Hincapie in Yellow - TDF '06
It's still early but it looks like U.S. cycling has started another chapter, a positive one at that, with George Hincapie becoming the first American since Lance Armstrong to don the yellow jersey. The French must really be stinging from this; however, they did get the first stage victory of this years tour with Jimmy Casper of Cofidis taking the stage into Stasbourg.
I've watched the Tour for years, going back to the weekend coverage that the U.S networks provided back in the 1970's, which usually encapsulated the three-week race into a one or two hour time capsule. Although coverage was sparse, I was always intriqued by the ability of the riders to undertake what I perceived as one of the most daunting challenges in sport.
It was only years later that I came to fully grasp the intricacies of the Tour, i.e. the aspect of the race within the race. No longer was it just a multi-stage road race with a sole winner; the man with fastest time to arrive in Paris. It was now about all of the nuances that make up the tour. In layman's terms it is the battles that exist inside the war. And no example better describes this point than what took place yesterday to put George in Yellow.
During a stage of the Tour there are places out on the road where individuals can pick up sprint points. Sprints points are typically awarded (1st 6 pts, 2nd 4 pts, and 3rd 2 pts) to the first three riders to cross the designated line. Along with each of the points comes time bonuses, which match the number of sprint points. If you come in first at a particular sprint location you would get 6 points added to your sprint total and a 6 second time bonus, i.e. time that is shaved off of your overall time. Ultimately, the one with the largest total of accumulated sprint points, the points leader, wears the green jersey during the next stage to denote his dominance of the sprints.
After the prologue on Saturday, George Hincapie and Thor Hushovd, had the same time going into the first stage. Out on the road, the peloton had caught up with all but one rider, who had broken away earlier in the day. With a sprint location looming up ahead, Hincapie broke out of the saddle and accelerated for the line. Fortunately, one of Thor's Credit Agricole teammates was able to catch George's move and beat him to the sprint line but not before the damage was done. With George crossing the sprint point in third place he had moved two points ahead of Thor and would wear the Maillot Jaune, the yellow jersey, for the first time in his career.
Congratulations George and thanks for bringing some excitement to this years race, especially considering the turmoil.
Now I'm off for a ride...