German press agency dpa.


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## wipeout (Jun 6, 2005)

Man, poor Jens... Always fun to watch race - you can tell he always gave it his all when called upon. Hope he heals fast and gets back to racing soon.


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## kmac (Feb 13, 2007)

My friend has posted on his facebook page that Jens has a broken cheekbone and is being held for observation. I haven't been able to get a source or seen any confirmation.


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## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

kmac said:


> My friend has posted on his facebook page that Jens has a broken cheekbone and is being held for observation. I haven't been able to get a source or seen any confirmation.


Confirmed on their website, but not surpricingly also a bad concussion. 
Good news indeed, things considered.


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## Art853 (May 30, 2003)

I wish Jens well. 

It looks like the bump knocked his left hand off the bar and then his tire slipped on the line.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd5k8TaAJk8


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## izzyfly (Jul 10, 2009)

Speedy recovery, Jens. our prayers and well wishes go out to you.


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## Fredke (Dec 10, 2004)

master2129 said:


> Seriously? That's why, no matter what bike I ride/race, I use ALU handlebars. Carbon is not safe under that kind of stress and speed.


Then again, there was Hincapie's experience with an aluminum steerer tube at Paris Roubaix a few years back...


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## Fredke (Dec 10, 2004)

kmac said:


> My friend has posted on his facebook page that Jens has a broken cheekbone and is being held for observation. I haven't been able to get a source or seen any confirmation.


From Velo News:"An examination at the University hospital in Grenoble this evening has initially given positive reports on Jens Voigt's health after the nasty crash during today's stage of Tour de France. He has incurred a fracture of the right cheekbone and a concussion. For now he is staying at the hospital for further observation.

"Jens has sent this greeting to the team: '*I think I was very lucky not getting severely hurt from today's crash.* Now I hope that you can focus on the race and I wish you all good luck with the hard stage tomorrow.'

"The whole team in France and the whole staff at Riis-Cycling wish Jens Voigt a speedy recovery and hope to see him and his strong and joyful spirit back on the team soon."​Only Jens would do a face-plant at over 50 kph, breaking his cheekbone and losing consciousness for several minutes and be thankful for his good luck.


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Fredke said:


> Only Jens would do a face-plant at over 50 kph, breaking his cheekbone and losing consciousness for several minutes and be thankful for his good luck.


From watching his face plant, I figured at best he lost most of the skin on most of his body from that slide. It really could have ended a GREAT deal worse.


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

Marc said:


> From watching his face plant, I figured at best he lost most of the skin on most of his body from that slide. It really could have ended a GREAT deal worse.


looking at the photo's, considering he tried to "sharpen his head, like a popsicle stick" on the pavement and 70kph.....he looked pretty good.......That said........I've seen corpses with less damage....I was watching it on versus as it happened....If he is just broken and has a concussion, he is a lucky man.........Get well Jens.....get well.......


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## ToF (Jan 18, 2008)

master2129 said:


> "
> 
> All I know is that for every 1 Aluminum bar that fails, 10 carbon ones will give up the Ghost in that time same time frame. ALU bars for me. Now and forever.


lol.
All I know is that for every 10 facts trolls pull out of their butts, 12 are b.s.


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## loubnc (May 8, 2008)

*Andy Schleck Jens Update*

"Jens is okay he is not in danger get stitches an broken cheekbone but he told us to kick a... Next days with a smile"

Sounds like he's doing OK. You never know, just might show up tomorrow.


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## Fredke (Dec 10, 2004)

Marc said:


> From watching his face plant, I figured at best he lost most of the skin on most of his body from that slide. It really could have ended a GREAT deal worse.


Exactly, but it takes a tough man with great spirit to appreciate that point so clearly while he's in hospital.

Watching the crash, I felt my skin crawl and had flashbacks to my own bad encounters with pavement.


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## yessl (Nov 1, 2005)

*He forgot to say "Carbon? it EXPLODES"*

From the Bicycling Mag article: http://www.bicycling.com/tourdefrance/article/0,6802,s1-7-123-20165-1,00.html

*"They are using deep-profile carbon wheels and they are just too stiff," said Francois Lemarchand, a one-time teammate to Greg LeMond and now one of the Tour's three regulators. "You combine that with the stiff carbon frames and it is just too rigid. They can't absorb any shock."*


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## ChuckUni (Jan 2, 2003)

yessl said:


> From the Bicycling Mag article: http://www.bicycling.com/tourdefrance/article/0,6802,s1-7-123-20165-1,00.html
> 
> *"They are using deep-profile carbon wheels and they are just too stiff," said Francois Lemarchand, a one-time teammate to Greg LeMond and now one of the Tour's three regulators. "You combine that with the stiff carbon frames and it is just too rigid. They can't absorb any shock."*


Yeah, that's a pretty stupid comment. I don't think wheel flex has anything to do with this crash.

