George Hincapie: Greenville Cycling Classic ‘breeding ground for getting kids into sport’

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It’s Grand Tour season in the world of cycling as May brings the Giro d’Italia and La Vuelta Femenina, but it’s always Grand Tour time in Greenville, South Carolina. A trio of former road pros – George Hincapie, Bobby Julich and Christian Vande Velde – all call the small southern city home, and the community tags them as Grand Tour Legends, with the riders accounting for 59 appearances across the Giro, Tour de France and Vuelta a España.

They never rode together on the same trade team at the same time, each amassing their own palmares across European racing and the Olympic Games. They also were part of a generation of pro cyclists embroiled in admissions of having used banned substances at some point in their careers. They have moved on to successful careers in coaching, broadcasting and entrepreneurship.