Road Bike Racing - Hincapie talking to T-Mobile?

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/jun07/jun19news

Now there is some intresting news....

:)

would be a good fit there.

would be a good fit there.

I was surprised to see that! What would he gain by going there? I don't follow the details of the various teams, so not sure why he would move. What is your take on it?

im not sure why but id love to see hincapie riding for someone else

im not sure why but id love to see hincapie riding for someone else

Maybe just for a change. He has been with the postal come discovery squad for a long time.

Maybe a change would be just what he needs to have another good spring classics season.

The guy with a lisp riding in pink.......


Just kidding.

i wonder if lance will disown him now like that last postal teammate (forget the name off the top of my head) to go to t-mob. it'll be intersting.

I agree he should move teams.. tmobile wouldnt be that bad of a fit.

i wonder if lance will disown him now like that last postal teammate (forget the name off the top of my head) to go to t-mob. it'll be intersting.

Lance is an ass for getting pissed at riders for leaving the team (if that is the real reason) they worked their asses off for him while on the team.

I was surprised to see that! What would he gain by going there? I don't follow the details of the various teams, so not sure why he would move. What is your take on it?


He'll gain cash, that's just for starters....plus with Discovery folding, it's best to lock away a luctrative deal sooner, rather than later.

T-Mob classics squadra is packed with youngsters at present. George willbe a good influence with bucketloads of experience.

Could do a Stu O'Grady....swap teams, win a classic. Easy as that. :D

Lance is an ass for getting pissed at riders for leaving the team (if that is the real reason) they worked their asses off for him while on the team.

oh, i wasnt trying to justify it, and i think his treatment of defectors is pretty poor too. just noting that of all lance's drones, hincapie was the most loyal.

disco must really be on the down turn if hincapie is leaving..

disco must really be on the down turn if hincapie is leaving..


EVERYONE is leaving.

The sponsorship stops at the end of 07.

He hasn't had much luck with Discovery of late, so maybe a change is just what his career needs. He'll probably get decent terms at T-Mobile too since I'm sure they're keen to have a few old hands to round out what is a very young team these days. Not sure if the sponsorship is such a big factor. After all there's lots of talk about T-Mobile pulling the plug themselves after all of the recent confessions.

Hincapie has always been a favorite. But, is he not like 35. Wonder how many years it will be for.

Hincapie has always been a favorite. But, is he not like 35. Wonder how many years it will be for.

ask ekimov.

ask ekimov.
I had hoped after Lance retired, Hincapie get his due. Particularily how Hincapie encouraged loyatly to Lance. But, then he had that awful crash and Roubaix and his year to shine was ruined.

i wonder if lance will disown him now like that last postal teammate (forget the name off the top of my head) to go to t-mob. it'll be intersting.

Michael Barry.


Perhaps there's the hope that Tmob would build a stronger Spring Classics effort around him (not to say Trek did or did not)...



I had hoped after Lance retired, Hincapie get his due. Particularily how Hincapie encouraged loyatly to Lance. But, then he had that awful crash and Roubaix and his year to shine was ruined.

"Get his due" as in be the GC leader for the Tour? Meh. George just wasn't/isn't cut out to be a contender for the podium...don't get me wrong, he's improved quite a bit in the mountains compared to, say '99/'00 but still, not enough.

I am a little surprised that he could be looking to a new team at his age (he's no Eki and no way could he last as long in the racing circuit as that hammer & sickle)...figured he'd stick with Disco and look to a management position. Perhaps sponsorship efforts for '08 aren't going as well as planned.

Michael Barry.


Perhaps there's the hope that Tmob would build a stronger Spring Classics effort around him (not to say Trek did or did not)...

while barry is indeed on t-mobile, that's not the guy who roadgator meant.

kevin livingston is the one. he left usps to ride for himself at linda mccartney, only to see the team fold before the season started. telekom offered him a lifeline job as Ullrich's domestique, which he took.

armstrong saw this as some personal betrayal. maybe there was more to it (things not reported) than that, but LA's reaction seemed pretty childish at the time. i believe they have reconciled their differences.

