George Hincapie
 Hincapie at the2010 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
| |
George Anthony Hincapie(born June 29, 1973) is an American former racingcyclist,who competed professionally between 1994 and 2012.[1]Hincapie was a keydomestiqueofLance Armstrong.Hincapie was also a domestique forAlberto Contadorin2007and forCadel Evansin2011,when both men won theTour de France.He was the owner and general manager ofUCI Professional ContinentalteamHincapie–Leomo p/b BMCuntil it folded at the end of the 2020 season.[2]
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 tiedJoop 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 consecutiveOlympic Gamesbetween 1992 and 2008.[6]
Early life[edit]
Hincapie was born inQueens, New York,United States. His father Ricardo, a native ofColombia,introduced him to cycling, and his first race training was in New York City'sCentral Park.He graduated fromFarmingdale High SchoolinLong Islandin 1991.
Cycling career[edit]
Hincapie has several important wins of his own, starting withGent–Wevelgemin 2001 andKuurne–Brussels–Kuurnein 2005. Also in 2005, Hincapie took two stage wins at theCritérium du Dauphinéand 2nd place atParis–Roubaix.In 2005 he had his first stage win in theTour de Francewhere, on July 17, he finished seven seconds ahead of climberÓscar Pereiroto 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 theTour of California(2006), the overall and a stage at theTour of Missouri(2007), and another stage win at theCritérium du Dauphinéin 2008. He is a three-time US Professional Road Race champion (1998, 2006, 2009).
Throughout his career Hincapie has targeted the cobbled classics of April, specifically the week that begins with theTour of Flanders,continues mid-week withGent–Wevelgem,and ends withParis–Roubaix.He achieved his highest position on the podium with his 2001 victory inGent–Wevelgem.His 2nd-place finish in the2005 Paris-Roubaixremains 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 variousTour of Flanders;3rd, 4th (three times), and 5th inGent–Wevelgem,in addition to his victory; and 2nd, 4th (twice), 6th (twice), 8th, and 9th inParis–Roubaix.While usingThree Days of De Panneas 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 shortindividual time trials (ITTs),winning the prologue at the 2005Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré,placing second three times and third once in prologues in 2006 (including at theTour de France), and placing second in the shortITTatThree Days of De Panne.In the2006 Paris–Roubaix,bad luck struck Hincapie in the cobbled sector ofMons-en-Pévèle,when the steerer tube of hisTrekbicycle 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 theEneco Tour of Beneluxin 2006 and placed fourth in two longer ITTs that year. He finished third in the prologue at the2007 Tour de Franceand second in the prologue at theVolta a Catalunyain 2008.
Hincapie rode forTeam Columbiain the 2008 and 2009 seasons, departingDiscovery Channel Pro Cycling Teamshortly 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 newTeam RadioShack,Hincapie signed withBMC Racing Teamfor the 2010 season.[11]
In 2012 he established theBMC–Hincapie Sportswear Team,initially with support from BMC.[12]He also set a record by completing his 17th Tour of Flanders, surpassingBriek 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 17thTour 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, theUSA 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 abed and breakfastinTravelers Rest, South Carolinawith his brother.[18]
In March, 2017, Hincapie turned to mountain biking and competed in the Masters category at the eight-day AbsaCape Epicstage race in South Africa over 641 km. The race is held in a two-person team format and Hincapie and partnerCadel Evans– reunited after Hincapie helped Evans to win the 2011 Tour de France – won the category.
Doping[edit]
On 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 theU.S. Anti-Doping agencyannounced plans to release documents related to doping accusations againstLance Armstrong,a former teammate of Hincapie.[19]
Career achievements[edit]
Major results[edit]
- 1992
- 1st
Team time trial, National Road Championships - 1994
- 2nd OverallTour de Luxembourg
- 1st
Points classification - 1st Stages 1 & 4
- 1st
- 4thClassic Haribo
- 1995
- 1stAcht van Chaam
- 3rdReading Classic
- 10thPhiladelphia International Championship
- 1997
- 5thReading Classic
- 1998
- 1stRoad race,National Road Championships
- 1stPhiladelphia International Championship
- 2ndReading Classic
- 5thLancaster Classic
- 1999
- 1stReading Classic
- 1st Stage 6PruTour
- 1stPoints classification,Tour de Luxembourg
- 3rdLancaster Classic
- 4thGent–Wevelgem
- 4thParis–Roubaix
- 5thHEW Cyclassics
- 9thMilan–San Remo
- 9thPhiladelphia International Championship
- 2000
- 3rdReading Classic
- 4thTrofeo Luis Puig
- 5thPhiladelphia International Championship
- 6thParis–Roubaix
- 7thLancaster Classic
- 8thRoad race,Olympic Games
- 2001
- 1stGent–Wevelgem
- 1stSan Francisco Grand Prix
- 2ndLancaster Classic
- 3rd OverallTour de Picardie
- 3rdPhiladelphia International Championship
- 4thParis–Roubaix
- 9thMilan–San Remo
- 2002
- 1st Stage 1 (TTT)Volta Ciclista a Catalunya
- 2ndClassic Haribo
- 3rdGent–Wevelgem
