Hincapie's attention shifts from yellow to gold

By Ann Green

Gannett News Service

ATHENS, Greece -- Last month, George Hincapie raced through the streets of Paris as one of Lance Armstrong's trusted lieutenants on Armstrong's historic quest to win a sixth Tour de France yellow jersey.

On Saturday, the Greenville, S.C., resident will pursue Olympic gold through the streets of Athens.

But don't look for the four-time Olympian at tonight's opening ceremonies.

``It's a long day with the opening ceremonies,'' Hincapie said. ``It takes six or seven hours total, and the race is very hard the next day. It's better to stay home and rest.''

Hincapie, 31, is on a U.S. cycling team that includes Tour de France veterans Tyler Hamilton, Bobby Julich and Levi Leipheimer and domestic circuit rider Jason McCartney.

They will be in a field of 145 riders competing in a single-day, 224.4 km (139.4 miles) road race. The course, 17 laps on a 13.2 km circuit, includes a scenic Acropolis section and features lots of narrow roads and sharp turns.

With Armstrong bowing out of the Olympics to spend time with his children, Hincapie is seen as a solid contender for gold in the road race, especially with his talent for single-day events.

But with a tricky course, he noted, ``It's a lottery. You need a lot of luck, and I hope I've recovered from the Tour. I hope I have good enough legs to get that medal.''

Hincapie, who finished 33rd in the 2004 Tour de France, is the only U.S. Postal team member to have been with Armstrong for all six of his victories.

At the Olympics, Hincapie's best performance was eighth in the road race at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

The son of Colombian parents, Hincapie was born in Queens, N.Y. His father raced bikes, as did his older brother, Rich, who calls Greenville home and was responsible for introducing the area to Hincapie.

These days the Hincapie brothers work together in Hincapie Sportswear, a cycling apparel company started by Rich. George is technical supervisor to the company.

Besides a home in Greenville, Hincapie keeps a one-room loft in Girona, Spain, for training and racing in Europe.

He said he hasn't been in Greenville since May but should be back in about two weeks.

According to the U.S. Olympic Team's official biography of Hincapie, he ``enjoys driving around in his BMW M5'' when he's home in South Carolina. Hincapie confirmed that he still has the car.

Next year will be one of major changes for one of cycling's most photogenic bachelors.

Hincapie said that he and his French fiancee are expecting a baby girl in November, and they are planning their wedding for a year from October.

``We're both very excited,'' he said. ``It's something I've always wanted. I have pretty much everything I want, but it's the one thing I've missed -- a family, wife and child.''