04 February 2014

Photo for the Day - George

George Hincapie is writing a book

I'll just remember George this way

I want to know the first thought that came into your head when your first read that sentence. Mine was, uuuhh well that won't be too interesting. Then I thought, well as long as George's doesn't read the audio version, a few copies might sell. George Hincapie is not exactly a colorful personality, he was a hard working cyclist who did his job for years.

What insight or interest could come from such a book? No way can it be fully honest. No way will it shed significant light on how, who, or why.  I suppose the book might have an ounce of succees if it can convey a voice behind the stoic persona, the man who covered up so much for so many years. I enjoy reading prose by Mark Cavendish because he is as personally charged an individual as his sprints for the line. But big George Hincapie sort of lumbered along silently all those years.

To me George Hincapie symbolized the rise and fall (and dead in the water) of professional cycling. After being inspired by George to take up road cycling myself in 2001, I don't believe the damage to the sport of cycling by cheating is behind us, nor am I over being miffed. Rather than dragging this all up once again, let us focus our disgust on Lance Armstrong.

I think George should put his effort into his gran fondo and continental and junior cycling where he can do some good. What good will come from a continuing battle with Betsy Andreau? No man can take on Betsy!

The "George is writing a book" announcement from Laura Weislo of Cycling News yesterday was however entertaining, I enjoyed the tweets by NYVelocity


Or the remark from a friend of mine (Mon Ami):

If he is actually writing the book it will have a lot of pictures and be 5 pages long
"I ride bikes"
"I am skinny"
"I am skinny because I ride bikes"
"I took drugs when I rode bikes"
The End...

The Book

The Loyal Lieutenant by George Hincapie and Craig Hummer. (Jun 24, 2014). The book is not out yet, but I already dislike the cover. Amazon claims the book is "stunningly candid."



I have so many photographs of George Hincapie over the years. He certainly has been a part of cycling history, and that makes me somewhat sad, especially since he still willingly ties himself to Lance Armstrong. Loyalty is one thing, a fresh start would be a better thing.

Photos of George


The first one
The close-up
The family one
George's last Tour de France in 2012
The race one
The he never won on the cobbles one (at Paris Roubaix 2012)
The fan one
The silly smile one
The looking cool one
The retirement one
The I think he should have just kept modeling one ...
(I didn't take this picture) I took all the ones above.

I won't be reading the book (unless George himself reads it out loud during nap time).