George Anthony Hincapie (born June 29, 1973) is an American former racing cyclist, who competed professionally between 1994 and 2012.[1] Hincapie was a key domestique of Lance Armstrong. Hincapie was also a domestique for Alberto Contador in 2007 and for Cadel Evans in 2011, when both men won the Tour de France. He was the owner and general manager of UCI Professional Continental team Hincapie–Leomo p/b BMC until it folded at the end of the 2020 season.[2]
.jpg) Hincapie at the 2010 Tour of California | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | George Anthony Hincapie |
| Nickname | Big George |
| Born | June 29, 1973 Queens, New York, US |
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) |
| Weight | 79 kg (174 lb; 12 st 6 lb) |
| Team information | |
| Current team | Hincapie–Leomo p/b BMC |
| Discipline | Road |
| Role |
|
| Rider type |
|
| Professional teams | |
| 1994–1996 | Motorola |
| 1997–2007 | U.S. Postal Service |
| 2008–2009 | Team High Road |
| 2010–2012 | BMC Racing Team |
| Managerial team | |
| 2012–2020 | BMC–Hincapie Sportswear Team |
| Major wins | |
Grand Tours
| |
On October 10, 2012, Hincapie released a statement on his website acknowledging the use of performance-enhancing drugs and confirming that he had been approached by US federal investigators and USADA about his experiences with doping.[3] Later that day a statement was released confirming his acceptance of a six-month ban from September 1, 2012, ending on March 1, 2013, along with a stripping of all race results between May 31, 2004, and July 31, 2006.[4]
Hincapie started a record 17 Tours, however, after his doping admission he was retroactively disqualified from the 2004, 2005 and 2006 Tours. The only Tour he started but did not finish was his first. He completed his 16th and final Tour in 2012, which tied Joop Zoetemelk's record of completed Tours. However, following the outcome of the Armstrong investigation, the record reverted to Zoetemelk.[5] He also rode at five consecutive Olympic Games between 1992 and 2008.[6]
Early life
editHincapie was born in Queens, New York, United States. His father Ricardo, a native of Colombia, introduced him to cycling, and his first race training was in New York City's Central Park. He graduated from Farmingdale High School in Long Island in 1991.
Cycling career
edit
Hincapie has several important wins of his own, starting with Gent–Wevelgem in 2001 and Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne in 2005. Also in 2005, Hincapie took two stage wins at the Critérium du Dauphiné and 2nd place at Paris–Roubaix. In 2005 he had his first stage win in the Tour de France where, on July 17, he finished seven seconds ahead of climber Óscar Pereiro to win Stage 15 from Lézat-sur-Lèze to Pla d'Adet. In January 2014, Pereiro acknowledged in a radio show that during the final climb, Hincapie turned his head and said 50,000, which Pereiro assumed was in Euros, although Hincapie was referring to U.S. dollars. Pereiro accepted the offer and sold the stage to Hincapie.[7] The deal was closed some kilometers before arriving to the finish line.[8] More recent victories include two stages at the Tour of California (2006), the overall and a stage at the Tour of Missouri (2007), and another stage win at the Critérium du Dauphiné in 2008. He is a three-time US Professional Road Race champion (1998, 2006, 2009).
.jpg)
Throughout his career Hincapie has targeted the cobbled classics of April, specifically the week that begins with the Tour of Flanders, continues mid-week with Gent–Wevelgem, and ends with Paris–Roubaix. He achieved his highest position on the podium with his 2001 victory in Gent–Wevelgem. His 2nd-place finish in the 2005 Paris-Roubaix remains the highest placing in that race by an American.
His many top 10 placings in these races include 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th (twice), 7th, and 10th in various Tour of Flanders; 3rd, 4th (three times), and 5th in Gent–Wevelgem, in addition to his victory; and 2nd, 4th (twice), 6th (twice), 8th, and 9th in Paris–Roubaix. While using Three Days of De Panne as a warm-up ride during the previous week, he has placed well in that race also, winning the overall in 2004 and placing third overall in 2002.