Wasn't Livingston supposed to be THE NEXT ARMSTRONG? maybe that's why Lance felt so <<betrayed>>

Wasn't Livingston supposed to be THE NEXT ARMSTRONG? maybe that's why Lance felt so <<betrayed>>

nope.

nope.

i was being slightly facetious :rolleyes:

armstrong saw this as some personal betrayal. maybe there was more to it (things not reported) than that, but LA's reaction seemed pretty childish at the time. i believe they have reconciled their differences.

I believe Lance covered it in "It's Not About the Bike", but I don't remember the details....it was either that one or "Every Second Counts". One of those books.

while barry is indeed on t-mobile, that's not the guy who roadgator meant.

kevin livingston is the one. he left usps to ride for himself at linda mccartney, only to see the team fold before the season started. telekom offered him a lifeline job as Ullrich's domestique, which he took.

Thank you - something wasn't sitting well with me there; couldn't recall any dramatic fallout between Lance and Barry


LA's reaction seemed pretty childish at the time.

Just one of many Lance reactions that seem childish...

....if he moves he'll be throwing away all that free coffee once Starbucks takes over as the new team sponsor in place of Discovery Channel.

....if he moves he'll be throwing away all that free coffee once Starbucks takes over as the new team sponsor in place of Discovery Channel.

a very good reason for him to leave.

a very good reason for him to leave.

Agreed:)

If I recall correctly, T-mobile had a great spring classics season this year and they don't have a great GT leader right now. So maybe the current T-mobile plan is to gear up as a classics team - Hincapie is one more card to play in the classics.

or maybe George is just being smart and making sure he has a plan if his current team fails to secure sponsorship for the 2008 season.

So - is the management group in charge of Disco not finding the sponsor they thought they would? As much as I hate Team Disco, I still think the team completely folding is bad for the sport. It is the one US team (sorry - CSC is not US Team) and having them out there at least gave us hope the sport was still growing in the US.

So if he moves to T-Mobile, what's the over/under for him being the next former Postal Tour rider getting nabbed for doping?

Hamilton
Heras
Landis


......

why would anyone sign Hincapie who hasn't been totally asleep for the last two years?...jury's in, that dawg don't hunt.

why would anyone sign Hincapie who hasn't been totally asleep for the last two years?...jury's in, that dawg don't hunt.
C'mon now, Doc. George was ROBBED of that ENECO Tour of the Benelux title in 2006. Robbed I tells ya!

Now he wants to go to a German squad to enact some revenge on that coward Shumacher for stealing his ENECO Tour title!

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2006/aug06/eneco06/index.php?id=/photos/2006/aug06/eneco06/eneco067/Par888225

;)

....plus with Discovery folding, it's best to lock away a luctrative deal sooner, rather than later.I can't see the [former] Disco team not being able to find a sponsor for 2008 and beyond. They have too much talent and history behind then (albeit, mostly from Lance, IMO) to not have serious contenders vying for the title sponsor position.

why would anyone sign Hincapie who hasn't been totally asleep for the last two years?...jury's in, that dawg don't hunt.

I gotta agree

I gotta agree


Well - he is the reigning US Champion and T-Mobile does race quite a bit in the United States. Maybe he is looking to race closer to home anyways, and this fits in with his goals. He is scrapping hopes of the Grand Tours, and is now trying to focus on where he will be successful in the last remaining years of his career. I can see T-Mobile see this as a potential benefit both because of his experience with a now less experienced T-Mobile squad looking for an identity as well as an American presence. I mean, aside from Lepheimer and Dave Z, who is above Hincapie in terms of current success and overall marketability?

If I recall correctly, T-mobile had a great spring classics season this year and they don't have a great GT leader right now. So maybe the current T-mobile plan is to gear up as a classics team - Hincapie is one more card to play in the classics.

incorrect. they have michael rogers.

why would anyone sign Hincapie who hasn't been totally asleep for the last two years?...jury's in, that dawg don't hunt.

Maybe Discovery paid TMO to take him.

