Road Bike Racing - The most over-rated rider...

let me just say that i have immense respect for george hincapie. he is the gregario's gregario, the ultimate super-domestique... but all of the hype around his being a great classics rider -- spawned by phil and paul and the us media -- is a bit much!

he's always tipped to win this or that race -- usually a monument like paris-roubaix -- yet he consistently fails to do anything out of the ordinary. he was tipped as a favourite in the worlds, and he finished, what, thirty-third, or something?

every spring is supposed to be his spring, the season when he will finally fulfill his postential, and every spring he chokes. this year, admitedly, it was the virus, but in previous years, as paul sherwen follows him with camera and mic to the roubaix showers [or whatever], it has always been "it just wasn't my race."

let's face it. this guy has won a single major european race. he is not a player. he does not have potential. he is not in the same league as zabel and astarloa and van petegem, or even hamilton. he is a great domestique, not a great champion.

I tend to agree with you. Physically he has the ability to win the classics. Mentally he's never quite able to do it.

Another rider who frustrates me is Davide Rebellin. Yeah, he's won some big races but he hasn't done much in the last two years even though he almost always seems to be in the winning breaks.

Do you think one of those classics guys would trade for being on five consecutive Tour winning teams?

If he was not any good, he would not be on Postal.

If he can finish a Tour, that puts him ahead of a lot of guys.

I don't know that anyone said he wasn't any good. Just overrated. He's a domestique who tries to be a winning classics rider and it never quite works out for him.

Amazing how defensive people are of anything Postal.

I knew this was gonna be about George Hincapie :p

I don't know that anyone said he wasn't any good. Just overrated. He's a domestique who tries to be a winning classics rider and it never quite works out for him.

Amazing how defensive people are of anything Postal.

Overrated by whom?

What do you expect him to do? Go out and try not to win races? He's been competitive, just not good enough to win. All I've ever heard is that he's a very good rider that, given the right circumstances could win a day race or even a classic.

Like lot's of other guys.

It could be worse...he could be one of those guys that just sort of slinks into the team car and quits the race. Like Cippolini, or Petacchi.

Just because he's not Museeuw does not make him overrated.

No defense...it was stated he's overrated and I am asking a question...who overrates him?

Look, Postal's not set up for classics. It's a Grand tour team. That's why Lotto-Domo's non-existent in GT's and Postal struggles in Classics.

So what? George does his job. That's what he gets paid for.

I was thinking the same thing after watching the Worlds, and listening to them talk about Hincapie.
But again... I'm sure that all that grand tour riding puts a little wear on his ability in the classics. If he was around a team that focused on having him race the classics, I'm sure he would fare better.
As usual, defining 'over-rated' gets a bit complicated, and silly sometimes.

No defense...it was stated he's overrated and I am asking a question...who overrates him?
phil and paul, and the postal hype machine and the american media who trumpet him as a great classics contender.

No defense...it was stated he's overrated and I am asking a question...who overrates him?
.

As velocipedio said, every year there's hype about George winning races. By who? The cycling press.

There was even a lot of talk of him winning the worlds. As Brent said, George did two major tours and a lot of work for team leaders. Too much work to really give 100%.

I don't know that anyone said he wasn't any good. Just overrated. He's a domestique who tries to be a winning classics rider and it never quite works out for him.

I pretty much agree. I think he's a cut above most support riders, but can't quite pull it off when annointed "the leader." He's also been accused of blowing tactical decisions that cost him races. I don't know whether he's promoting himself, or whether he's being pushed forward as the best candidate for some races to further sponsorship issues, and keep the posties on the cycling radar screen during various parts of the season.

Finally, I have a great amount of respect for the guy. He just quietly does a great job, doesn't whine around or hunt the spotlight. Race results rarely tell the real story... most victories come on the back of riders like George.

In my opinion, maybe David Millar is a better candidate... a legend in his own mind.

the difference, of course, is that while millar is an obnoxious, spoiled upper-class whinger, he wins races.

I've always wondered why Hincapie is the one who gets the big Carnac ad on the back cover of Procycling or Cycle Sport. I've come to the conclusion that the situation is much like a catch 22: he's a pretty popular domestique so he's worth signing as the poster boy for Carnac, and he becomes more popular as he gets more shiny big pictures on the covers (ok, the back cover...) of magazines.

I think a lot has to do with the fact that he's good friends with Lance and LA always seems to thank him for the help (probably for a good reason). But I'm still wondering, is he as popular in Europe as he is in the States? What makes him more popular that other domestiques who also work pretty hard for their leaders (one example that comes to mind is Lombardi always being the leadout man for Cipo)?

I don't mean to question Hincapie's role on the team, he is definitely one of the hardest workers. I'm just wondering about the source for his popularity...

I do not know Hincapie's potential but obviously he hasn't had much success in the Classics and he is consistently touted as Postal's "Classic leader." Not a real strong US team though. The, I guess soon to be former, Saturn riders are strong in the US but the WC isn't a Div. II race even if the majority of the big names didn't show.

LA said awhile ago that USPS riders are in a hard spot for races before July. If you get ready for the Spring Classics you might be past your peak come Tour time and miss out riding there. Not only do you miss out on the prestige of riding for the Yellow Jersey but you also miss out on an awful lot of money and these guys do this for their living.

Of course the WC is not a Spring Classicand Hincapie did leave the Vuelta early to prepare for it.......

Hincappie gets the big Carnac ad for one simple reason. Carnac wants to sell to the American market. What other American rider on an major team team wears Carnac? I don't think the ad would have the impact and potential draw that it does if it had a rider form say Jelly Belly or Ofoto.

frankie andreu was the big carnac poster boy in the us before hincapie.

