George Hincapie's Comments

[Zerotrek]

I've always been a big fan of George, but I was a little surprised by his comments following stage 14. How much time did he feel Astana should have allowed him to have? You can't just let the break go, we've seen examples in past tours of riders able to ride into yellow who really didn't deserve it. Was Oscar Pereiro really 2nd best and eventual winner in 2006 or did he benefit form a break that was allowed to get away too far?

I can sort of see his comments about Garmin, but there could also be an argument made there. I think Garmin felt because Columbia didn't want to speed up the peleton, Garmin felt they might not put Cavandish as a priority to win the stage and that might allow Garmin to get Tyler a stage win.

Just a thought. I'd love to have seen George get the yellow, even for one day, but it didn't work and I don't think anyone was to blame. Great effort George.

 

[Black-Balled]

Agreed- great effort, George!

Not sure why he acted like the yellow was his entitlement. One can't expect it to be given; it needs to be earned and he was very close.

 

[Cobber]

Just a thought. I'd love to have seen George get the yellow, even for one day, but it didn't work and I don't think anyone was to blame. Great effort George.

Go watch stage 2 of the 2006 TdF and you will get your wish!

 

[richwagmn]

I've always been a big fan of George, but I was a little surprised by his comments following stage 14. How much time did he feel Astana should have allowed him to have? You can't just let the break go, we've seen examples in past tours of riders able to ride into yellow who really didn't deserve it. Was Oscar Pereiro really 2nd best and eventual winner in 2006 or did he benefit form a break that was allowed to get away too far?

I can sort of see his comments about Garmin, but there could also be an argument made there. I think Garmin felt because Columbia didn't want to speed up the peleton, Garmin felt they might not put Cavandish as a priority to win the stage and that might allow Garmin to get Tyler a stage win.

Just a thought. I'd love to have seen George get the yellow, even for one day, but it didn't work and I don't think anyone was to blame. Great effort George.

The only person who deserves the yellow jersey is the person highest in the classification. George gave it a go and it didn't work.

I still don't believe Garmin's explanation at all. They can race any way they want. But I believe their actions were solely to prevent Columbia from taking it.

 

[Mr.DNA]

Go watch stage 2 of the 2006 TdF and you will get your wish!

I'm surprised I haven't seen that mentioned until now. I thought it was a "cheeky" but tacky move. Kinda like his stage win. But what do I know?

 

[Mainerider]

I think George let his emotions run away from him a bit in that interview. In hindsight, I bet he wishes he had that one back.

 

[Nick C.]

Garmin just doesn't like Columbia. They really haven't ridden up front all Tour. As for Astana he's got a point, AG2R would have ran out of steam far sooner than they did if they had do ride the whole stage. Anyway considering LA owes his podium position to hitching onto Columbia's train on Stage 3 that was initiated by Hincapie and Rogers its bitter irony.

 

[Psalmon]

Should not be a Procession

This Tour has had only a couple good racing moments, but since the TTT the race for the overall has been a procession:

- The opening ITT
- Stage 3 and the wind (which Columbia was happy to drive THAT day)
- Verbier

Andora and the Pyrenees were a yawner. Radioless became pointless. Take away the TTT and at least you have A Schleck, Sastre, and Evans in better contention. Now the overall is over.

The rest has been the Cav show, and now with the Relegation even THAT is over.

The KOM is going to Pellizotti or Martinez both who finished 12 minutes down on Contador yesterday.

Disgraceful!

So wow, all we have left is the White jersey?

Sorry George, but the yellow jersey should not be some thing loaned out, programmed by the DS's (even though it often unfortunately occurs - with considerable boredom). Would have been great for the US, great for you (a big fan like all). However, Lance didn't suggest that Sparticus give him the Mellow Johnny for old time sake! They raced for it.

Sorry Thor, if you try and pass on the inside, someone is bound to clip you off - which by the way Cav never did (even if he is an self proclaimed a**).

Sorry Champion, your polka dots aren't going to Rasmussen or Virenque out all day alone on an epic ride. It's going to a couple guys slumming for points.

American riders should act like Americans. It's not an entitlement! Go earn it.

Let's see some BIKE RACING. I hope there's some Kamakaze like descending tomorrow off the Petit. I hope someone important attacks on Wednesday on the Roselend - right out of Km 0. Come on! We need Vino back or Deluca in the race (but without any tricks, ok guys?).