In 2005, Hincapie showed a talent for short individual time trials (ITTs), winning the prologue at the 2005 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré, placing second three times and third once in prologues in 2006 (including at the Tour de France), and placing second in the short ITT at Three Days of De Panne. In the 2006 Paris–Roubaix, bad luck struck Hincapie in the cobbled sector of Mons-en-Pévèle, when the steerer tube of his Trek bicycle snapped, leaving him dangling with no handlebars and crashing heavily. He was near the lead group but had to abandon the race.[9] He later won the ITT at the Eneco Tour of Benelux in 2006 and placed fourth in two longer ITTs that year. He finished third in the prologue at the 2007 Tour de France and second in the prologue at the Volta a Catalunya in 2008.
Hincapie rode for Team Columbia in the 2008 and 2009 seasons, departing Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team shortly before it disbanded.[10] He is easily distinguished from the pack by his large size (1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)). His contract with the team expired after the 2009 season, and though there was talk of him joining Armstrong's new Team RadioShack, Hincapie signed with BMC Racing Team for the 2010 season.[11]
In 2012 he established the BMC–Hincapie Sportswear Team, initially with support from BMC.[12] He also set a record by completing his 17th Tour of Flanders, surpassing Briek Schotte.[13] On June 11, Hincapie announced that he would retire at the end of the season, after 19 years in the professional peloton.[14] On June 30, Hincapie started a record 17th Tour de France. He was allowed to lead the race onto the Champs-Élysées as this was his final Tour de France.[15] In August, Hincapie announced that he had raced in his last event, the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. In his own words: “It's been a long career for me, a good career and I'm proud of it. I'm sad to leave, but at the same time, I'm excited to spend more time with my family and start a new life.”[16] He also said that he didn't plan to terminate all his relations with cycling.[17] Following his retirement, Hincapie opened a boutique hotel and high-end restaurant in Travelers Rest, South Carolina with his brother.[18]
In March, 2017, Hincapie turned to mountain biking and competed in the Masters category at the eight-day Absa Cape Epic stage race in South Africa over 641 km. The race is held in a two-person team format and Hincapie and partner Cadel Evans – reunited after Hincapie helped Evans to win the 2011 Tour de France – won the category.
Doping
editOn October 10, 2012, Hincapie announced on his website that he had used banned substances at times in his career. The statement reads in part:
"Because of my love for the sport, the contributions I feel I have made to it, and the amount the sport of cycling has given to me over the years, it is extremely difficult today to acknowledge that during a part of my career I used banned substances. Early in my professional career, it became clear to me that, given the widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs by cyclists at the top of the profession, it was not possible to compete at the highest level without them. I deeply regret that choice and sincerely apologize to my family, teammates and fans."
