Straight Talk From Jens Voigt

Pez lands another cool interview, this time with the big German, Jens Voight, who drinks Corona and likes to warm up by listening to Metallica. Voigt caught flack from the German media and fans for helping Lance track down Jan Ullrich’s breakaway in stage 15 of last year’s TdF. Voigt, of course, was helping CSC teammate Ivan Basso protect second place.

“But you know, it gave me a little bit of an idea about how Lance feels. Because he has a hard time everyday. People don’t like him. Like with the French press, they don’t really like him, and never refer to him by his name, but as 'l’Americain.' … I mean Lance is six times Tour de France winner – f-ing hell! – show some respect. But the people like Ullrich because he always take second, I mean, what’s that about? … Lance is just the perfect example of the perfect pro. … I still believe to this day that Jan Ullrich has the bigger engine, but Lance is the more dedicated driver of the engine. Lance may be a little less naturally gifted than Ullrich, but he makes up for any tiny difference by dedicating everything to knowing the race inside out. He knows the course, he knows his body, he looks at his team, and gets the strongest possible team around him, and keeps to his regime in a way that he knows will make him the best.”