Thread to appreciate George Hincapie

[Animal]

Cav became one of the greats this weekend with MSR in his first try at 23.

But let's hear it for Big George. What a motor and what a heart. 185 miles, riding with Cav on the hills, bringing him back to the front when he got dropped. He may not be able to win any more, but he's an asset to his team.

And then he could still do the ultimo chilometro on the front.

Well done George. Cav couldn't have done it without you!

 

[Stani Kléber]

Appreciation to Paolini and Tossato who also performed similar roles for Pettachi and Boonen, although their protected sprinters did not deliver the result that Cavendish did.

 

[Indurain]

What's there to appreciate about Hincapie. He was a amazing rider with Armstrong and suddenly there is a difference between night and day when he changes teams. couldn't climb to save himself. I strongly suspect he was a doper but isn't now. He didn't exactly reign Armstrong in when he was persecuting all the whistleblowers.

The sport won't miss hincapie.

 

[Animal]

I suspect you are dead right. Winning that huge alpine stage? Highly suspect. And his late 90s loss of form, and his article in Cycle Sport about being cured by Chinese medicine from " a buildup of parasites"? Meh!

But he was riding during a real bad doping period of the sport.

You can still appreciate his teamwork now can't you?

 

[BroDeal]

He may not be able to win any more, but he's an asset to his team.

There is still hope that he has one last good P-R in him.

 

[Anonymous]

What's there to appreciate about Hincapie. He was a amazing rider with Armstrong and suddenly there is a difference between night and day when he changes teams. couldn't climb to save himself. I strongly suspect he was a doper but isn't now. He didn't exactly reign Armstrong in when he was persecuting all the whistleblowers.

The sport won't miss hincapie.

Um, you go by "Indurain" and have the nerve to accuse someone else of doping? George probably did/does dope, but you are completely naive to believe Indurain didn't. Save the righteous indignation for someone else.

I for one hope he has on good P-R left too. Columbia have strong enough riders to put him in position.

 

[Snake8]

What's there to appreciate about Hincapie. He was a amazing rider with Armstrong and suddenly there is a difference between night and day when he changes teams. couldn't climb to save himself. I strongly suspect he was a doper but isn't now. He didn't exactly reign Armstrong in when he was persecuting all the whistleblowers.

The sport won't miss hincapie.

He just towed Cav to the front at MSR! What change are you talking about? He also happens to be getting old, but no it must be dope - everything is dope. Can we have a dope forum for all the dopes that hijack every thread and turn it into a dope thread?

 

[Stani Kléber]

Can we have a dope forum for all the dopes that hijack every thread and turn it into a dope thread?

Sure. As soon as riders stop doping...

 

[Snake8]

Sure. As soon as riders stop doping...

Um, no then you wouldn't need a separate forum.

To keep it ON TOPIC, I cant think of another current rider who has had more bad luck than George in critical parts of big races.

 

[cody251]

Sure. As soon as riders stop doping...

All of you are pathetic, they guy wants to give props to a rider he likes and down come the "dopes". Every single thread, every single forum, every time. This new CN forum is now just like every other one out there. Ruled by the people who can't resist the dope talk. EVER. What the he!! is wrong with you?

 

[Anonymous]

All of you are pathetic, they guy wants to give props to a rider he likes and down come the "dopes". Every single thread, every single forum, every time. This new CN forum is now just like every other one out there. Ruled by the people who can't resist the dope talk. EVER. What the he!! is wrong with you?

And you post responses to the doping posts and also posts that complain about the doping posts. Ever hear of irony? Ever hear of personal responsibility?

 

[Jarvis]

You can still appreciate his teamwork now can't you?

I used to appreciate the teamwork that Museeuw and Peeters did for Tom Steels in the '99 Gent-Wevelgem. Selflessly rode themselves into the ground for him for about 25km into a headwind, but I think if I dig that video out now I might be quite depressed by the same thing. That was power and strength, which is pretty easy to be manipulated - see the '99 USPostal team riders testimony.

I could appreciate the teamwork that Steels and Peeters did for Tafi in the '99 Roubaix that allowed Tafi to escape the break. I can still appreciate that because it was quickness of mind and skill that allowed Tafi the gap.

I used to admire Wilf Peeters hugely- could you not guess - pretty much his whole career, 16 years, dedicated to the support of Musseuw. As soon as Museeuw admits doping, Peeters doesn't speak to him again. Wow! That's some mate, some teamwork.

I would probably be able to appreciate Hincapie better had he never ridden for Armstrong and not won a mountain stage of the Tour.

To keep it ON TOPIC

It was On Topic, it was discussing Hincapie. See, look I've discusse teamwork and still referred to doping. Unfortunately, any discussion about pro cycling at the moment is likely to include references to doping. That's cycling's problem and it might takle some time to go away.

 

[Stani Kléber]

All of you are pathetic, they guy wants to give props to a rider he likes and down come the "dopes". Every single thread, every single forum, every time. This new CN forum is now just like every other one out there. Ruled by the people who can't resist the dope talk. EVER. What the he!! is wrong with you?

I didn't mention doping, I just responded to it. Sadly the spectre of doping is a major element of pro racing. If you want to ignore it, try it but it is the same as trying to avoid talk of punctures, wheels or lycra, it would be tough. Why not be open about it rather than burying the head in the sand?

 

[Anonymous]

What's there to appreciate about Hincapie. He was a amazing rider with Armstrong and suddenly there is a difference between night and day when he changes teams. couldn't climb to save himself. I strongly suspect he was a doper but isn't now. He didn't exactly reign Armstrong in when he was persecuting all the whistleblowers.

