Jawge Hincapie

lol no.

Well, the problem with George is that he is just lacking so slightly in the two characteristics than can get you a classics win: both his sprint, and his sustained TT are not quite at that level of, say, a Boonen, or a Cancellara. So if he gets to the finish with a few other guys, chances are he's going to be outsprinted; and if he tries to break early, chances are he won't sustain.

That's just my .02, and he's been so close so many times you'd have to think this could be his year. He would need, luck, IMO, to do it, however.

Doubt it.

Catabolic_Jones said:

Well, the problem with George is that he is just lacking so slightly in the two characteristics than can get you a classics win: both his sprint, and his sustained TT are not quite at that level of, say, a Boonen, or a Cancellara.

The two characteristics Hincapie lacks are tactical savvy and luck. If everything came together he could win a classic. I think he would have won P-R this year without his mechanical.

He has shown more fire in the belly this year. With the team all but eviscerated, he will be going it alone next year.

Bro Deal said:

With the team all but eviscerated, he will be going it alone next year.

Devolder (good classics rider, plus 11th Vuelta GC) and Gusev (4th nominal Roubaix last year) - hardly eviscerated. Vaitkus is potentially a strong support also.

Catabolic_Jones said:

Well, the problem with George is that he is just lacking so slightly in the two characteristics than can get you a classics win: both his sprint, and his sustained TT are not quite at that level of, say, a Boonen, or a Cancellara. So if he gets to the finish with a few other guys, chances are he's going to be outsprinted; and if he tries to break early, chances are he won't sustain.

That's just my .02, and he's been so close so many times you'd have to think this could be his year. He would need, luck, IMO, to do it, however.

You make an interesting pair of points, and I don't disagree. I will point out that he managed to win out of a large bunch sprint at GP Plouay last year.

Besides, GH is now a prologue specialist! 🙂 Several firsts and seconds in the last two years.

Bro Deal said:

The two characteristics Hincapie lacks are tactical savvy and luck.

George's "smart tactical move" and "a little bit of luck".

save_ferris said:

George's "smart tactical move" and "a little bit of luck".

lol the bunch sprint in the middle of stage 2?! ahahaahahahhaaha shut up.

Catabolic_Jones said:

Well, the problem with George is that he is just lacking so slightly in the two characteristics than can get you a classics win: both his sprint, and his sustained TT are not quite at that level of, say, a Boonen, or a Cancellara. So if he gets to the finish with a few other guys, chances are he's going to be outsprinted; and if he tries to break early, chances are he won't sustain.

That's just my .02, and he's been so close so many times you'd have to think this could be his year. He would need, luck, IMO, to do it, however.

True all that, but had he not torn the handlebars off his Trek this year, he would have won Paris-Roubaix. Had he not won, it would have been laughable. I can't remember a rider perched so solidly in the catbird's seat at PR. If Disco loads up for the classics with Hincapie as their No.1 goto, he'll win a classic.

It all depends on how Disco retools.

I think he needs to rethink which classics he shoots for - nothing but bad luck in the spring... maybe he's better suited for the Ardennes or Lombardia - plus next year he'll have Levi to help get him in position for the final selection...

BWAHHHAHHAHAA, I just peed my pants laughing.

In this months ProCycling there is a interview with Hincapie from his home in the US... the boy must earn some serious cash.. his house in massive and he has a SUV with seven flat screen TV's ! The interview his laughable in most parts because he still thinks he was hard done by in Flanders and Roubaix but said that he has signed a non-disclosure agreement with Trek which means he can't talk about what happened to his bike... he said that they gave him a 30 page report on what happened but he cannot talk about it.. apart from to say it was "a comedy of errors"......... he said he won’t take 2007 as seriously as 2006 because he was very strict on his eating and achcol intake and it didn’t amount to much. He now wants to enjoy life and cycling again….. interesting but he still is a whack job….

Bro Deal said:

The two characteristics Hincapie lacks are tactical savvy and luck. If everything came together he could win a classic. I think he would have won P-R this year without his mechanical.
He has shown more fire in the belly this year. With the team all but eviscerated, he will be going it alone next year.

He's got the tactical savvy, especially with the ear-bud in his ear. He also has luck, but its all bad.
Yeah, I think he would have taken P-R this year, but George is like my beloved Chicago Cubs....Well, maybe next year.

WBT...I guess that after you sign a non-disclosure pact with TREK, you can afford SUVs with flat-screens.

Yes...I'm pulling for him to win PR in the Natl Champ jersey.

chuckice said:

Yes...I'm pulling for him to win PR in the Natl Champ jersey.

Thanks chuckice, do you have any other intelligent thought provoking comments for the forum ?

whiteboytrash said:

Thanks chuckice, do you have any other intelligent thought provoking comments for the forum ?

🙄 Sure...but what's to say? He's been damn close several times...the stories are well known. Why would we think that he'll be anything but prepared to get close again. Does anyone feel that he can't win? I would think not...so he has a great shot assuming he's at similar fitness as the past few years. Thus, I hope/think luck will be on his side this year and I'm pulling for him to win it in the S&S jersey.

George has had so much bad luck over the years that I think you have to start to wonder if it is bad luck or just a lack of tactical nous (I obviously discount his handle bars breaking or maybe he gripped them too tight, ha ha).

Over the years George has quite a few incidents of looking a possibility as a winner and then being in the wrong place, not going with the right move, etc.

At the end of the day, maybe that's what differentiates a team leader from a domestique.

save_ferris said:

George's "smart tactical move" and "a little bit of luck".

This "move" was so overrated! Any moron could figure out that if they grabbed the points they'd be in yellow. Not only that, Bruyneel was no doubt in his ear telling him to do it. George never goes with the right break and seems to lack the "killer instinct" to be a big winner. I'd like to see it but I'd be surprised if Hincapie wins a classic next season.

Remeber how many people were certain George would win Le Tour? 😄

El Loto said:

Remeber how many people were certain George would win Le Tour? 😄

I think its always been wishful thinking. You got a guy who has worked hard for someone else and all of a sudden he steps (or is pushed) out of the shadow and into the limelight.
Look at Jens Voigt and the Tour of Germany.😄 😄 During the grands, he does whatever it takes to get his leader to the line. Its good to see someone like that, or Hincapie, take a winner's jersey.