(Updated 4:30 p.m. PT) …
What was considered a minor crash early in the Paris-Roubaix bike race may have caused the steering tube on George Hincapie's bike to break later in the race, ending his chances for victory.
The aluminum steering tube for the modified Trek 5200 broke at the intersection with the stem, Trek Bikes said in a press release issued to the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team's official fan club, The PaceLine. (The VeloNews photo clearly shows where the break occurred.)
The mechanical failure caused Hincapie to veer to the left, catapult over the handlebars, and land on his right shoulder. He returned to his home in Greenville, South Carolina, on Monday for surgery to a separated shoulder, but learned Tuesday that surgery won't be necessary.
The fork and bike is also coming back to the US for a thorough examination at Trek headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin. (CyclingNews reported special features on Hincapie's Trek the day before the race.)
1st crash set the stage
“I believe the first crash set the stage for the big crash,” said Johan Bruyneel, sport director for Discovery Channel team.
Hincapie crashed early in the race, got right back on the bike, and kept going. He was questioned about the bike's condition, and said it was OK. But the 160-mile Paris-Roubaix bike race is all about many miles of cobblestones that vibrate the riders and bicycles. Shortly before the second accident, Hincapie said the steering seemed loose and team managers were looking for a good spot to change bikes.
“Section after section the vibrations just kept coming until the damaged steerer gave loose,” Bruyneel said.
“The cobbles do not discriminate”, Julien De Vriese, a 40-year veteran mechanic and the teams Head Mechanic, is quoted in the press release.
Hincapie will race Tour de France
Hincapie won't have to undergo surgery for his injured shoulder afterall, his brother told the Greenville (South Carolina) News. Rich Hincapie said:
“He separated his collarbone from his shoulder. They are taping the shoulder down with hopes of accelerating some of the healing process so he's back and ready for the Tour.”
Hincapie was examined at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic, a sports injury facility in Spartanburg.
Hincapie, 32, a stalwart of the Discovery team and US Postal before that, was considered a top contender to lead the team in the 2006 Tour de France. Discovery official Dirk Demol told VeloNews that Hincapie will be back in time for the Dauphine Libere, as well as the Tour de France. Says his brother:
“He was going to do a training camp in May in the Alps for the Tour de France. I think he'll still do that. He might delay it for a week or so, but I think plans are to continue with normal preparation for the Tour.”
If you want to wish him well, visit Hincapie's guestbook and leave a message. Many are doing so.
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