Tommeke, 2006 RVV...and a disappointed Hincapie
Richmond Racer
Posts: 8,561
Claim from Michael Barry as per his latest and sole work of (presumably) non-fiction:
One of our teammates, Leif Hoste, made the race winning attack with the key rival Tom Boonen, whose defeat had been the focus of our team meetings. Immediately they cooperated, forging a gap ahead of George and the others.
As I watched the scenario unfold, the riders spoke for a few moments together and then with our directeur who followed in the team car. It was apparent that a deal had been made, with George left out, his legs strong enough to win but his hands tied by shady racing tactics and back room deals.
When the race ended Boonen, our rival, stood on the top step of the podium with my teammates on either side. George didn't smile as the photographers' shutters snapped. Money had likely determined the outcome, as it does in far too many races, merely adding to the corruption of the sport.
The thought of Hincapie's face is too much....
One of our teammates, Leif Hoste, made the race winning attack with the key rival Tom Boonen, whose defeat had been the focus of our team meetings. Immediately they cooperated, forging a gap ahead of George and the others.
As I watched the scenario unfold, the riders spoke for a few moments together and then with our directeur who followed in the team car. It was apparent that a deal had been made, with George left out, his legs strong enough to win but his hands tied by shady racing tactics and back room deals.
When the race ended Boonen, our rival, stood on the top step of the podium with my teammates on either side. George didn't smile as the photographers' shutters snapped. Money had likely determined the outcome, as it does in far too many races, merely adding to the corruption of the sport.
The thought of Hincapie's face is too much....
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Very interesting. I wouldnt have thought Boonen would buy races.Contador is the Greatest0
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andyp wrote:
Hoste should look more cheerful than that, given the likely euros heading to him*
*assuming Barry's correct, obvs0 -
So, having made it their main goal to beat Tom Boonan, and having got in a position to do just that,
they then decided to do a quick sell out, instead.
Have I read that correctly?"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
frenchfighter wrote:Very interesting. I wouldnt have thought Boonen would buy races.
Buying (and selling) races is as old as the sport itself.
Barry only suggests a financial deal may have been done, but if you look at the situation, it's very likely that Hoste would've ridden with Boonen without the need to be bought. Finishing second in De Ronde would have been good for Hoste, boosting his bargaining position when contract talks began (and he was out of contract at the end of 2006) and also good for the team.0 -
I'd believe what Ricardo Ricco says over anything Michael Barry has to say these days
But if Hoste sold Flanders he really is dumber than a bag of spinnersFckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0 -
hincapie appears to be smiling more than hoste is in that pic...0
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dish_dash wrote:hincapie appears to be smiling more than hoste is in that pic...
So this means? What is it proportional or inversely proportional to? ...and what is it proof or suggestion of? Can we rule out any life-long conditioning to smile at the camera?
Or, is it just nothing more than "hincapie appears to be smiling more than hoste is in that pic...", in which case I'd like to mention that Boonen is wearing a blue hat.0 -
mfin wrote:dish_dash wrote:hincapie appears to be smiling more than hoste is in that pic...
So this means? What is it proportional or inversely proportional to? ...and what is it proof or suggestion of? Can we rule out any life-long conditioning to smile at the camera?
Or, is it just nothing more than "hincapie appears to be smiling more than hoste is in that pic...", in which case I'd like to mention that Boonen is wearing a blue hat.
OP quotes Barry saying that: "George didn't smile as the photographers' shutters snapped."0 -
dish_dash wrote:mfin wrote:dish_dash wrote:hincapie appears to be smiling more than hoste is in that pic...
So this means? What is it proportional or inversely proportional to? ...and what is it proof or suggestion of? Can we rule out any life-long conditioning to smile at the camera?
Or, is it just nothing more than "hincapie appears to be smiling more than hoste is in that pic...", in which case I'd like to mention that Boonen is wearing a blue hat.
OP quotes Barry saying that: "George didn't smile as the photographers' shutters snapped."
