How the hell can you people talk about George Hincapie winning next years tour?! Sure he can climb, & time trial. Ok, maybe he has as much or more talent & guts than most guys in the tour. BFD!
Do you realize the effect this would have in Europe and more importantly on this forum? It would be the equivalent of Freak-en LA himself winning #8. Do you want to listen to months of “experts” telling you it is absolutely impossible for George to win. What about, “George is not even on the same level as Jan, Vino, or Basso.” Note: I heard Jan is going to be in really great shape for next years race and is really focused
Then, MY GOD, if by some chance the planets line up correctly, and he wins…! George is on epo, George only focused on the tour, George had a great team around him, Jan & Vino did not work together, CSC was not strong enough for Basso, Jan wasn’t 100%, It was actually Lance who had an extreme make-over to look like George. It would never end.
But seriously…George is great. But winning the TDF not a chance. His climbing has improved but being good enough to when the TDF.
During the stage he won (impressive as it was) he sat at the back of the breakaway group for most of the ride. He didn’t have to work (and wasn’t expected to) because his guy was in the yellow. Realistically if he had to work as much as the other guys in the group on that day, he probably wouldn’t have won.
Geroge should take a page out of Jan’s book and spend the next 4 months eating brats and drinking lagers while he spends a minimum of an hour a day practicing making anguished yet determined expressions. It is OK to be dropped as long as you can convince the crowd that you are “reaching deep into your suitcase of courage.”
During the stage he won (impressive as it was) he sat at the back of the breakaway group for most of the ride. He didn’t have to work (and wasn’t expected to) …
That is one of the dumbest, and oft-repeated, things said during the TdF. “Oh Mr X didn’t have to do any work.” That’s insane. On a pancake flat stage, OK, fine, you’d do 1/3 less work hanging on the back. But wasn’t that stage rather hilly? There is a heck of a lot less benefit to sitting on when the road rises, especially when the road is steep and your power output is high already. The effect of riding behind someone else becomes more psychological than anything else.
Sherwin and Roll were HUGE offenders, especially Roll. They had that absolutely wrong. Constantly.
Your not taking it easy on a climb, that’s for sure, BUT if your a cyclist, you know it’s much easier to follow a wheel up a climb then to be on the front. It’s not easier physically but it sure helps mentally. It’s the same when you have the race leader’s jersey, somehow you are able to ride above yourself. It’s all mental.
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That is one of the dumbest, and oft-repeated, things said during the TdF. “Oh Mr X didn’t have to do any work.” That’s insane.
I totally agree, it’s as if no one here on the forum has ever ridden up a mountain. There is a little mental pacing effect, probably about the same as running behind someone. But if that person “pulling?” you up the mountain is 5% better than you, then you are dropped. On the flats it definately is a different story, no gravity to deal with, so aerodynamics play a much bigger role, but up a 10% grade, it’s every one lined up accordinng to climbing abilities. It just seems to most that there is a distinct advantage, when we watch it on tv and listen to the two talking heads. But reality is that all the 5 or 6 guys climbing in a line are just about the same ability. The guy pushing the pace usually isn’t going 100% (unless attacking), so the others can redline it a bit to hang on through the tough parts, so as to get the advantage later, in the easier parts…
OK. I’m about the biggest Hincapie fan out there. I don’t think George could win. But he’s good enough to lead a team - especially if he improves as much as he did this year. That said, Salvodelli would rather concentrate on the Giro and most everyone agrees that Popo needs one more year, so Discovery may be an option. That would be good because the Disco team is full of loyal talent. If given his own team, a top 5 finish would not be at all out of the question.
We are getting off the topic, but I agree with you (seriously). When climbing mountains with a group I prefer to be in the front. When someone stronger pulls you are going to suffer big time, unlike the flats when you can easily draft.
There is a heck of a lot less benefit to sitting on when the road rises, especially when the road is steep and your power output is high already. The effect of riding behind someone else becomes more psychological than anything else.