And you gotta admit, the Giro was far better in spirit and racing. The Tour has one week to stage it's own comeback.

 

[JayZee]

I am a little dissappointed in George making such a big deal out of this. Personally I would be a bit embarrassed to be whining about how everyone should have slowed down to let me wear the yellow jersey for a day. Come on George, if you want it (again) earn it. Don't whine about how it should have been given to you. The only team I would expect to actually work for me to wear the leaders jersey would be my own and unfortunately it looked like his team actually worked against him. Woops.

 

[Coach Hawk]

I still don't believe Garmin's explanation at all. They can race any way they want. But I believe their actions were solely to prevent Columbia from taking it.

Agreed--Garmin had NO reason to be on the front and the only thing they accomplished by it was keeping George out of yellow. The person that I lost all respect for in this was Matt White. Not sure where Vaughters was at the time, but Matt's "We had to keep our GC riders safe" was a complete crock. If you want to chase someone down for a personal vendetta, at least be man enough to admit it.

And panning back a bit, both of them are American teams and would benefit from growing the sport in the good ol' US of A. I would think having an American in yellow certainly wouldn't hurt that objective.

 

[frizzlefry]

Garmin just doesn't like Columbia. They really haven't ridden up front all Tour. As for Astana he's got a point, AG2R would have ran out of steam far sooner than they did if they had do ride the whole stage. Anyway considering LA owes his podium position to hitching onto Columbia's train on Stage 3 that was initiated by Hincapie and Rogers its bitter irony.

He doesnt have a point about Astana. They let the time gap INCREASE not decrease. If AG2R had been riding on the front in the beginning km's, they would have never even let the time gap grow to as big as it was. Then when they tire out, some other team would take over with a shorter time gap to bring back the break even sooner.

 

[BGorilla]

The crux of George's frustration was the amount of time. I mean 5 seconds from yellow I'd be a bit upset too. There is a lot of "blame" to go around as to why he couldn't quite hold on for yellow. Astana riding, Garmin riding, Lotto riding... What nobody seems to mention is the fact that his own team led out Cavendish for the green jersey points. Cav is fast as hell and has proven he can win without the train. Just have him sit on Thor's wheel to come around at the end if necessary. I'm sure that could've saved 5 seconds.

With no Columbia leading it out my prediction is confusion reigns while everybody waits for somebody to lead out a sprint only 2 people in the entire group are interested in (Thor and Cav). Meanwhile Columbia rests, George is in yellow and Cavendish is still in the running for green.

 

[Mainerider]

The crux of George's frustration was the amount of time. I mean 5 seconds from yellow I'd be a bit upset too. There is a lot of "blame" to go around as to why he couldn't quite hold on for yellow. Astana riding, Garmin riding, Lotto riding... What nobody seems to mention is the fact that his own team led out Cavendish for the green jersey points. Cav is fast as hell and has proven he can win without the train. Just have him sit on Thor's wheel to come around at the end if necessary. I'm sure that could've saved 5 seconds.

With no Columbia leading it out my prediction is confusion reigns while everybody waits for somebody to lead out a sprint only 2 people in the entire group are interested in (Thor and Cav). Meanwhile Columbia rests, George is in yellow and Cavendish is still in the running for green.

Exactly. It's like which 5 seconds during the entire day did he lose ???

 

[md2020]

At least a little of the blame also has to go to what George did in the breakaway during the last 20KM. He put in an effort sometime around 20KM to either open a gap or up the tempo and it seemed to disrupt the flow of the group. Of course, that's usually when a break like that starts playing games.

Also, he had the unfortunate luck to chase N.Roche right before Ivanov's attack and almost got dropped. He ended up using a ton of energy bridging the gaps that resulted. Heck, even Phil and Paul had Ivanov pegged for a long range attack. Also, it looked like at least for the last 5 KM that he was gassed and it was all he could do to hold a wheel, much less raise the tempo.

 

[kiwirider]

Is no-one going to point the finger at Hincapie himself? I mean, look at it a bit beyond the scope of Hincapie's whining at the end of the stage ...

He's the highest placed rider in the breakaway and is maillot jaune virtuel. He knows that the next day is a mountain stage where he's going to get spat out - even his most one eyed fans have to admit that he wasn't going to hold it after Verbier. And the day after is a rest day. Call me old fashioned, but I thought that the thing that most riders do in a situation like that is to bury themselves to the line, stuff the stage win (perhaps even "sell" the win for help keeping the gap out) and just go for it. How many times have we seen that done in major tours and a leader's jersey go to the highest placed rider in the break as a result?

