When Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar fight for the yellow jersey in the Tour de France these days, when breakaways make their way and sprinters fight to catch up in the mountains – then Jens Voigt sees it up close. The former professional cyclist, who himself won two stages of the Tour of France, is back on site as a Eurosport expert and has now left his commentator position in the second week of the tour to ride a TV motorcycle. As before at the Giro d’Italia, the 51-year-old gives insights directly from the field.
Ask: What did you find most dangerous about cycling in the past?
Jens Voigt: I’ve broken it down by speed. From 60 km/h I left my comfort zone. I’ve always called it the “bone breaker descents” where you can lose your life. If you fall at 45 km/h in a roundabout, it hurts like hell, but nothing happens that doesn’t heal again. A broken collarbone or something. But nothing where you are handicapped for the rest of your life.
Ask: Gino Mäder’s death shocked everyone. How can one avoid such misfortunes as Mäder’s?