Hincape Signing For T-Mobile

squired

My brother just sent this across to me - not sure what the source is, but you have to love the bits about Armstrong and Vaughters.

Hincapie has signed for two years with T-Mobile. He described the offer as "irrefusable".

Armstrong says he considers himself "betrayed"

Curiously, Team Slipstream director Jon Vaughters (former teammate of Hincapie) has said "This is a surprise not because hes leaving but because i always was sure he wasnt playing fair if you know what I mean".

iainf72

Don't think JV would say that because there was talk of him going to Slipstream.

drenkrom

Wow! If Vaughters trully said that, talk about being a sourpuss. It was no secret he wanted Big George on his team, so it must not have been too much of an issue for him back then. That would blow up any plans of an Armstrong/Andreu/Hincapie/Vaughters "good ol' days" pint at the pub.

If the quote is true, of course.

mangaman

Mind you I kind've agree with Vaughters..

(ducks for cover)

iainf72

In addition, it's not the kind of thing JV would say IMO. He tends to be a bit more mature about dopage.

Have I mentioned he walked past me on Saturday? ( I think)

jimmythecuckoo

He did become a contender in the mountains overnight I suppose.


Why would Lance feel betrayed. He needs to get over himself and accept that a rider like Hincapie who is coming to the end of his top level career is going to chase (and accept) the best financial offer.

Shame though, the 2008 Slipstream tour team was beginning to look tasty if you were going to include him.

bigdawg

the only story I can find about hincapie and t-mobile is cycling news dated june, and it was only a rumour preceeding the slipstream stories.

At the moments I'll put this down to LeQuipe style journalism....(hear a rumour and just make the rest up!)

Echappee

squired wrote:

Curiously, Team Slipstream director Jon Vaughters (former teammate of Hincapie) has said "This is a surprise not because hes leaving but because i always was sure he wasnt playing fair if you know what I mean".

I think would relate to perhaps a 'gentlemans agreement' about Hincapie joining JV's team for 2008 and now going back on the deal.

Contract negotiations are dog-eat-dog

knedlicky

It's possible Hincapie might have signed for T-Mobile rather than Slipstream, because Hincapie in some respects has 'gone native'.
This is one of the reasons why Lemond became popular in Continental Europe, and one of the reasons why Armstrong didn't.

ricadus

I thought Armstrong was quoted as considering himself "betrayed" when Kevin Livingston ended up joining Ullrich's Telekom team: he'd planned to leave U.S. Postal to join Linda McCartney team, but of course that went up in smoke and Telekom was a last chance option.

I suspect the rumour mill has mashed up old facts and new speculations....

Stark.

Assuming it's not just a rumour, and putting aside all the bits about betrayals and gentlemen's agreements, what do people think about the proposed move to T-Mobile? Personally, I think he'd be an immensely experienced addition to a youthful team.

iainf72

Starkpro wrote:

Assuming it's not just a rumour, and putting aside all the bits about betrayals and gentlemen's agreements, what do people think about the proposed move to T-Mobile? Personally, I think he'd be an immensely experienced addition to a youthful team

I think it's an interesting move. I can well understand him looking around because Discovery haven't secured a new sponsor yet and this is the time to sign up to a new team.

He could just be doing it to ride out his career - T-Mobile pay well and don't expect much from their riders (I can't think of a nice way to phrase it)

However, Slipstream would be a better bet, IMO. Dave Z is announcing where he's going next Monday, so maybe George will too?

Moose11

I dont see what Armstrong is getting at, that side of cycling is a business and hincapie has a right to get the best deal for himself. If Armstrong and Discovery wanted to keep him so much they could have matched the offer. Besides hincapie has given some good service to Disco over the years.

bigdawg

I still can find no news of this anywhere on bthe web..., i'd pretty much take those comments as made up, and if JV thought Hincape didnt play straight why did he want him for his team.

Would be a good move, but cant see them incorparating the stars and stripes in the telecom kit...

knedlicky

In mid-June, 4 days after the rumour appeared in Cycling-News, a cycling website in Switzerland claimed that the deal between T-Mobile and Hincapie was now settled. They didn't state their source of info.

Apparently, Devolder (new Belgian National Champion) is also possibly going from Discovery to T-Mobile, because of disagreements with Discovery management.

aarw

Apparently T-Mobile do pay well but did i not hear that slipstream had a very big pot now too?

ricadus

Apparently, Devolder (new Belgian National Champion) is also possibly going from Discovery to T-Mobile, because of disagreements with Discovery management.

Doesn't bode well for Hammond re: the spring classics. Is his contract up for renewal (or non-renewal perhaps) this year?

jimmythecuckoo

Have they got a new sponsor to replace Discovery as yet? The uncertainty if they haven't will be a factor possibly.

esmit208

I AGREEDY......just kidding

bigdawg wrote:

the only story I can find about hincapie and t-mobile is cycling news dated june, and it was only a rumour preceeding the slipstream stories.

At the moments I'll put this down to LeQuipe style journalism....(hear a rumour and just make the rest up!)

HippyFergus

Hmm, I'm not sure if we'll have to look elsewhere for the argyll now...

cougie

If its true - then Lance should just get over it. This emotional blackmail rubbish.

Great rider, but not a nice person.

Does this mean that T Mob think he's a clean rider then ? Thats a good sign.

SteveR_100Milers

I wonder if T-Mobile will even exits this time next year after Sinkiwitz and now Vino. If the chicken is found to have been eating someones elses corn then that might just convince them the whole thing is just too tarnished....

cougie

I hope not.