Team Columbia-HTC captain George Hincapie was diagnosed Tuesday with a fractured clavicle as the result of a crash during stage 17 of the Tour de France.
He reported his condition on the social networking site Twitter saying, “Got some bad news this am. X ray confirmed my collar bone is broken.”
The incident happened late in the stage while Hincapie was part of a 22-man break on their way from Bourg Saint-Maurice to Le Grand-Bornand.
The American toughed out his injury all the way through to the cobblestones of the Champs Elysees in Paris,finishing the race in 19th place on general classification, his best finish in the Tour to date. Not only did Hincapie finish, but he was an integral part in setting up team sprinter Mark Cavendish for his record ninth stage win by a British rider. Without his horsepower in the last kilometer, the Manxman would have been in the unusual position of having to fend for himself in the finale. Likely the result would be the same, but there’s no doubt Cavendish appreciates the Americans contribution.
Hincapie’s contract with Columbia-HTC is up at the end of the year, and speculation as to whether he will re-join seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong’s new RadioShack team is on everyones mind.
He is the only rider to have ridden along side Armstrong for all seven victories, and with his diverse skillset and proven compatibility, he would make a perfect addition to the new squad.
But the fact remains that Hincapie has been vocal about the positive environment on Columbia-HTC, and how much he enjoys riding for the team. His presence as team captain has been an invaluable asset to developing the young riders, and has arguably brought Cavendish his first win in an major classic at Milan-San Remo earlier this year.
A bidding war is sure to ensue.