Ahhh, and your 'spot' is perhaps ever so ever so slightly contrary to this, I dunno, it still seems as relevant as Boonen's blue hat to me.0 -
So a rider who spent much of his career using nefarious preparations and being a right-hand man to another with a fondness of nefarious preparations, had a possible win taken from him through nefarious means?Team My Man 2018: David gaudu, Pierre Latour, Romain Bardet, Thibaut pinot, Alexandre Geniez, Florian Senechal, Warren Barguil, Benoit Cosnefroy0
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Bloke with book to sell alleges dodgy dealing to make book seam more interesting.0
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andyp wrote:frenchfighter wrote:Very interesting. I wouldnt have thought Boonen would buy races.
Buying (and selling) races is as old as the sport itself.
Barry only suggests a financial deal may have been done, but if you look at the situation, it's very likely that Hoste would've ridden with Boonen without the need to be bought. Finishing second in De Ronde would have been good for Hoste, boosting his bargaining position when contract talks began (and he was out of contract at the end of 2006) and also good for the team.
Yeah I doubt Boonen did buy anything. It is not like he has ever needed to.Contador is the Greatest0 -
I'm not sure I understand the argument. Is Barry suggesting that Hoste (with Discovery's blessing) was 'paid' to ride with Boonen, thus removing the threat of Hincapie rather than paid to 'lose'? I suppose it could be argued that from a tactical point of view Hoste should have sat up or at least only followed Boonen's wheel when they got away.0
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difficult to go with that story from Barry, Hoste knows only too well that a win in Flanders means immortality.
Not getting much a reading on my sympathy-o-meter for Big George though. In fact the retrospective Kharma light is starting to flash0 -
dougzz wrote:Bloke with book to sell alleges dodgy dealing to make book seam more interesting.
^This.
Still can't say I'm too sad for Big George (Classics Man) Hincapie.Correlation is not causation.0 -
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mfin wrote:dish_dash wrote:mfin wrote:dish_dash wrote:hincapie appears to be smiling more than hoste is in that pic...
So this means? What is it proportional or inversely proportional to? ...and what is it proof or suggestion of? Can we rule out any life-long conditioning to smile at the camera?
Or, is it just nothing more than "hincapie appears to be smiling more than hoste is in that pic...", in which case I'd like to mention that Boonen is wearing a blue hat.
OP quotes Barry saying that: "George didn't smile as the photographers' shutters snapped."
Ahhh, and your 'spot' is perhaps ever so ever so slightly contrary to this, I dunno, it still seems as relevant as Boonen's blue hat to me.
Did Barry mention a blue hat being worn as well? Nah man, we're on the internet and you're superior to me. Enjoy the feeling and the rest of your day...0 -
Blazing Saddles wrote:So, having made it their main goal to beat Tom Boonan, and having got in a position to do just that,
they then decided to do a quick sell out, instead.
Have I read that correctly?
Tis odd. Would Hoste have been able to have outsprinted Boonen? Doubtful, innit0 -
Richmond Racer wrote:Blazing Saddles wrote:So, having made it their main goal to beat Tom Boonan, and having got in a position to do just that,
they then decided to do a quick sell out, instead.
Have I read that correctly?
Tis odd. Would Hoste have been able to have outsprinted Boonen? Doubtful, innit
a bit more knowledge on the Hoste/Hincapie relationship might be enlightening, were there any issues between them? Does anyone know if George alludes to the race in his book?0 -
Hoste has a far superior record at Flanders than Hincapie, even if we remove this edition from the comparison.
That's two nonsense stories from Barry's book to stir up a storm in a tea cup. We should have a sweepstake on the third.0 -
Doper Hoste denies Doper Barry's claim
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hoste-d ... -to-boonen
I wonder what Doper Hincapie will give in his version - if he gives one
I swear, only in cycling....0 -
andyp wrote:Hoste has a far superior record at Flanders than Hincapie, even if we remove this edition from the comparison.
That's two nonsense stories from Barry's book to stir up a storm in a tea cup. We should have a sweepstake on the third.
Bradley Wiggins may have some uncool music on his iPod, he doesn't know what though.
Chris Froome isn't really British and comes from an unspecified country in Africa
Sex Panther is a better performance enhancer than testosterone and widely used.Twitter: @RichN950 -
Him doping just something that happened in Girona because of some electro forcefield in the centre of the town - specifically Bar Miguel - that left him unable to resist. But he doesnt really want to talk about it, so moves on quickly to nice things like the camaraderie of life on the road0