Just took delivery of this DVD, and being a big fan of the big man I had to borrow a copy...
It’s difficult to watch this documentary without reeling a little bit at how unremittingly decent Hincapie is. He doesn’t do ‘inner demons’. He does family life. He doesn't understand people who want to win at any cost. There are costs in his life. Some things are more important than winning on the bike. Family, loyalty and honor come first (although closely followed by winning on the bike), which means this supremely talented rider has curtailed his own huge early potential to help others.
And what help. ‘Big George’ has had more of a say who won what in the Tour de France over the last ten years than just about any other rider.
It’s safe to say we don’t learn anything new from this doc. Yup, all the other riders love him. Yes he’s a sensitive family man. Yes winning matters, he’s particularly tortured over not winning Paris-Roubaix, but it’s not all that matters (like it does to the contributor simply introduced as ‘LA’).
It doesn’t shy away from questions, or dodgy answers (apparently George prefers the smell of bacon to his wife), which makes for a continually involving watch. The on bike format is cool, and the constantly changing ride with the constantly riding Hincapie is, like watching all great cyclists work, slightly hypnotic.
One tiny weak point for me. It’s a bit interview heavy. Personally I would’ve like to have seen a bit more racing footage, especially since the guy’s participated in some of the greatest races of the last decade, but for what it is: an affirmation of the (sickeningly) nice man of pro cycling, it’s a great watch.
