Tommeke, 2006 RVV...and a disappointed Hincapie

Richmond Racer
Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
edited April 2014 in Pro race
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....

Comments

  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,069
    38.jpg
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    Very interesting. I wouldnt have thought Boonen would buy races.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    andyp wrote:
    38.jpg


    Hoste should look more cheerful than that, given the likely euros heading to him*

    *assuming Barry's correct, obvs
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
    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.
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,069
    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.
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    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 spinners
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,551
    hincapie appears to be smiling more than hoste is in that pic...
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,215
    Saw this on twitter last night.

    Didn't make sense then, doesn't make sense now.
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    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.
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,551
    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."
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    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.
  • The_Boy
    The_Boy Posts: 3,099
    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 Cosnefroy
  • dougzz
    dougzz Posts: 1,833
    Bloke with book to sell alleges dodgy dealing to make book seam more interesting.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    andyp 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 Greatest
  • Paulie W
    Paulie W Posts: 1,492
    edited April 2014
    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.
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    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 flash
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  • above_the_cows
    above_the_cows Posts: 11,406
    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.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,215
    Boonen had Hoste beat anyway.

    This all makes no sense.
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,551
    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...
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    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
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    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?
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,069
    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.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    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....
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137
    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.
    Bob Stapleton and Bill Stapleton 'might be' related, but also might not be
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  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    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 road