Where is Frankie now? Like I said what other big name American rider is in Carnac's. I would almost guarantee you that they tried Lance first but he was unwilling to break the Nike contract.
Lets face it, at this time how many big North American names are out there in the "Big Leagues"? After Lance who do you most think of besides Hincappie? Please don't tell me Freddy Rodriguez.

Tyler Hamilton

Wait, didn't Hincapie win Ghent-Wevelgem (sp?)?

He's talked up by the press because he does have the ability to win some classics. But his job is to get Armstrong to Paris in yellow every year until Armstrong retires. He's too valuable in the Tour to put much into the early season. That team is totally dedicated to getting Armstrong in yellow. If LA wins a sixth next year, I'd love to see USPS focus more on the classics. Even in the classics, you need a team around you. Remember all of those Mapei podiums we had every once in a while for three or four years? That was a team that someone like Hincapie could have won classics for. But who will the average cycling fan remember in 10 years, the guy that helped the Lion of Flanders win another classic or the pretty boy that helped Armstrong win 5, maybe 6, Tours de France?

Alright, before anyone springs the Heras defense, I'd say that grand tour winners and classics winners are different breeds. Besides, Heras spent a lot of this year's Tour de France off the back. Anyone think maybe Postal was playing some cards at that point to help set up the Vuelta or was he really hurting?

And, yes, the guy thought of after Armstrong is, without a doubt, Hamilton. I was surprised he could stay on the saddle with balls that big.

If LA wins a sixth next year, I'd love to see USPS focus more on the classics.

If LA wins a 6th, I think he will retire soon after that. If Lance is gone, there is little incentive for USPS to continue to sponsor the team, since the team will not have the same visibility in the States. Unfortunately, I don't see the team continuing too long after Lance retires, which is unfortunate because I think they can still get some respectable results.

To bring it back on topic, this could also mean that some of the guys who waited in Lance's shadow may get a chance to win a race here and there, maybe on another team. I just hope it's not too late for guys like Hincapie...

Nope, IMHO Georgie is underated.

If LA wins a 6th, I think he will retire soon after that.


I'll bet ya he won't.

Loser has to create a topic as follows:

------ (the winner) is the greatest forum member ever!

:D :D :D

Nope, IMHO Georgie is underated.
so... aside from ghent-wevelgem, once, what has he won?

so... aside from ghent-wevelgem, once, what has he won?

Talent is not only what an individual has won but what he can do for his team. What would Cipo be without a superb leadout man. I doubt he'd rack up naerly as many sprint wins.

Hincapie is a solid performer for postal.

No one underestimates his value as a domestique. He's a super domestique who almost has the ability to be a pretty good classics rider. I think he has the physical ability but there's something missing in either his tactics or his will.

Anybody want to take a stab at most underated?

until last weekend, igor astarloa...

As I'm a late attendee to this party I pretty much
agree with whats been said before, George (and no
disrespect to him) is overrated.
Velocipedio, what US media machine? lets face it we are
a fringe sport in the us :D
I think USPS would like to have a classics team but keeps losing riders i.e. Boonen who should have been
leader of classics.
I won't even attempt most underated, there's too many.

Marty

Have people forgotten that Hincapie was one sick puppy earlier in the season? It looked like he might not even make the Tour - so good night to the early spring classics for 2003.
He focussed on making the Postal team for the TdF and I don't think anyone has suggested he didn't deserve to be there. US Postal one the last two Grand Tours in a row and then Hincapie fronted for the Worlds.
As someone said earlier, US Postal has not built itself traditionally for the Classics victories. Their last major indulgence was Boonen who did what - went back to a Belgian Team to learn more about Classics riding.
Sherwin and Ligget appear to be reasonable judges of talent so in a sport when anyone in the Top 200-300 can win on a given day in the classics I'm not sure what over rated and under rated really means anyway.

Wait, didn't Hincapie win Ghent-Wevelgem (sp?)?

He's talked up by the press because he does have the ability to win some classics. But his job is to get Armstrong to Paris in yellow every year until Armstrong retires. He's too valuable in the Tour to put much into the early season. That team is totally dedicated to getting Armstrong in yellow.

Yup ImprezaDrvr, that's it in a nutshell.

Some people simply hate Lance and Postal - that is the underlying theme of this thread. This group generally won't even give Lance respect. You know this demographic, it's the "He's only good in one race!" group. The, "He'll never win 2, erh 3, erh 4, erh 5 Tours" group. Given this attitude toward LA, this group is certainly not going to give LA's boyz the respect they obviously deserve. It's pure human nature for some to beat down the successful - this thread represents that simple truth. :)

I think one reason Hincapie is in the Carnac ad is that he's a very good looking guy!

I agree he's way overhyped. Obviously the US cycling media really WANTS him to be this superstar, but wishing won't make him win.

However, you have to hand it to him. He's done Roubaix what, seven times? ANd he's finished every single time, even if he hasn't won. Even Museeuw didn't finish every time! And even when Hincapie fell into that ditch, he still finished sixth. But even when he starts in top form, if he doesn't win he always says later that he wasn't feeling great.

Anybody want to take a stab at most underated?

Hard to tell really, unless you're in the peloton. The guy at the back is still working his a$$ off - he has more strength than we could muster...
I saw Bobby Julich tugging his front der cable to shift into the large chainring in Hamilton. Strong racer - bad luck.

In my opinion, anybody other than the winner is underated.

He's a bad ass cyclist who has made his living at it on the best American team ever. He has ridden in all of LA's victorys in the TDF...he is an original of the USPS team. He is better than me and probably everyone else posting here...not to mention, a really nice guy...go ride a bike and quit trying to downgrade other folks...