Hincapie Surprise Winner After Daring Descent in USA Pro Cycling Challenge Stage Two

BMC Veteran George HIncapie descended over wet roads to win Stage Two of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge.

George Hincapie crosses the finish line just ahead of Teejay Van Garederen to win Stage Two of the 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge. Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Everyone expected tremendous attacks on the gigantic Cat One climbs in Stage Two of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge; instead, the decisive move came on the final rainy 60-mph descent, as a group of courageous riders including elder statesman George Hincapie overtook the race leader and sprinted for the win.

The 38-year-old BMC veteran edged Best Young Rider Tejay Van Garderen at the line, but the 23-year-old HTC-Highroad rider gained enough time to take the race leader’s yellow jersey.

“There were four away at the top of the climb and I helped Cadel come back,” Hincapie told Versus. “Then I thought, ‘You know, I might as well take a chance.’ And I bridged up to the two guys away. Once it was five of us I know I had a real good chance of winning and it worked out perfect.”

RadioShack’s Levi Leipheimer started the day in yellow and defended the jersey brilliantly up the final climb over the 12,095-foot Independence Pass, taking the stage lead on the descent.

Leipheimer, riding with Tejay Van Garderen, Garmin Cervelo’s Christian Vande Velde, and EPM-UNE’s Rafael Infantino, had a 30-second lead at the top of the very fast final descent, but then the rain came.

As the lead four slowed a bit, a chase group of many of the General Classification leaders, including Robert Gesink and Cadel Evans, closed the gap.

Hincapie, having helped teammate Evans catch the yellow jersey, was free to attack at will, and he did.

Hincapie, Van Garderen, Tom Danielson of Garmin Cervelo, Bruno Pires of Leopard Trek, Javier Acevedo of Gobernacion, and Eduard Beltran of EPM-UNE proved to be the bravest descenders; they gapped the yellow jersey group and raced for the stage win.