Voight crash

[titan_90]

Jens Voigt is the conscience of cycling:

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/tdf2009/columns/story?id=4344207

That was a great article. Thanks for the link

 

[knewcleardaze]

I too wish a complete and speedy recovery for Jens. Absolutely horrid crash. I had the good fortune to see him race at the U.S. Pro Cycling Championship when it was held in Philadelphia. A humble and genuinely friendly man. In my view, one could not ask for a harder working team mate. If memory serves correct, one of the earlier stages of this Tour(I forget which),he dropped to the back of the peloton, collected a jersey load of bottles, and returned to the head of the group. I was thinking, man, one of the older guys in the race, and he drops back to the end, loads up with drinks, and humps back to the front.

 

[weremichael]

Jens Voigt is the conscience of cycling:

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/tdf2009/columns/story?id=4344207

Well written article about my favorite cyclist.

My wife and I were really sad to see him crash out so horrendously today.

I hope Jens recovers quickly enough to ride in the Tour of Germany.

 

[benpounder]

The cause of the crash is whatever caused the wheel to move left be it slippage, a rolled tubular, or a blow-out. It was not caused because his right hand came off the bars and you can clearly see it didn't happen because his left hand came off. Something else caused the wreck.

Actually it looks more like the dip caught him off-guard and threw him up and forward (just before you can see his butt thrown off the saddle). This puts most of his weight on the front wheel when in a high-speed turn and on the paint line. Remember also that he had just put in a heck of an effort, and could have been a bit of oxygen deprivation, or light headed.

It all, it looks like a host of circumstances coming together in the most inopertune moment. Good to hear he is OK.

 

[scribe]

That crash is so narsty, I can't even bring myself to look at it.

 

[42coppi]

Horrendous to have witnessed and him not initially moving.
All best wishes to The Man - for sure the most popular rider in the peleton - for his gutsy riding and ironman attitude. As an ealrir writer said - away in a break on a stage he could ahve won - lousy wheel change - fire the Mavic "mechanic' and then goes straight back to Super ( Mega ) Domestique duties. Chapeau Jens - Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie Oy Oy Oy.

 

[dadoorsron]

Watching it again, I think it might be as simple as a rolled front tubular or blow out.

Its a bump in the road that does it. The darker pavement is higher then the lighter pavement. Dont watch Jens watch the two guys in front the both of them move upward a bit. Jens probably didn't expect it lost the handle and crashed.

 

[Kickstand]

Jesus Christ people!

Watching it again, I think it might be as simple as a rolled front tubular or blow out.

Please stop! I PVRed the spill at 15X slow mo. Jens was moving his left hand from the tops to the drops and hits the bump just before getting a good grip in the drops. The speed wobble launches him over.

Have any of you guys raced bikes? Those are sparks from his machine hitting the pavement. Had those been teeth there would have been a pool of blood and half his face would have been torn off.

Get well soon soldier.

Kickstand

 

[dadoorsron]

just found this on youtube. It was a bump

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

 

[wheels55]

Jens Voigt is the conscience of cycling:

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/tdf2009/columns/story?id=4344207

2nd that - really good article - go read it if you haven't...

Get well soon, Jens!!

 

[bikeGURU]

Because you rest your weight on your hands and for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Meaning what goes up, comes down, and because coming down has consequences based on the fact that once the hand begins moving in that direction, it wouldn't stop until it hit something and he wouldn't crash unless he missed the bars on the way down.

You say it is obvious, but here is your problem: You cannot see his left hand because of his body, ergo, it is not clear what happened. Physics suggest you are wrong.

EDIT: I just watched it for the 20th time, and his hand becomes dislodged AFTER the event that caused the accident. His hand ONLY becomes dislodged because the wheel was turned to the left. The cause of the crash is whatever caused the wheel to move left be it slippage, a rolled tubular, or a blow-out. It was not caused because his right hand came off the bars and you can clearly see it didn't happen because his left hand came off. Something else caused the wreck.

Maybe it is as simple as his front tire lost contact with the road and came down on the line? Either way, it was not because his hands came off the bars. That CLEARLY doesn't happen until he is already falling.

Sorry, he was moving his left hand from the hoods to the drops just as he went over the bump in the road and was probably a little off balance because of that and the wheel pulled out on the painted line for some reason and he crashed. It is very clear that he was moving his left hand just before the crash happened. If his weight was a little off balance on the bars from moving his hands the bump would have jerked the wheel under him and at that speed not much needs to happen to pitch the rider off the bike.

