Jens Voigt (CSC-Saxo Bank) (Image credit: Gregor Brown)
By Gregor Brown in Foix
Team CSC-Saxo Bank's Jens Voigt was thrilled to see his team's aggressiveness pay dividends for his friend and team-mate Kurt-Asle Arvesen in Tour de France stage 11 to Foix
"He is in great shape. He knows how to make the escapes and win," Voigt said to Cyclingnews following Arvesen's win. "He is a complete rider; he goes okay in the sprints, he climbs okay and does okay in the time trials – and that is what we have him for."
Arvesen took the win from a stage that was marked with the usual high speeds from the start. CSC made sure to put one rider in ever move that started to form. Arvesen made the move that stuck. He joined in on a 13-man escape at kilometre 35.
"As soon as there are six or seven riders attacking we should have someone in the move to control the situation a little bit. We all took turns trying to join the breaks – [Stuart] O'Grady, [Fabian] Cancellara, me, Andy Schleck – and Kurt was able to catch the right one."
CSC also has to protect the general classification interests of Carlos Sastre and Fränk Schleck. Having one of its riders in the escape allowed CSC not ride on the front with the team of race leader Cadel Evans, Silence-Lotto.
Voigt explained that he was ready to do his share. "If I would have caught the right escape today then I would have been there. Fortunately, Kurt caught the escape. He just put the icing on the cake."
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Arvesen forced the move in the final four kilometres and led the charge when Italy's Alessandro Ballan started the sprint. Voigt was pleased by Arvesen first Tour de France win.
"The whole team is a group of friends. We like to see each other win. I am so happy for Kurt because he has worked many years for this stage win. He has always had the capacity to do it, and today it all worked out for him."
The added morale boost will help with the Denmark-based team hits the first high-mountain Alpine stage on Sunday. Schleck is only one second off of the race leader's maillot jaune. The muscle work in the Pyrénées is expected to be done by Team CSC.
"Any stage win is great, that means that you have something already secured and your Tour is already won. The win takes some pressure off of the team as a whole and gives confidence for the coming stages."
Voigt's plan is simple: "Kill them all!" he said with a laugh. "What can I say? We will try to be a little conservative in the coming days and save ourselves for the Alps. In the Alps, we will try something to take the yellow jersey; we are here for that reason. We have to try to take the yellow jersey and we have to try to win.