— [3]
The statement came as the U.S. Anti-Doping agency announced plans to release documents related to doping accusations against Lance Armstrong, a former teammate of Hincapie.[19]
Career achievements
editMajor results
edit- 1992
- 1st
Team time trial, National Road Championships - 1994
- 2nd Overall Tour de Luxembourg
- 1st
Points classification - 1st Stages 1 & 4
- 1st
- 4th Classic Haribo
- 1995
- 1st Acht van Chaam
- 3rd Reading Classic
- 10th Philadelphia International Championship
- 1997
- 5th Reading Classic
- 1998
- 1st Road race, National Road Championships
- 1st Philadelphia International Championship
- 2nd Reading Classic
- 5th Lancaster Classic
- 1999
- 1st Reading Classic
- 1st Stage 6 PruTour
- 1st Points classification, Tour de Luxembourg
- 3rd Lancaster Classic
- 4th Gent–Wevelgem
- 4th Paris–Roubaix
- 5th HEW Cyclassics
- 9th Milan–San Remo
- 9th Philadelphia International Championship
- 2000
- 3rd Reading Classic
- 4th Trofeo Luis Puig
- 5th Philadelphia International Championship
- 6th Paris–Roubaix
- 7th Lancaster Classic
- 8th Road race, Olympic Games
- 2001
- 1st Gent–Wevelgem
- 1st San Francisco Grand Prix
- 2nd Lancaster Classic
- 3rd Overall Tour de Picardie
- 3rd Philadelphia International Championship
- 4th Paris–Roubaix
- 9th Milan–San Remo
- 2002
- 1st Stage 1 (TTT) Volta Ciclista a Catalunya
- 2nd Classic Haribo
- 3rd Gent–Wevelgem
- 3rd Overall Volta ao Algarve
- 4th Tour of Flanders
- 5th HEW Cyclassics
- 5th Philadelphia International Championship
- 6th Paris–Roubaix
- 9th Lancaster Classic
- 2003
- 1st Stage 4 (TTT) Tour de France
- 7th Overall Tour of Belgium
- 2004
- 1st
Overall Three Days of De Panne - 4th Gent–Wevelgem
- 5th Overall Paris–Nice
- 8th Paris–Roubaix
- 10th Tour of Flanders
- 2004
1st Stage 4 (TTT) Tour de France3rd San Francisco Grand Prix5th Grand Prix Eddy Merckx- 2005
1st Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne1st GP Ouest–FranceTour de France1st Stages 4 & 15
Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré1st Stages 1 & 7
2nd Paris–Roubaix6th Brabantse Pijl7th Tour of Flanders- 2006
3rd Tour of Flanders4th Overall Tour of California1st Stages 2 & 5
5th Gent–Wevelgem8th Overall Tirreno–AdriaticoTour de FranceHeld
after Stages 1–2
- 2006
- 1st Road race, National Road Championships
- 2nd Overall Eneco Tour
- 1st Stage 4 (ITT)
- 9th Clásica de San Sebastián
- 2007
- 1st Overall Tour of Missouri
- 1st Stage 2
- 2nd Road race, National Road Championships
- 2008
- 1st Stage 2 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
- 1st Stage 7 Tour of California
- 4th Overall Tour of Missouri
- 5th Tour of Flanders
- 9th Paris–Roubaix
- 9th Overall Three Days of De Panne
- 2009
- 1st Road race, National Road Championships
- 8th E3 Prijs Vlaanderen
- 2010
- 4th Gent–Wevelgem
- 6th Tour of Flanders
- 2011
- 2nd Road race, National Road Championships
- 5th Overall USA Pro Cycling Challenge
- 1st Stage 2
- 6th Tour of Flanders
- 2017
- 1st
Overall Masters Cape Epic (with Cadel Evans)
Grand Tour general classification results timeline
edit| Grand Tour | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Giro d'Italia
|
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNF | — | — | — | — | — |
 Tour de France
|
— | DNF | 104 | 53 | 78 | 65 | 71 | 59 | 47 | 24 | 35 | 17 | 59 | 56 | 38 | |||
 Vuelta a España
|
110 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | DNF | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Classics & Monuments results timeline
edit| Monument | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milan–San Remo | — | 133 | 77 | 47 | 46 | 9 | DNF | 9 | 16 | — | 13 | — | — | — | 42 | 39 | 55 | 22 | 33 |
| Tour of Flanders | 54 | 32 | 52 | 23 | 17 | 21 | 17 | 13 | 4 | — | 10 | — | 5 | 34 | 6 | 6 | 52 | ||
| Paris–Roubaix | 31 | 21 | 29 | 59 | OTL | 4 | 6 | 4 | 6 | — | 8 | — | 9 | 44 | 29 | 42 | 43 | ||
| Liège–Bastogne–Liège | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Giro di Lombardia | Did not contest during career | ||||||||||||||||||
| Classic | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
| Omloop Het Nieuwsblad | 21 | 27 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | DNF | DNF | — | — | — | — | — | 67 | — | — | |
| Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne | 13 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 22 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Dwars door Vlaanderen | 49 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| E3 Harelbeke | 37 | — | 75 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | DNF | |
| Gent–Wevelgem | 54 | 52 | 16 | — | 69 | 4 | 26 | 1 | 3 | — | 4 | — | 53 | 16 | 4 | 30 | 51 | ||
| Brabantse Pijl | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Clásica de San Sebastián | 51 | — | — | — | — | 131 | 59 | 73 | — | 15 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| HEW Cyclassics | — | — | — | — | 54 | 5 | — | — | 5 | 49 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| GP Ouest–France | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| — | Did not compete |
|---|---|
| DNF | Did not finish |
| NH | Not held |
| Voided result |
Personal
editHe is married to former runway model and Tour de France podium girl Melanie Simonneau,[20] and they have three children, a daughter and two sons. Hincapie resides in Greenville, South Carolina.
