George Hincapie Interview: Paris-Roubaix or bust

Hincapie: Roubaix on the mind

With the first UCI race of the year in the books and training camp completed, BMC Racing’s George Hincapie returned home to Greenville, South Carolina for a bit of rest and relaxation before he begins his Spring campaign. However, that relaxation will be short lived as his first European race of the season is set for the end of the month in Belgium’s opening weekend of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne. Hincapie will then travel to Italy for Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-San Remo, before heading back to Belgium. Next on the agenda is Ghent-Wevelgem, which has been moved to a Sunday and lengthened this year, followed by the Tour of Flanders.

Naturally, these races are all a build up to the race where victory has so far eluded him – Paris-Roubaix. With seven top ten finishes in “Hell of the North” including a second in 2005, the American is part of the rare breed of cyclists that posses a passion for the cobbled classics.

Hincapie took the time to speak to VeloNation regarding his new teammates and how they will play a role in the team, his relationship as not only a rider, but also as a team sponsor, and what new technology BMC is going to be showcasing once the season is underway. Of course we ask the question that is on everyone’s lips, “Are you going to win Paris-Roubaix?”

VeloNation: You’re back home from BMC’s training camp. How does that compare to other training camps you’ve attended? How does it compare to the other bigger teams you’ve been a part of?

George Hincapie: As far as that is concerned the team, the management and the organization is right on par with any other team I’ve been on. There is all the same sort of things that go on like all the other camps I have been to. We talk about equipment, schedules, and team technology. We were busy all day from core [workouts] in the morning, to training in the mid-morning through the afternoon and then meetings before dinner. I really enjoyed meeting all the new guys. The level of the team is going to be a much higher than most people expected.

Complete interview at VeloNation.com