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Former German cyclist and two-time Tour de France stage winner Jens Voigt has applauded the re-introduction of the women’s Tour de France, stating that “it was long overdue.”
Tour de France 2021: schedule, routes and terrain
In an interview with Sportskeeda, Jens Voigt said:
“I am so glad we have a proper stage race called Tour de France Women’s but it is overdue and we should have had it for more than five years already. These women race hard, train hard and cover the miles like the male athletes do and they deserve the television coverage worldwide because it’s a fantastic sport.”
2021 Tour de France: Teams and their full squads
The women's Tour de France will be held for the first time since 1980s next summer. Currently, the La Course, a one-day race, has been held by the organizers of Tour de France since 2014.
But from 2022, the Tour de France Femmes will be held following the end of the men's event. The Tour de France for women from 2022 will be a multi-stage race and will be held over a week. Previously, the women’s Tour de France was held between 1984 and 1989.
“Tour de France for the British viewers, Lizzie Deignan, she will be one of the favorites to win this. She wins the general classification for lots stage races and she will be a hot favorite. A fantastic story by the way, taking a year off to become a mother and now back to the top, it’s a fantastic story.”
When Jens Voigt conquered fear
Jens Voigt, who won two individual stages in the 2001 and 2006 Tour de France, recollected his 2009 Tour de France experience.
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“I had a terrible crash at the Tour de France going down a descent of the Col du Petit Saint-Bernard. As they take me off in the helicopter to the next hospital they announce on live television: ‘the chances of Mr Voigt making it to the next morning are 50:50’. Can you imagine my wife and children watching and to hear that? Coming back from a crash like that, I had several surgeries and had a blood clot on my brain…”
Also Read: 2021 Tour de France: Pogacar v Roglic - who will win the Slovenian battle in France?
“So, I had 12 weeks off the bike and coming bike and trusting yourself and your bike that you can go 90km/h downhill that talks a while. The only moment I realized was when my children were born, I started to brake ten metres earlier.”
However, Jens Voigt feels an athlete cannot let fear control them. He said:
“There is fear involved. I don’t know if you knew Frank Herbert Jnr. who had a book called Dune, they’re making several movies out of it now, but he did a classic older movie and the main character said: ‘fear is the mind killer.’ And that is so true. When you have fear you do different things on a bike like brake at the wrong time, act more stiff and you’re more likely to crash.”
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“You’re allowed to have respect for the descent and the speed but you can’t let yourself be controlled by fear. I truly believe the idea that you hold your destiny in your own hands and I refuse to be controlled by fear. I tell myself, ‘if 30 people take this corner at this speed and you are 31, there is no reason why you can’t do the corner at that speed.’ But the older you get, the harder it is to control your fear.”
2021 Tour de France: Jen Voigt feels British riders will find Tadej Pogacar hard to beat
Voigt is of the opinion that British riders like Geraint Thomas and Luke Rowe will find it difficult to beat the Tour de France defending champion, Tadej Pogacar.
“I strongly believe it will be another fierce battle between the winner and runner up of last year’s Tour de France. I really think it will be between Tadej Pogacar who won last year and Primoz Roglic. I know for the Brits it will be hard to swallow, but I think INEOS Grenadiers will be third place. In my role as a professional, my view is that it will be very hard to beat Roglic or Pogacar.”
TDF is being broadcast in India via Eurosport
