George Hincapie set to face his mate Lance Armstrong at TDU
Schmidthouse
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http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 59,00.html
GEORGE Hincapie - an 11-time Tour de France rider - has almost done it all in cycling. But something new awaits at the Tour Down Under.
Hincapie, from the US, will be riding against his friend and long-term teammate Lance Armstrong for the first time.
So, is that strange?
"That's definitely been the question of the day since I arrived yesterday," Hincapie told AdelaideNow today at the Tour Down Under Village before joining Team Columbia for a training ride.
For Tour Down Under news and action, visit our TDU Supersite
"Everyone (has been) asking what it's going to be like - it's going to be very strange, very odd for me.
"We have a lot of history together but at the same time we're both professionals and we have a job to do so we'll do the best we can at that."
Armstrong won't have many tricks his fellow American hasn't seen – five-time Olympian Hincapie played a pivotal role in all seven of Armstrong's Tour de France victories.
He's also the only rider to ever be on a Tour de France winning team for eight seasons in a row and is the only American to win the Ghent-Wevelgem and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne classics.
This year he is part of a powerhouse team at the Tour Down Under, led by 2008 dominator Andre Greipel.
Hincapie says the big man has an excellent chance of repeating his triumph.
"I think he's got a great shot, he's in great shape," Hincapie said.
"We had camp already in December in Spain and he was looking really fit there, I'm sure he wants to repeat but we also have other if he can't do it - we have Michael Rogers, and Adam Hansen - myself and this is my first race for the year, I'm not sure where my fitness is but I'm very excited and enthusiastic to be here."
Of course, in the 2009 Tour Down Under the course isn't the only big challenge to overcome.
"The Lance factor is unknown; nobody knows how strong he is, everybody hears that he's really strong - but even if Lance is at his best, this is really not his type of race, so I don't know if he's going to be one of the favourites anyhow."
GEORGE Hincapie - an 11-time Tour de France rider - has almost done it all in cycling. But something new awaits at the Tour Down Under.
Hincapie, from the US, will be riding against his friend and long-term teammate Lance Armstrong for the first time.
So, is that strange?
"That's definitely been the question of the day since I arrived yesterday," Hincapie told AdelaideNow today at the Tour Down Under Village before joining Team Columbia for a training ride.
For Tour Down Under news and action, visit our TDU Supersite
"Everyone (has been) asking what it's going to be like - it's going to be very strange, very odd for me.
"We have a lot of history together but at the same time we're both professionals and we have a job to do so we'll do the best we can at that."
Armstrong won't have many tricks his fellow American hasn't seen – five-time Olympian Hincapie played a pivotal role in all seven of Armstrong's Tour de France victories.
He's also the only rider to ever be on a Tour de France winning team for eight seasons in a row and is the only American to win the Ghent-Wevelgem and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne classics.
This year he is part of a powerhouse team at the Tour Down Under, led by 2008 dominator Andre Greipel.
Hincapie says the big man has an excellent chance of repeating his triumph.
"I think he's got a great shot, he's in great shape," Hincapie said.
"We had camp already in December in Spain and he was looking really fit there, I'm sure he wants to repeat but we also have other if he can't do it - we have Michael Rogers, and Adam Hansen - myself and this is my first race for the year, I'm not sure where my fitness is but I'm very excited and enthusiastic to be here."
Of course, in the 2009 Tour Down Under the course isn't the only big challenge to overcome.
"The Lance factor is unknown; nobody knows how strong he is, everybody hears that he's really strong - but even if Lance is at his best, this is really not his type of race, so I don't know if he's going to be one of the favourites anyhow."
There's no time for hesitating.
Pain is ready, pain is waiting.
Primed to do it's educating.
Pain is ready, pain is waiting.
Primed to do it's educating.
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