 

[Susan Westemeyer]

Well written article about my favorite cyclist.

My wife and I were really sad to see him crash out so horrendously today.

I hope Jens recovers quickly enough to ride in the Tour of Germany.

The Deutschland Tour has been cancelled for this year, and possibly forever.

Susan

 

[schadenfreude]

how long is a piece of string?

(by the way, you care enough to post about it, which belies your suggestion that you care not a bit. That psychology thingy works like a charm.)

use your illusion.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Sorry, he was moving his left hand from the hoods to the drops just as he went over the bump in the road and was probably a little off balance because of that and the wheel pulled out on the painted line for some reason and he crashed. It is very clear that he was moving his left hand just before the crash happened. If his weight was a little off balance on the bars from moving his hands the bump would have jerked the wheel under him and at that speed not much needs to happen to pitch the rider off the bike.

Actually I think when the front wheel hits the bump this is what moves his hand - as you can see the handlebars 'jump' pretty violently.

Defiantly not teeth - unless he is an alligator.

Either way - nasty crash and hope he recovers quickly.

 

[Blakeslee]

Voight's crash was right up there for me with Joseba Beloki's crash in the 2003 tour, I felt queasy just watching it. I really hope he is ok, that must have been frightening even for a professional.

I haven't seen the video again since watching the stage, I thought it might have been just water spraying upwards as his bottle exploded during the crash?

 

[thollandpe]

Ti, not teeth

The scattering brilliant white objects are sparks from titanium, probably the rear mech.

Ti makes a brilliant white spark, try it some time on a grinding wheel.

God speed on your recovery, Jens.

 

[hillytn]

nasty. best wishes on a speedy recovery for Jens, and regards to his family. I'd be on pins and needles watching the crash if I were any of them.

 

[mr. tibbs]

So so sad. I loves me some Jens (but who doesn't?).

At least he'll have a chance to hone his formidable Gameboy skills while he recovers.

 

[kuoirad]

I was pointed at this really nice article about him on espn.com yesterday.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/tdf2009/columns/story?id=4344207

In the comments, a link to "Little Known Facts About Jens Voight" - some are re-names of the old Chuck Norris facts, but there are some good originals in there too...

http://texastailwind.wordpress.com/2008/06/02/little-known-facts-about-jens-voigt-2/

Just thought I'd share for those that hadn't seen either...

 

[GatorGene]

So, how is Jens doing TODAY? Anyone know? Thnx.

 

[screaming fist]

Jens is still in the hospital to make safe he doesn't get any cerebral hemorrhages. Also, it hasn't been decided yet if his cheek bone needs surgery. Besides that he's said to be doing rather good. Come on, it's Jens Voigt - he's been joking already when being lifted into the ambulance car.

His wife and kids are going to France today (Thursday) to visit him. His crash was the days before his son's 9th birthday! What luck it's not that bad - the poor boy, his daddy has propably never been home for his birthday, I don't dare think how the kid would have felt if something serious happened just before his birthday...

 

[Benneth]

Must admit I was pretty worried after having watched ITV's highlights coverage when they didn't show the full crash and then gave out no information. By the time I'd watched the programme my internet had died so I couldnt even find out any updates until this morning. So glad to hear he "only" suffered heavy concussion and a fractured cheekbone... he hit the ground bloody hard. Shame, I'd been enjoying his comments in this year's Tour and as usual he's been in the thick of the action, moments before he was busting his **** on the other side of the hill.

Get well soon.

 

[Boeing]

Also know and Bjarne Brow

 

[Boeing]

I have watched this over and over and it looks like he hts a small bump and the front wheel lands on the white line. Talk about bad luck.

that downhill was rough. did you notice Lance's bike jumping all over???

God Speed to clearly my favorite Rider. The Boeing: Jens Voigt

 

[benpounder]

I have watched this over and over and it looks like he hts a small bumpt

Using Boeing as foil....

It wasnt a bump that Jens hit, it was a dip, a compression.. Any downhill ski racer knows that compressions are as significant as any 'bump'. But there is a significant difference. On a 'bump' you are launched the air in the position you started off in. A compression either 'throws' you into the air in a position you hope will allow you to continue, or crumples you.

It is the later that caught Jens.