MUcyc's Resident Jens Voigt

Or Bens Voigt, as I've become known as. I didn't think it was a big deal but the number of hits on facebook seem to say otherwise.


It all started during our Easter training camp. I turned up for 4 out of 5 rides, putting the mileage close too 200. A hilly 200 - Healesville, Dandenongs et al. I was just asking Holder about sprinting and somewhere along the line, he said "I don't think you realise how strong you are. You're like Jens Voigt", "super domestique?", I replied, and he said "Yes". Not an awesome sprinter or super-skinny climber, but still able to hold his own in a race.


To me, having raced so little, that was an epiphany. I should probably cease my apprehension about racing and just get out there. From my limited experience in criteriums, I know that those are the sort of races I love - the adrenaline, the intensive demands, the technical emphasis, and most of all, the sheer excitement! One hour of the most fun you can have with your clothes on!


Well, the Jens Voigt thing came into play when I organised a MUcyc Kinglake ride. I've done the descent down Kinglake many times before with no mishap. In fact, I've become quite comfortable on that stretch. But this was the first time I was doing it on fresh Gatorskins. I know from experience that Gatorskins don't offer as much traction as the GP4000 tyres I'm used to, but fresh Gatorskins with the hairy centre seam still there seem to be especially, well, hairy on the descents, as the locals say it. I leaned into the corner as usual but - F***! That's NOT how it's supposed to track. I remember seeing my wheel slide off the edge of the road, and the next moment the world was upside down with brambles criss-crossing my field of vision.


The guys stopped, all silent... then I waved and asked someone to pull the brambles off, especially the one across my neck. I dared not move with that razor vine across my throat. Once that was gone, I jumped up, dusted myself off, and looked at my bike. "Bike's fine" said one of the guys who found it a few feet away. The lever's a angled a little inwards. "You got the tools?" Tim asked. "Yea, I do" - then I jammed the bars next to my ribs and pushed the lever back into place. They laughed.


Tim: "Now you're really like Jens Voigt!" "Oh ya! Hey Michael, so you're the one who did this!" LOL! All in good cheer of course. 'Bens Voigt' became my new alternate monicker. We finished the remaining 60 Km without incident.


I had a sore neck when I woke up, with movements that felt wrong in certain directions. When I asked the pharmacist for something, she said she wasn't going to address that and told me to head to a hospital. The Royal Melbourne was - well - let's just say staffed with nice and well-meaning staff. 7 hours later, after a CT scan and X-Ray, I was released from that agonisingly cramped bed and neck brace. All's well! :)


Ms Cricket freaked when I told her not to worry. Which is sweet to my ears :)
Lovey-dovey-doo...!




[Retrospect]
Tim to Nic at the foot of Kinglake "And I was telling him how now I know why they call you Jens Voigt (now Bens) and he was like, 'wait till he goes for it, he'll go from Jens Voigt to Alberto Contador!'"


Now that's something to aim for... *fingers crossed!*