References
edit- ^ Wynn, Nigel (June 12, 2012). "Hincapie to retire after record-breaking 17th Tour de France". Cycling Weekly. IPC Media Limited. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
- ^ "Holowesko-Citadel gets Pro Conti nod from UCI". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. November 28, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
- ^ a b "Statement from George Hincapie". Retrieved October 10, 2012.
- ^ a b http://d3epuodzu3wuis.cloudfront.net/2012-10-09+WB+to+Anders+re.+Hincapie+Sanction.pdf%7CGeorge Hincapie notice of sanction
- ^ Caley Fretz (June 30, 2012). "George Hincapie gets a special bike for his 'gentleman's round' in the 2012 Tour de France". Velo News. 2012 Competitor Group, Inc. Archived from the original on August 31, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
- ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "George Hincapie Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
- ^ "That Time Two Cyclists Tried to Fix a Tour de France Stage and Royally Screwed up". May 19, 2016.
- ^ Pereiro reconoce que vendió (o compro) una etapa del Tour 2005 a Hincapie
- ^ "The mean machine takes first Roubaix win for CSC". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. April 9, 2006. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
- ^ "George Hincapie: Heading to new pastures". Cyclingnews.com. December 7, 2007. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
- ^ VeloNews.com (September 1, 2009). "Hincapie confirms to BMC with Ballan, Kroon, Burghardt". VeloNews. Archived from the original on September 3, 2009. Retrieved September 2, 2009.
- ^ Petty, Daniel (August 19, 2014). "George Hincapie returns to USA Pro Challenge as team developer". Denver Post. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
- ^ "bmc racing team finishes 3-4 at tour of flanders". BMC. May 1, 2012. Archived from the original on October 18, 2014.
- ^ "Hincapie announces retirement". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. June 11, 2012. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
- ^ Gregor Brown (June 30, 2012). "Hincapie makes history with 17th Tour start". Cycling Weekly. IPC Media. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
- ^ "Triple USA national champion Hincapie brings a 19-year pro career to a close". Velo Nation. Velo Nation LLC. August 27, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
- ^ Jason Blevins (August 27, 2012). "George Hincapie ends 18-year cycling career at Pro Challenge in Denver". Denver Post. The Denver Post. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
- ^ Wuori, Dan (April 15, 2013). "Hincapie writing a memoir, opening a bed and breakfast in August". VeloNews. Retrieved October 18, 2014.
- ^ Red, Christian (October 10, 2012). "Lance Armstrong's 'best bro' George Hincapie is biggest figure yet to turn on disgraced cyclist". Daily News. New York. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
- ^ "Beauté du Tour : Melanie Hincapie". Le Blog de l'Ardoisier. May 15, 2010. Retrieved January 27, 2012.
External links
edit
- Official website
- George Hincapie at ProCyclingStats
- Team Columbia Archived September 23, 2020, at the Wayback Machine
- Hincapie Sportswear
- Palmares at Cycling Base (French) Archived June 18, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- Profile on BMC Cycling Team Archived June 3, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- Cycling Shorts. Interview with George Hincapie on mentoring young BMC Riders