- 3rd OverallVolta ao Algarve
- 4thTour of Flanders
- 5thHEW Cyclassics
- 5thPhiladelphia International Championship
- 6thParis–Roubaix
- 9thLancaster Classic
- 2003
- 1st Stage 4 (TTT)Tour de France
- 7th OverallTour of Belgium
- 2004
- 1st
OverallThree Days of De Panne - 4thGent–Wevelgem
- 5th OverallParis–Nice
- 8thParis–Roubaix
- 10thTour of Flanders
- 2004
1st Stage 4 (TTT)Tour de France3rdSan Francisco Grand Prix5thGrand Prix Eddy Merckx- 2005
1stKuurne–Brussels–Kuurne1stGP Ouest–FranceTour de France1st Stages 4 & 15
Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré1st Stages 1 & 7
2ndParis–Roubaix6thBrabantse Pijl7thTour of Flanders- 2006
3rdTour of Flanders4th OverallTour of California1st Stages 2 & 5
5thGent–Wevelgem8th OverallTirreno–AdriaticoTour de FranceHeld
after Stages 1–2
- 2006
- 1stRoad race,National Road Championships
- 2nd OverallEneco Tour
- 1st Stage 4 (ITT)
- 9thClásica de San Sebastián
- 2007
- 1stOverallTour of Missouri
- 1st Stage 2
- 2ndRoad race,National Road Championships
- 2008
- 1st Stage 2Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
- 1st Stage 7Tour of California
- 4th OverallTour of Missouri
- 5thTour of Flanders
- 9thParis–Roubaix
- 9th OverallThree Days of De Panne
- 2009
- 1stRoad race,National Road Championships
- 8thE3 Prijs Vlaanderen
- 2010
- 4thGent–Wevelgem
- 6thTour of Flanders
- 2011
- 2ndRoad race,National Road Championships
- 5th OverallUSA Pro Cycling Challenge
- 1st Stage 2
- 6thTour of Flanders
- 2017
- 1st
Overall MastersCape Epic(withCadel 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[edit]
He is married to former runway model and Tour de Francepodium girlMelanie Simonneau,[20]and they have three children, daughter Julia Paris (born on November 3, 2004), son Enzo (born on June 20, 2008), and son Lucca (born on May 16, 2014). Hincapie resides inGreenville, South Carolina.
References[edit]
- ^Wynn, Nigel (June 12, 2012)."Hincapie to retire after record-breaking 17th Tour de France".Cycling Weekly.IPC Media Limited.RetrievedJanuary 3,2013.
- ^"Holowesko-Citadel gets Pro Conti nod from UCI".Cyclingnews.com.Immediate Media Company.November 28, 2017.RetrievedJanuary 25,2018.
- ^ab"Statement from George Hincapie".RetrievedOctober 10,2012.
- ^abhttp://d3epuodzu3wuis.cloudfront.net/2012-10-09+WB+to+Anders+re.+Hincapie+Sanction.pdf%7CGeorgeHincapie 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 fromthe originalon August 31, 2012.RetrievedAugust 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 fromthe originalon April 18, 2020.RetrievedJuly 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.RetrievedAugust 27,2012.
- ^"George Hincapie: Heading to new pastures".Cyclingnews.com.December 7, 2007.RetrievedDecember 8,2007.
- ^VeloNews.com (September 1, 2009)."Hincapie confirms to BMC with Ballan, Kroon, Burghardt".VeloNews. Archived fromthe originalon September 3, 2009.RetrievedSeptember 2,2009.
- ^Petty, Daniel (August 19, 2014)."George Hincapie returns to USA Pro Challenge as team developer".Denver Post.RetrievedOctober 18,2014.
- ^"bmc racing team finishes 3-4 at tour of flanders".BMC. May 1, 2012. Archived fromthe originalon October 18, 2014.
- ^"Hincapie announces retirement".Cycling News.Future Publishing Limited. June 11, 2012.RetrievedJune 11,2012.
- ^Gregor Brown (June 30, 2012)."Hincapie makes history with 17th Tour start".Cycling Weekly.IPC Media.RetrievedJuly 17,2012.
- ^"Triple USA national champion Hincapie brings a 19-year pro career to a close".Velo Nation.Velo Nation LLC. August 27, 2012.RetrievedAugust 27,2012.
- ^Jason Blevins (August 27, 2012)."George Hincapie ends 18-year cycling career at Pro Challenge in Denver".Denver Post.The Denver Post.RetrievedAugust 27,2012.
- ^Wuori, Dan (April 15, 2013)."Hincapie writing a memoir, opening a bed and breakfast in August".VeloNews.RetrievedOctober 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.RetrievedOctober 13,2012.
- ^"Beauté du Tour: Melanie Hincapie".Le Blog de l'Ardoisier. May 15, 2010.RetrievedJanuary 27,2012.
External links[edit]
- Official website
- George HincapieatProCyclingStats
- Team ColumbiaArchivedSeptember 23, 2020, at theWayback Machine
- Hincapie Sportswear
- Palmares at Cycling Base (French)ArchivedJune 18, 2009, at theWayback Machine
- Profile on BMC Cycling TeamArchivedJune 3, 2011, at theWayback Machine
- Cycling Shorts. Interview with George Hincapie on mentoring young BMC Riders
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
- 1973 births
- American Tour de France stage winners
- American cycling road race champions
- American male cyclists
- American sportspeople in doping cases
- American sportspeople of Colombian descent
- Cyclists at the 1992 Summer Olympics
- Cyclists at the 1996 Summer Olympics
- Cyclists at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- Cyclists at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Cyclists at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Doping cases in cycling
- Farmingdale High School alumni
- Living people
- Olympic cyclists for the United States
- People from Farmingdale, New York
- Sportspeople from Nassau County, New York
- People from Travelers Rest, South Carolina
- Sportspeople from Greenville, South Carolina
- Sportspeople from Queens, New York
- Cyclists from New York (state)