Thanks George!

[texbike]

It's been a fun ride!

I've rooted for him for years and hope that he stays in the sport in one capacity or another...

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hincapie-announces-retirement

Texbike

[firerescuefin]

Wish he would stick around in the peleton..but I'm a fan. He's a husband/dad/businessman with the world tugging on his shirt and days passing him by. The guy defines being a professional on the bike.

[SoCalSteve]

Doesn't it seem weird that one of his biggest accomplishments ( helping LA to 7 Tour victories ) was brushed over?

[laupsi]

Doesn't it seem weird that one of his biggest accomplishments ( helping LA to 7 Tour victories ) was brushed over?

Big Elephant in the Room I would say!

[FlashUNC]

I love George and think he's one of the all-time American greats, but his career will always strike me as a bit of "what if?" when it comes to the classics. Shame, really, that he never rode for a team that could fully support him in his prime.

[MattTuck]

I love George and think he's one of the all-time American greats, but his career will always strike me as a bit of "what if?" when it comes to the classics. Shame, really, that he never rode for a team that could fully support him in his prime.

+1.

Classics Success = Fitness + Luck + Team + Good decisions

He definitely had some freakishly bad luck a few times.

[jlwdm]

I love George and think he's one of the all-time American greats, but his career will always strike me as a bit of "what if?" when it comes to the classics. Shame, really, that he never rode for a team that could fully support him in his prime.

I like George, but he was in position a bunch of times and never seemed to make the right move or make things happen himself. Just seemed to be missing something small that the strong classic riders had.

Jeff

[jr59]

After 19 years racing, I'll say, thanks for the memories!

Old age gets us all in the end.

I have been told by people who know him, and I trust that he was a class act.
That's good enough for me.

Good luck George!

[William]

Thanks Big George!!

It's been great watching one of the real hardmen of the pro peloton!:banana:


http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4TXJwj0fHLc/TZXgvtjtzaI/AAAAAAAACe8/ZQnnZfkhub4/s1600/biggeorge.jpg





William

[GuyGadois]

I wonder if it is too much to ask to give George a stage at the TDF this year. Then again, Garmin may not allow it, again. :mad: :mad: :mad:

Still mad

GG

[William]

I wonder if it is too much to ask to give George a stage at the TDF this year. Then again, Garmin may not allow it, again. :mad: :mad: :mad:

Still mad

GG


Yeah that sucked, but what you gonna do? I though it was kind of a dick move since he was no threat to the gc but....it is a race.





William

[Fixed]

Does he get the tour record this year ?
Classic workhorse
Best to him Cheers

[wooly]

Truly one of the good guys.

[FlashUNC]

I like George, but he was in position a bunch of times and never seemed to make the right move or make things happen himself. Just seemed to be missing something small that the strong classic riders had.

Jeff

One of the big things he missed was anyone wearing the same jersey as him in the group in the last 50 or 60k of a big race.

He always seemed to be caught in the "One of these is not like the other" groups with about 75 Mapei/Domo riders, and him.

Not much you can do in those situations. But I agree. He never seemed to fully cultivate that "screw it, I'm going for it, win, lose or draw" mentality. The one year he did seem to do that -- the 2003 Roubaix -- he flatted coming out of Arenberg, and Domo just took over the race.

Shame. I always wanted him to win a cobble. Doesn't dimish the national championships, the Gent-Wevelgem win, the Tour stages (and finishes).

Course, Canadians probably say the same thing about Steve Bauer.

[harryblack]

I like George too but you gotta make your own luck sometimes and George is just that % less than others greater than him.

Also, this isn't directed at you MattRuck but it's hilarious that-- as with Horner but even moreso-- that people can praise George with nearly the same enthusiasm they hate Lance.

Hincapie makes some nice shorts and jerseys etc too. Greenville, SC >>>> all Rapha products combined, wherever they're made.

+1.

Classics Success = Fitness + Luck + Team + Good decisions

He definitely had some freakishly bad luck a few times.

[FlashUNC]

I like George too but you gotta make your own luck sometimes and George is just that % less than others greater than him.

Also, this isn't directed at you MattRuck but it's hilarious that-- as with Horner but even moreso-- that people can praise George with nearly the same enthusiasm they hate Lance.

Hincapie makes some nice shorts and jerseys etc too. Greenville, SC >>>> all Rapha products combined, wherever they're made.

You do realize Hincapie's stuff is made in South America, right?

[Viper]

George

American George
Motorola Team begins
Domestique Armstrong

Never had a knife
Texan retired Disco
Did George do drugs too?

Central Park began
Charlie Brown Paris Roubaix
60 Minutes spoke

[harryblack]

i actually do but thanks for pointing out; i spun out my typing gear!

manufacturing is in Colombia, South America, not Columbia, South Carolina.


http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/sports/2012/03/22/george-hincapie-on-cycling-growing-up-and-his-colombian-roots/

You do realize Hincapie's stuff is made in South America, right?

[William]

George

American George
Motorola Team begins
Domestique Armstrong

Never had a knife
Texan retired Disco
Did George do drugs too?

Central Park began
Charlie Brown Paris Roubaix
60 Minutes spoke


George's white lunch bag probably had the same snackables as the other riders. The difference probably being that he kept his mouth shut and played nice. Also, constantly being Mr. runner-up gives him the underdog quality most people like to get behind.

Whatever it is, he was a likeable and strong rider.






William

[Viper]

i actually do but thanks for pointing out; i spun out my typing gear!

manufacturing is in Colombia, South America, not Columbia, South Carolina.


http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/sports/2012/03/22/george-hincapie-on-cycling-growing-up-and-his-colombian-roots/

George Hincapié Garcés is his full name and his father Ricardo, from Columbia. I think it's cool to support your roots rock reggae.

[laupsi]

early on in GH's career he was winning sprints in the Tour de Trump. Shortly after his triumphs he was also relegated, perhpaps he was relegated twice, it's hard to recall, (think it was 1994?) at any rate ever since that unfortunate spate of "bad" calls he was never the same aggressive rider, at least he wasn't when it counted most.

[Nooch]

perhaps now he can get some rest and some treatment for the varicose veins...

[bozman]

Big George has always been one of my favorite riders. A true workhorse. He will be missed.

[Bob Loblaw]

Winning that Tour stage and the US Championships were great achievements, but to say those were his best moments would be doing him a disservice, IMO.

Lance + GH = 7 Tour victories. Lance - GH = 3rd place. And the once volatile Cadel was noticeably more composed after joining BMC. You have to wonder how much of that was GH's influence.

BL

[PQJ]

Hincapie makes some nice shorts and jerseys etc too. Greenville, SC >>>> all Rapha products combined, wherever they're made.

Manufacturing locales aside, Rapha is so superior to Hincapie (the clothes) it's not really technically even the same sport (that's just my opinion, of course, but the Hincapie stuff I've bought has been absolute drek).

Notwithstanding the quality of his stuff (the clothes), GH is a class act and will be missed.

[torquer]

We just got around to watching this video about GH's career (up through 2009, or so):
http://www.aridewithgeorge.com/
Lots of "what ifs" about missing out on the top podium step at PR or Flanders in this otherwise peculiar documentary (distributed by the family sportswear company, no less.)
Interesting point that George made was that even if he had ridden for Mapei or some other classics powerhouse (offers were reputedly on the table), the depth of talent on those teams meant that individual victory was far from assured: the 1996 Museeuw/Bortolami/Tafi sweep was mentioned as a case in point.