The sport won't miss hincapie.

wow.. two posts in and a doping comment already...

what is it with people around here... personally i think george is one the greats.. i hope to god his team support him and he gets a classic in the bag this year or next...

and the sport may not miss him (although i think your wrong).. i certainly will

 

[Stani Kléber]

He's good but he's spent his entire career as a great domestique and little more. He has had few career successes, instead devoted most of his energies to supporting Armstrong... and now Cavendish.

 

[Anonymous]

I didn't mention doping, I just responded to it. Sadly the spectre of doping is a major element of pro racing. If you want to ignore it, try it but it is the same as trying to avoid talk of punctures, wheels or lycra, it would be tough. Why not be open about it rather than burying the head in the sand?

or people could just shut the hell up if theyve got nothing constructive to say.. (not you.. but threads already are becoming people just going in, throwing in a doping allegation and leaving again) accusing just about everyone in every thread of being a doper is not talking about it.. its being bloody minded and argumentative

doping yes has always been part of the sport.. but if the sport is to get through it it needs to be a) clean and b) have the faith of the public that it is clean..

if even the so called "True" cycling fans (and im starting to have my doubts about some of the people around here) cant give it a chance and have faith, how the hell are normal members of the public supposed to start beleiving in it...

im assuming that we are also going to shout doper, everytime swimming, atheletics, football, darts, sailing, boxing or any other sport gets mentioned (cycling still does not have the worst record)

 

[Anonymous]

anyway.. back to the subject..

george for me has been one of the greats... regardless of what you think of him, to devote his career, primarily to lance, and more recently to cavendish takes a lot.. how many guys are willing to let someone else have all the glory for ten years..

george getting his stage in the tour was a wonderful reward for all the effort he had put in.. i just wish he had more than one classic to his name....

 

[BroDeal]

george for me has been one of the greats... regardless of what you think of him, to devote his career, primarily to lance, and more recently to cavendish takes a lot.. how many guys are willing to let someone else have all the glory for ten years..

I don't see that as anything to crow about. If Hincapie would have had the stones to move to a team that targeted the classics then he might have had his weekend win by now.

 

[TrapperJohn]

Let's set the record straight. Big Mig was dominating in the heyday of unchecked EPO usage. But, that doesn't make him a doper. After all, he was a nice guy, like Millar. Only cold, aloof people like Armstrong dope. Besides, it's a known fact that retro testing samples taken before 1999 is unreliable.

Nor does it make the person who finally toppled him a doper either. Unless he actually was. But, that's okay. It's not like he became the DS of a successful team after he retired. And it's not like some of his top riders were busted for doping after they left the team, like that PED pushing Bruyneel.

A true champion like Ullrich would never have doped. And if he did, he wouldn't have denied it like those scheming US riders.

Being from the US, that makes one a doper. They had to be cheating. After all, most of the other riders were. Therefore, Hincapie has to be a doper. No one from the US can be competitive otherwise. Oh, there was that guy named LeMond, but his name sounds sort of French, and he was riding before they had EPO. He would have used it if it were available, though.

But, I can understand this. After all, if foreigners came in and dominated one of our national sports, like basketball, we'd probably get an attitude and shout doper at them. You see, players like Ming, Azubuke, and Olajuwan are actually Americans. They were just born in another country.

And I'd like to see George win a big one before he retires. Probably won't happen, though.

Um, you go by "Indurain" and have the nerve to accuse someone else of doping? George probably did/does dope, but you are completely naive to believe Indurain didn't. Save the righteous indignation for someone else.

I for one hope he has on good P-R left too. Columbia have strong enough riders to put him in position.

 

[Stani Kléber]

I don't see that as anything to crow about. If Hincapie would have had the stones to move to a team that targeted the classics then he might have had his weekend win by now.

At different points he has the likes of Boonen, Hammond, Hoste, Ekimov, Devolder and others working for him.

 

[lookkg386]

George was the super domestique for Lance in July, but he was given every chance in the March/April classics and always came up short due to bad luck or whatever. I also would have loved to see him win a classic but I think the chance has passed him by.

 

[BroDeal]

At different points he has the likes of Boonen, Hammond, Hoste, Ekimov, Devolder and others working for him.

Boonen and others rode for themselves. Ekimov was old; he did have that one last great performance though. Despite winning P-R himself, the usual DS appeared to be asleep at the wheel while in the team car. Hincapie is notorious for missing the key moves of races; his DS should have been screaming through the radio at Hincapie on numerous occasions.

Postal/Disco never had the classics as a goal, and they never won one. As a result Hincapie has always been forced to peak for the Tour, and that includes paring his weight down to allow him to provide support on the lower slopes of mountains. He would have more power on flattish courses if he were a bit heftier. They call him Big George but the dude is skeletal.

 

[*G*K*S*]

I don't see that as anything to crow about. If Hincapie would have had the stones to move to a team that targeted the classics then he might have had his weekend win by now.

And here I always thought that K-B-K and Gent-Wevelgem were weekend races.

 

[BroDeal]

And here I always thought that K-B-K and Gent-Wevelgem were weekend races.

There are only two that matter for Hincapie, and those ain't them.

 

[Henri Desgrange]

I don't see that as anything to crow about. If Hincapie would have had the stones to move to a team that targeted the classics then he might have had his weekend win by now.

Agreed, if he'd chose to peak in spring rather than July he'd have won Flanders, and been a multiple winner of P-R.