But what does Hincapie do? He plays around with the other riders in the break.
He looked like he was foxing and following and trying to get the others to take the lead. OK, I don't know the state of his legs, but ... if he hadn't played around on just one or two occassions, he'd have had yellow. If he'd kept his head down and pushed, he'd have had it by a 20 or 30 second margin at least ...

And what responsibility on Columbia itself for putting the team on the front and pulling to set Cavendish for the sprint? They knew when Hincapie crossed the line, but still lead the last km. If they were concerned to make sure that Hincapie had yellow, why not leave it to Cervelo to lead the sprint and get Cavendish to sit on Hushovd - maximum risk was 1 point in the green competition ...

Same message I had in another thread applies to Hincapie - when you point your finger there are three more pointing straight back at you ...

 

[JeffreyPerry]

George

I watched Georges interview with interest...however, I did not get the impression he was angry with Astana for closing the gap from 8.50 down to 6.???, it seemed to me he was angry with them for "gifting" the yellow jersey to him. This may be my take on it, but it seemed he really didn't clarify why he was angered towards any team. I know in my mind that receiving the yellow in that manner, instead of earning it myself would **** me off...It'd be just like "allowing" the losing team in a blowout to score easy points just to be merciful. Maybe I understood the interview wrong???

 

[aermet]

Is no-one going to point the finger at Hincapie himself? I mean, look at it a bit beyond the scope of Hincapie's whining at the end of the stage ...

He's the highest placed rider in the breakaway and is maillot jaune virtuel. He knows that the next day is a mountain stage where he's going to get spat out - even his most one eyed fans have to admit that he wasn't going to hold it after Verbier. And the day after is a rest day. Call me old fashioned, but I thought that the thing that most riders do in a situation like that is to bury themselves to the line, stuff the stage win (perhaps even "sell" the win for help keeping the gap out) and just go for it. How many times have we seen that done in major tours and a leader's jersey go to the highest placed rider in the break as a result?

But what does Hincapie do? He plays around with the other riders in the break.
He looked like he was foxing and following and trying to get the others to take the lead. OK, I don't know the state of his legs, but ... if he hadn't played around on just one or two occassions, he'd have had yellow. If he'd kept his head down and pushed, he'd have had it by a 20 or 30 second margin at least ...

And what responsibility on Columbia itself for putting the team on the front and pulling to set Cavendish for the sprint? They knew when Hincapie crossed the line, but still lead the last km. If they were concerned to make sure that Hincapie had yellow, why not leave it to Cervelo to lead the sprint and get Cavendish to sit on Hushovd - maximum risk was 1 point in the green competition ...

Same message I had in another thread applies to Hincapie - when you point your finger there are three more pointing straight back at you ...

I could not agree more. He's not the sharpest tool in the shed and sounds like a *** emotionally inept yahoo. He should have been driving that break if he wanted the yellow.

 

[Grater]

Nocentini didn't deserve yellow that day. To wear yellow, your team needs to defend it. His team couldn't defend it that day and they knew it.

 

[padyakpinoy]

I think George let his emotions run away from him a bit in that interview. In hindsight, I bet he wishes he had that one back.

George should not be too upset. It was a situation almost beyond his control. He has already finished the race, and that he CAN control. It was like asking the stars to align in 5 seconds. A lot of things had to happen for him, while he was just waiting at the finish line.

Still a fan of George, though.

 

[56Cinelli]

I suspect that a couple of days or a week after the fact, George will have a much different perspective on the days events. Keep in mind he sat there for several minutes waiting to see if he had the jersey, all the while knowing that his team had incentive to try and win the field sprint. That has to be an awful feeling.
I believe Astana's story, but I think they could have let it go out to around 10before they stabilized the gap.
I wonder what the Garmin riders would say in private after a couple drinks.
Good job by AG2R for minimizing the gap.
And finally, was George thinking about a stage win too, when he should have been hammering to his own detriment at thye front? Did he have much left after some of the pulls he had done for Cavendish over the prior stages?

 

[colwildcat]

I think we're being way too critical of a pro athlete who was upset that he was denied something he was shooting for that day.

Now, his DS whining about Garmin is where this got silly. I don't begrudge George being upset, but all the complaining back and forth is just stupid. They need to earn what they get, just like they do with Cavendish and others.