I've broken steel handlebars, does that count?


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## Einstruzende (Jun 1, 2004)

ChuckUni said:


> Yeah, that's a pretty stupid comment. I don't think wheel flex has anything to do with this crash.
> 
> I've broken steel handlebars, does that count?


I'm sure steel bike and fork would have absorbed that bump at 70km/h so that even riding one handed and unsuspecting Jens would have been fine ...


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## identifiler (Dec 24, 2005)

Just a quick FYI all these material specialists out there. Jens Voigt uses a allow handle bar and stem...like it matters anyways.

I hate freds

Thank you


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

when I saw it happen, my initial reaction was that his wheel slid on the painted line and then grabbed when it hit plain pavement again......he *WAS* going close to 50 mph you know.......


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## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

I was just telling my wife this morning that I've always liked Jens. Affable in interviews. An absolute workhorse on the road always sacrificing self for the good of the team. Just a few stages back I saw him go out on a break and get caught by the peloton. But instead of limping in with the field, he took on water from the team car and charged back through the pack delivering bottles. You're an exemplar for the sport, Jens, I hope you recover fast and fully.


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## mleptuck (Jul 29, 2002)

Touch0Gray said:


> when I saw it happen, my initial reaction was that his wheel slid on the painted line and then grabbed when it hit plain pavement again......he *WAS* going close to 50 mph you know.......


That's almost exactly what I thought, too. At first I thought perhaps they have those little raised reflectors embedding on the centerline of the road like here in the states and he nailed one. Once I saw the replay in slow motion, I thought maybe the paint was the culprit (since at least here in PA, the reflectors are placed between the lines, usually). At 50mph, I'm sure it doesn't take much to get the little pip outside the friction circle of a 21mm tire (guessing 21, maybe 23?)

Anyway, I'm VERY glad Jens is going to be okay, and really hope this wasn't the last we see of him in the pro peloton.

On a lighter note, I wonder how big of a gash his face took out of the asphalt. The hardest man in the pro ranks is WAY higher on the Rockwell Scale than bitumen.


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## footballcat (Jul 8, 2004)

he has a big nose


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

footballcat said:


> he has a big nose


really.............after what he did today, he's fricking lucky to HAVE a nose


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## Frith (Oct 3, 2002)

Good to hear he's doing well. That's a relief.

To some of the children in this thread:
Jens is an absolute legend. He's a consummate gentleman yet still manages to make Chuck Norris look like Mary Poppins on the toughness scale. He's also one of the the most likable characters in the peleton and personifies all that is great about cycling.
As someone said in another thread, if you don't like Jens Voight you don't like cycling.
I would extend that to say if you don't respect Jens Voight and would rather squabble about frame materials then you don't respect cycling.
So STFU and pay some respect or risk a swift karate chop to the throat (from Jens Voight of course)


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

tell you what, I thought about his crash this afternoon as i was charging down a little hill at 28 mph in the rain!


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## nOOky (Mar 20, 2009)

I hope everything works out well for him considering that nasty crash. Initial reports sound favorable from what I've gathered across the web, I hope they are right and he'll end up being just fine.


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## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

these guys are tough -Voigt and Nicki Sørensen had a wicked crach in training here in CA a couple of years ago (I rode by its aftermath). They went down on a steep descent in the Santa Monica Mts. Sørensen lost part of his nose and took 150 stitches in the face.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*Jens rules*

it hurt watching him go down today
speedy recovery and get well, you will be missed

looked like a bump and the stripe caused a slight wheel hop
when you slam like that (unable to get your hands down) it is usually something causing the bike to violently go out from under you like a bump and/or slick spot


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

*y'all have it wrong.*

Jens will be fine.

He took a chunk out of the pavement instead, you just saw chunks of it on his face. 

Because Jens Voigt is tougher than mere rocks and tar.

Get well Jens!


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## lucer0 (Apr 13, 2007)

Takes a genuine lack of class to turn this into another carbon/aluminum battle. Glad to hear he's relatively OK - the guy is older than Armstrong, and every bit as tough.


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## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

Get well soon, Jens.


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## Sojourneyman (Jun 22, 2007)

excellent article on ESPN about Jens: http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/tdf2009/columns/story?id=4344207


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## austincrx (Oct 22, 2008)

Man, that sucks! Would be awesome to see him in the Vuelta though! That would be a SPEEEEEDY recovery! his face/head look better than I thought they would have. It looked like half his chin/cheek would have been ground-off, lucky guy! Hope he gets back on that bike soon!

P.S. GO ANDY!!


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