Having indicated at the start of this season that 2012 would probably be his last year in the pro peloton, 40 year old Jens Voigt has now provided strong indications that he will remain for at least one more season.
The RadioShack Nissan rider is still performing well and his strength, experience and charisma are all seen as strong qualities in the peloton.
“I have three concrete offers from Sky, Saxo Bank and also from RadioShack,” he told the dpa agency. “Maybe I will stay there.”
In the Tour Down Under in January, the German rider said that the clock was ticking on his career. “We will see how it goes. I turned 40 four months ago and I would say it would probably be my last year as an active pro but I wouldn't say definitely,” he stated then.
“If the season goes good, I still feel well and I can still hang on with the best, do my job, do my work – not necessarily win 20 races but be part of the winning team – then maybe I will do one more.”
Six months on, he’s shown that he still has the horsepower. He was a superb second in the Bakersfield time trial at the Tour of California, and more recently was third and sixth on stages of the Tour de France. He rode aggressively in the latter, getting into many breaks, and also helped his RadioShack Nissan squad to a team classification victory.
Voigt moved to the team along with Frank and Andy Schleck, and said that he didn’t envisage riding for other leaders. However the Schlecks’ future with the team is under question; both have experienced considerable delays in salary payments this year, fuelling speculation that they could leave. In addition to that, Frank Schleck tested positive for a banned diuretic during the Tour and could face a suspension.
Dpa suggests that Voigt could favour heading back to Bjarne Riis’ Saxo Bank Tinkoff Bank team. He raced under the Dane between 2004 and 2010, but then left with the Schlecks, Fabian Cancellara and others for the Leopard Trek squad, which this year became RadioShack Nissan.
However if he returns to Riis, he would likely ride for Alberto Contador. He previously said that he’d find it difficult to do so, given that the Spaniard’s big rivals the Schlecks are friends of his.
“I have not decided yet,” said Voigt, when asked where he would compete. His next contract will become known in the next few weeks but, more importantly for his fans, it seems that one of the oldest riders in the peloton will do at least one more year.