The broken collar bone

I’m sure that’s what George Hincapie was thinking while filming ‘A Ride with George Hincapie’ by Plan A Films, written and directed by Chusy .  The DVD is broken down into three chapters:  Backpedaling, Cresting and Dismounting. 

The Backpedaling chapter sifts through the early days of George’s life weaving a story from his parents coming to America into his days with Motorola.  There is some great 80’s footage in there showing both George and his brother Rich when they used to race together on amateur teams. 

Cresting starts the viewer off asking George about his typical training day and slowly evolves into exploring his psyche of the current day.  There’s a bit of bashing in this chapter from friends and commentators about Hincapie’s laid back style.  This is one of the draws to his persona I believe everyone is attracted to for this rider.  This portion of the DVD also explores his many attempts at winning the Queen of the Classics, Paris-Roubaix,  and how that laid back persona may be killing his chances at a win.  I don’t think the persons who were talking about George’s laid back style ever saw the 2003 Paris-Roubaix footage from ‘Road to Paris’ wherein while traversing the forest of Arenberg cobble section George flats.  You can hear George yelling in the radio mic while Johann Bruyneel is attempting to console him. 

The last section, Dismounting, covers what George hopes to do after the bike.  Such topics as kids, his wife and his partnership in the sportswear business is covered.  How he feels about introducing his kids to the sport, how he proposed to his wife and finishing up with how he wants to be remembered in the sport.  There’s one blurb in this portion which goes over Mapei’s interest in George during the early part of the millenium.

I just got the email about the DVD being available two days ago and immediately ordered it.  It hit my doorstep last night and I loaded it up this morning.  The DVD feels a little bit like Road to Paris, but has it’s own character to it that sets it apart.  The film affords for multiple viewings as I’m sure it’ll be used to look back on during the twilight years of George’s cycling career.  This DVD does what no other interviewer has been able to do before,  sit down with George Hincapie and really listen to what he has to say…even if you have to prod the crap out of him to get it out.

A Ride with George Hincapie is available for purchase at the Hincapie Sports website.

This past weekend was a first of floggings that I’ll submit to over the next four or so months until the end of the season.  Due to my mid-day start I didn’t have a good lunch, but had to resort to an on bike lunch which is just tasty enough to be a thick paste going down.  Subsequently the digestive system gets all jacked up, but I do have a good workout.  The resulting digestive system necessitates the morning and afternoon bathroom visits.  I’m a huge fan of the '’fresh bowl” visit.  I think it stems from the years I spent balancing one cheek on an entrenching tool, leaning against a tree in the middle of a Bavarian forest, makeshift toilets out of MRE boxes, squatting in the Spanish Army barracks in Madrid, balancing on two 6x6’s in the middle of the Madrid mesa, grabbing leaves in the ranges of Fulda.  Now I get to fluff my white and pasty on a fresh bowl with two strategically placed pieces of TP, of which who are we kidding don’t do anything, but are a relief to the Id.  I guess it’s like race day morning when you’re stacked 12 deep waiting on two porta-johns of which have the Waffle House visit nearly cresting the horseshoe skid.  Couple that with a mélange of minty, blue choke-aroma and you’ve got me Jack Nicholson washing my hands and pining for my fresh bowl.