The Loyal Lieutenant - by George Hincapie & Craig Hummer (Paperback)

About the Book

American cyclist "Big George" Hincapie-- a record seventeen-time Tour de France participant, Olympian, and key witness in the Lance Armstrong doping case-- offers an insightful account of his esteemed career and a sports era defined by performance-enhancing drug use. Hincapie speaks openly about his relationship with Armstrong, how he himself began doping, and why he quit long before the headline-making revelations. His personal evolution is the journey of a man dedicated to coming clean about his past and to restore honor to the sport he loves.

Book Synopsis

Trading on the sterling reputation that enabled him to survive a widely publicized doping confession, American cyclist "Big George" Hincapie--a record seventeen-time Tour de France participant, Olympian, and key witness in the Lance Armstrong doping case--offers an insightful account of his esteemed career and a sports era defined by performance-enhancing drug use.

In this highly anticipated cycling memoir, Big George Hincapie provides the most comprehensive account of a dark period in professional cycling, in which doping scandals have decimated the careers of some of the top athletes in the field.

The Loyal Lieutenant reveals how Hincapie's life has been intrinsically tied to the sport he loves, from his earliest days in Queens, where he was influenced by his Colombian father's love of cycling and the Colombian "cycling warrior" archetype. Hincapie takes us through his amateur years to the Olympics, and chronicles his exhilarating ride as a professional, including finding his true calling as Lance Armstrong's most prized "domestique"--leading his then best friend to seven straight Tour de France victories.

Hincapie speaks openly about his relationship with Armstrong, how he himself began doping, and why he quit long before the headline-making revelations. His personal evolution is the journey of a man dedicated to coming clean about his past and to restore honor to the sport he loves.

From the Back Cover

George Hincapie is one of the most recognized cyclists in the world--a record seventeen-time Tour de France participant, Olympian, beloved teammate, and celebrated lead-out man for Lance Armstrong. Chronicling the exhilarating ride of his career, Hincapie takes us through his adrenaline-junkie amateur years to the Olympics, going professional, and reaching his true calling as "domestique"--a role in which Hincapie would lead Armstrong to seven straight Tour de France victories.

Respected as a natural cyclist and tireless team player, George earned a sterling reputation--which would enable him to rise above a confession that shocked the entire sports world, when he became a key witness in the doping case of Lance Armstrong. Revealing the role of drugs in cycling, why he chose to quit, and what led to the testimony that broke Armstrong's case, Hincapie makes an impassioned argument for a change in the sport. Interspersed with commentary from others in the cycling community, The Loyal Lieutenant offers an honest and compelling account of not only a dark period in professional cycling, but also the demands required of the best in the field.

Review Quotes

"A well-written book encompassing all the things I like about sports and sports heroes--the trials and tribulations, the drama, and the choices . . . I think this book will make everyone who reads it, if they are honest, ask 'What would I have done?'" -- Ty Murray, "King of the Cowboys," nine-time world champion in rodeo