George Hincapié Garcés (born June 29, 1973 in
Queens, New York City) is an American professional
road bicycle racer residing in Greenville, South
Carolina.
He is often seen as a key domestique of the
seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong.
However, Hincapie does have several important wins
of his own, including Gent-Wevelgem in 2001 and
Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne in 2005. Also in 2005,
Hincapie took two stage wins at Dauphiné Libéré and
2nd place at Paris-Roubaix. He is always considered
one of the favorites for Paris-Roubaix and the Ronde
van Vlaanderen. In 2005 he also had his first stage
win in the Tour de France. On July 17, 2005 he
finished seven seconds ahead of Óscar Pereiro to win
stage 15. Hincapie finished 5:03 ahead of the race
favorites including teammate and eventual race
winner, Lance Armstrong.
His father, a Colombian, introduced him to cycling,
and his first race training was in New York City's
Central Park. Hincapie is married to former runway
model and Tour de France podium girl Melanie
Simonneau, and they had their first child, daughter
Julia Paris, on November 3, 2004.
In 2004, Hincapie launched his own line of
sportswear with his brother Richard.
Hincapie is the only rider who rode with Lance
Armstrong in each of his seven Tour de France
victories. Hincapie won his first Tour de France
stage on July 17, 2005 in stage 15 from
Lézat-sur-Lèze to Pla d'Adet. It was the first stage
won by a teammate of Lance Armstrong since 1999, and
it was Hincapie's first stage win in 10 Tours.
Hincapie placed 32nd in the 2006 Tour de France,
finishing one hour, 11 minutes, 14 seconds behind
Tour winner (contested) Floyd Landis.
In recent years Hincapie has shown a talent for
short individual time trials (ITTs), winning the
prologue at the 2005 Dauphiné Libéré, placing second
three times and third once in prologues in 2006
(including at the Tour de France), and placing
second in the short ITT at Three Days of De Panne.
He also won the ITT at the Eneco Tour of Benelux in
2006 and placed fourth in two longer ITTs that year.
Hincapie will ride for Team High Road during the
2008 season, departing Discovery Channel Pro Cycling
Team shortly before it disbanded. He is easily
distinguished from the pack by his large size (6'
3", 191cm) and Oakley sunglasses.
