George Hincapie

I'm a big Tour de France fan, as some of you know.  I cheer out-loud at my TV when Lance Armstrong is taking on the mountains and Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso and the rest.  But today was a special day for someone else, another American rider on Lance's team. 

Long time teammate of Lance, George Hincapie, was on an early breakaway at the front of the race.  He was in a group of 14 riders, and then some dropped off in the mountains, and then more dropped.  Finally George and Oscar Pereiro (Team Phonak) were left alone for the last few kilometers.  George out sprinted Pereiro for the win in today's stage, which was considered the hardest stage of this year's TdF.

Hincapie is known as the lieutenant of Armstrong, not someone trying to win a stage.  He races to win in classics, which are one day races held in the spring.  During the Tour his job is to help Lance stay protected and toward the front of the peloton (the peloton is the main group of riders).  He basically does a lot of hard racing every July just to prepare Lance for victory.  But because Lance was doing fine in the overall TdF standings (he will likely win now) and because George had a chance to try to win, the team told him to go for it. 

It was a great day for Hincapie, for American cycling fans, and for anyone who has any idea how hard Hincapie works for the success of someone else.  It was George's day, and I was glad to experience it.

Comments

[Scot McKnight]

Beyond me, brother, how you can blog about a bicycle when the British Open fell silent.

Think golf.

[Steve McCoy]

HAHA. I was discussing golf on Tim Ellsworth's blog. He asked people to pick the winner, and I picked Tiger.

And by the way, I can watch golf all year but the TdF only comes for three weeks in July. Got to give them some props. :)

[Scot McKnight]

There is a reason why it comes only 1x a year and why golf is on all the time: interest.

But, Lance is amazin'.

[Steve McCoy]

The reason is, Scot, because Tiger's legs would explode trying to ride up Col du Galibier and there are only select athletes who can do this without dying, and even they can only do it once a year that hard. Also, you only need to watch one stage of the TdF to realize there is no problem with interest. In the US maybe, but not around the world.

But trust me, I'm with you on golf. But to be honest, I can't say much about the British when it's in the morning (during the TdF) and when the final day is during Sunday worship. I have to pick, and I chose well. :)

[Scot McKnight]

No one like Lance, that's for sure. To me it is a bit like cricket though; why go on and on for so many days?

[Jeff T]

I love golf and cycling. I watch them both when I get the chance. But I also like to watch Curling on TV!

BTW, Scot I am enjoying the Jesus Creed. Thanks for writing it!

Jeff

[Steve McCoy]

I think we should have a secret club of people who like to watch curling. I want to put on those slippery shoes and brush my way to the finish. :)

[Jeff T]

Ok, since confession is good for the soul. Since my nickname is off-topic Thomas. I want to confess that I also like to watch the World Series of Poker on TV, and I like to watch pride fighting on TV.

Jeff