...They have too much talent and history behind then (albeit, mostly from Lance, IMO) to not have serious contenders vying for the title sponsor position.

I hear Oracle wont be very busy for the next 4 years. :p

incorrect. they have michael rogers.

Who is shooting for a top 5 at the TdF. OK, I guess he could be a great GT GC guy, but it is debatable. He is not up there with Vino, Valverde or Sastre.

I can't see the [former] Disco team not being able to find a sponsor for 2008 and beyond. They have too much talent and history behind then (albeit, mostly from Lance, IMO) to not have serious contenders vying for the title sponsor position.

Few sponsors with a spare 12 million euros a year want to touch cycling right now.

I was surprised to see that! What would he gain by going there? I don't follow the details of the various teams, so not sure why he would move. What is your take on it?
He would move because Johan doesn't have a sponsor for next year and GH wants to sign before teams allocate their 2008 budget to other contracts. The funny thing is the Pro Tour charter says you're not supposed to negotiate while riders under contract to other teams, yet most contracts are signed during TdF.

yet most contracts are signed during TdF.


this is why you see Quick Step riders alongside the Rabo car.

Cadel Evans sez the peloton were screaming down a descent once and a directeur was yelling out a window at him if he had signed for the next year....Gold.

Well - he is the reigning US Champion and T-Mobile does race quite a bit in the United States. Maybe he is looking to race closer to home anyways, and this fits in with his goals. He is scrapping hopes of the Grand Tours, and is now trying to focus on where he will be successful in the last remaining years of his career. I can see T-Mobile see this as a potential benefit both because of his experience with a now less experienced T-Mobile squad looking for an identity as well as an American presence. I mean, aside from Lepheimer and Dave Z, who is above Hincapie in terms of current success and overall marketability?
JJ Haedo

So if he moves to T-Mobile, what's the over/under for him being the next former Postal Tour rider getting nabbed for doping?

Hamilton
Heras
Landis


......
You're close, but turn your thinking around 180 degrees.

JJ Haedo
The guy who finished 160th, 77th, 9th, 159th and 10th on Giro SPRINT stages before dropping out? He's ahead of Big George? That's a stretch.

JJ Haedo


JJ Who-do?:D

JJ Haedo

I believe he is actually Argentinian.

I believe he is actually Argentinian.

don't believe, know.

Personally I would not be surprised to see him go. I think Stapleton and Barry have a lot to do with it. I get this feeling that Disco might be one of the next casualties of the doping war. Not saying George was dirty or clean, but making a move to a decidedly (trying to be) clean team makes a statement to me.

As for Disco going at the end of the year...technically yes Discovery will go, but correct me if I am wrong (I am sure someone will) but Disco is actually owned by Tailwind sports, and wasn't Tailwind in some way shape or form originally 7-Eleven, then Motorolla, then Postal/Disco - even if they have only officially been Tailwind for part of that time. (?)

EDIT: I guess what I was trying to say with the last part is that Disco may be gone, but the team will still be around and it will still be an American team by ownership of the managing company. I assume it will be registered in the US as well...regardless of who the title sponsor eventually ends up being.

Personally I would not be surprised to see him go. I think Stapleton and Barry have a lot to do with it. I get this feeling that Disco might be one of the next casualties of the doping war. Not saying George was dirty or clean, but making a move to a decidedly (trying to be) clean team makes a statement to me.

As for Disco going at the end of the year...technically yes Discovery will go, but correct me if I am wrong (I am sure someone will) but Disco is actually owned by Tailwind sports, and wasn't Tailwind in some way shape or form originally 7-Eleven, then Motorolla, then Postal/Disco - even if they have only officially been Tailwind for part of that time. (?)
The sponsors have always been American corporations. Johan is reportedly even talking to Chinese companies now. If the team is no longer "American" there is no diff between them and any other team as far as GH is concerned. My only guess is that he will want to go to a team that speaks predominately English which would leave out most Italian/French/Spanish teams but include CSC, T-Mobile and Saunier-Duval on the extreme outside.