Is George Hincapie a Tour contender?

[I Want Sachs?]

He has won climbing stages, proving he is capable to climb with the best. He can time trial to avoid big losses, although not dominantly. Does he have the goods to be the yellow jersey winner? Discuss.

[LegendRider]

He has won climbing stages, proving he is capable to climb with the best. He can time trial to avoid big losses, although not dominantly. Does he have the goods to be the yellow jersey winner? Discuss.

No. He's strong as an ox, but he will never win the Tour. Period.

He climbs better than most flat-landers and time-trials better than most climbers, but you have to be exceptional at both and he is not.

[Charles M]

Man I wish.

[gone]

Big George is too big.

[LegendRider]

George is the Sean Yates of his generation - a super-talented domestique that wins on occassion.

[rustychisel]

No. No discussion needed.

[bronk]

Hincapie has as much chance of winning the tour as Ralph Nader has of winning the election. They both enter for the opportunity to make a statement but are realistic in their chances to win it all.

[shanerpvt]

No. No discussion needed.

+1

[1centaur]

Lacks explosive climbing and can't get it done Indurain style. No chance.

[Spud]

He is the best 3rd place finisher ever! I think he lacks the confidence to be a winner, he always seems so surprised when he wins something.

[jdoiv]

He is the best 3rd place finisher ever! I think he lacks the confidence to be a winner, he always seems so surprised when he wins something.

That's 'cause he had LA whippin' him everyday, sayin' "bring me another water bottle George!", "break the wind for me George!", "catch that breakaway George!", "Damnit George, I told you to chase down that Simoni character, now I have to do it, you lazy *&*# George!"

[Z3c]

What 1Centaur said; not a matter of being too big, just a matter of not having that last little bit of greatness.

Scott

[pdxmech13]

The only tour he would do well in is a 7/10 day tour with one mtn climb and a tt. he's a good rider but just not cut for the big 3 weeks. He'd do well in a tour of langkawi, luxemburg, belgium.....so on and so forth.

[victoryfactory]

Cycling is an unusual sport in that all the different discipines are racing
together in the same event. It's not correct IMO to compare GH to a
GC contender... two totally different things.

It's sort of like if all the swimmers got in the pool together, backstroke, freestyle
and butterfly at the same time.

That's why the grand tours are so compelling to me. races within races, stories
within stories.

GH is truly one of the great cyclists. Who can forget his valiant Pari-Roubaix
exploits, US championship
and that queen stage in the TDF. He's already done enough to be on the
short list of great US cyclists, but the tour GC is not his event.

VF

[johnnymossville]

I'd love to see George win a stage this year, but capable of winning the whole thing? I think he'll be working for Kirchen.

[Fixed]

no he is already looking to his next life
cheers imho

[zap]

No.

[Tom Kellogg]

Take a look at the team standings after the TT. Columbia is second to Garmin by 1:44. That is why George busted his buns yesterday. My guess is that Columbia is looking ti Kirchen as their best GC guy and they really want the Team prize.

Just a note: The top three teams after the TT are the three who seem to be doing the most internal drug testing ... humm. :confused:

[toaster]

Are you kidding?

[pdmtong]

after flatting today, and then catching back on, and then getting up front and driving, you got to take your hat off to the man.

on another note, the day before the ToC prologue in feb I pulled up to a light and there was george, in full kit and TT bike. nice impromptu conversation ensued.

[Fixed]

he is a hard worker
cheers imho

[93legendti]

he is a hard worker
cheers imho

He sure looked like he worked hard today.

[dancinkozmo]

maybe he could pull a voekler or a steve bauer and wear yellow for a while but win it all ....no way