Jens Voigt abandons Tour of Britain

German rider Jens Voigt, one of the most popular characters on the professional cycling circuit, has abandoned the Tour of Britain during a rain-soaked and wind-swept first stage.

The 39-year-old LeopardTrek rider had become caught up in a crash involving several riders and his decision to quit was announced by organisers at 13:15. The team announced at 15:32 that he was waiting to have a suspected broken finger X-rayed in hospital, then in a website update later in the afternoon confirmed that the finger is broken and that Voigt will require an operation to repair it.

Voigt's move leaves the Luxembourg-based team without a leader; as one of their strongest riders, this may prove disastrous and is the latest in a series of unfortunate recent events including Andy Schleck's forced departure from the Grand Prix Cyclistes of Québec and Montréal with chronic tooth ache and a disappointing Vuelta a Espana.

"He was our guy for the general classification here,” said directeur sportif Torsten Schmidt on the team's website. “He had a good chance for a strong showing because the time trial in this race can be so decisive."

Meanwhile, Sky's Steve Cummings - who was also in the crash - continued to race after receiving attention by race medics.

Voigt to stay with Schlecks

(CC3.0)

Luxembourg's RTL - generally fairly trustworthy as far as media networks go - is reporting this morning that the German cyclist Jens Voigt of LeopardTrek will remain with Frank and Andy Schleck next season.

It was confirmed earlier this week, the rumour mill having gone into overdrive the week previously, that LeopardTrek will merge with the older Radioshack team next year - however, this has caused controversy as many riders and team officials claim they were left completely in the dark over the plans. As both teams currently have full rosters and the UCI limits every ProTeam to 30 riders, several riders are going to have to be released and search for new contracts.

At 39 years old, Voigt's aggressive riding technique combined with his forthright, articulate and amiable style off the bike has led to him becoming one of the most popular riders among fans. Meanwhile, the Schlecks, while also extremely popular for the affable natures and undoubted skills, are frequently said (including by their own father, ex-professional Johny Schleck) to be "too nice" and to lack the aggression required to win major stage races such as the Tour de France. As the partnership is already proven, new team boss Johan Bruyneel would presumably wish to encourage it to continue.

Tour of Britain 2011

Cycling's popularity in the United Kingdom is increasing with every year; meaning that the Tour of Britain, after having been brought back to life by SweetSpot in 2004, is going from strength to strength. Ranked as 2.1 Elite race by the international cycling body UCI, it's the largest cycling event in the country and - being by far the largest free-to-watch sport event in Britain and visiting several parts of the country - can draw over a million spectators with many more following the action on television and via the Internet.

Confirmed:
Mark Cavendish

Running over eight days and visiting various places from Scotland to Devon, the 2011 Tour has attracted some of the biggest names in the sport. Among the 16 teams taking part are many of the professional outfits better known from the Tour de France, including LeopardTrek, the top-notch Luxembourg team of Andy Schleck and the world's top time-trial rider Fabian "Spartacus" Cancellara; Sky, the British team and home to such illustrious characters as Chris Froome, Geraint Thomas, Ben Swift and Britain's greatest-ever Tour de France hopeful Bradley Wiggins; HTC-Highroad, one of the most successful teams to ever compete in cycling and this year racing for the final time having been unsuccessful in securing a sponsor for 2012 and Garim-Cervelo, riding some of the most futuristic bikes in the business and perhaps the only team with a manager even better known than his riders, the colourful Jonathon Vaughters.

Confirmed: Thor Hushovd

Riders confirmed for the race include "Manx Missile" Mark Cavendish, the greatest sprinter in history and commonly known as the fastest man on two wheels, "God of Thunder" Thor Hushovd, the first Scandinavian to hold the World Cycling Champion title and German superstar Jens Voigt, possibly the most popular professional cyclist of the moment, still one of the fastest and strongest in the world at the age of 39 when most cyclists have long since retired. Other teams are yet to confirm their rosters, but they'll all be sending the best riders they have to stand a chance of competing with these giants of the road.

Confirmed:
Jens Voigt

With eight stages including one each in Scotland and Wales, there's a high chance that the action is coming to the roads near you - so why not get out and experience the sheer thrill of a major cycling event? We hope to be able to bring you exclusive photographs from the start of Stage 7 this year. See you there?

11th September Stage 1: Peebles - Dumfries (170.3km)
12th September Stage 2: Kendal - Blackpool (137.7km)
13th September Stage 3: Trentham Estate - Stoke on Trent (140km)
14th September Stage 4: Welshpool - Caerphilly (183.7km)
15th September Stage 5: Exeter-Exmouth
16th September Stage 6: Taunton - Wells
17th September Stage 7: Bury St. Edmunds - Sandringham Royal Estate
18th September Stage 8: Routes A and B Time Trials, London

Once again, we'll be bringing you our traditional detailed stage guides (lauded by one reviewer as the "most in-depth" available) with all the usual facts on the riders, the parcours and the towns, villages and countryside that the race passes through. Look out for each new guide the evening before the stage takes place.

UCI responds to riders' Vuelta concerns

The UCI says it will investigate claims by riders that some parts of this year's Vuelta a Espana are too steep.

Riders have raised concerns that one or two sections are excessively difficult with the notorious vertical Alto de l'Angliru climb coming in for particular criticism. One rider said he doubted it'd be possible to ride up it "on a goat."

Vuelta organisers claim it's a perfectly acceptable ascent, pointing out that it was climbed several times pre-WW2 by riders on wrought iron bikes weighing several tons, even though they also had to cope with the added weight of spare parts and huge moustaches which international cycling rules demanded all riders carried in those days (but didn't have to cope with anything like modern anti-doping regulations, even the kind they have in Spain).

Meanwhile, LeopardTrek's Jens Voigt says that if the section is deemed too difficult, he'll be happy to stamp it flat to save the trouble of having to re-route the stage so near to the start date.