Could George Hincapie be set to make a return to European cycling? Well, according to the latest reports, the 51-year-old American is in the process of forming a UCI ProTeam for the 2026 season.
A key domestique for Lance Armstrong, Hincapie rode 17 Tours de France in his career. Much like his compatriot however, his reputation has since been badly tarnished in the cycling community by an admission of doping. In 2012, Hincapie admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs during part of his career, as part of the investigation into Lance Armstrong and widespread doping in cycling. As mentioned though, he could now be coming back to the pro peloton.
"A new US men’s team is being assembled for 2026, with George Hincapie involved in the setup and ownership. We understand that the squad will aim for UCI ProTeam status next season, which is one step below the WorldTour," reveals the respected British cycling journalist Daniel Benson in his SubStack. "The management includes former rider George Hincapie and his brother Richard, who managed the former Hincapie Racing Team in the US. The brothers will be the team owners, and Hincapie Sports will provide the team's clothing."
Although things are clearly moving along, the early stages of the development also means that some aspects of the team remain unclear. "Other members of the management structure include Ty Magner, who currently races for L39ION of Los Angeles, and Joey Rosskopf. Both Magner and Rosskopf came through the ranks as young riders on the Hincapie development team over a decade ago," Benson continues.
"Some of the details are still emerging. For example, it’s not clear who the title sponsor of the team will be, but we understand that recruitment has already started for next year," he also explains. "The team plans to base itself in Girona, Spain, and have a roster of 20 riders - the minimum for a second-tier team - with at least half of the roster comprising U.S. riders. Sources have confirmed that the team is likely to be announced to the public next week."
Read also
Breaking news: 🚨 George Hincapie behind new US ProTeam for 2026 🇺🇸
— Dnlbenson (@dnlbenson) June 11, 2025
A roster of 20 riders is being put together, with a six-year plan in the workshttps://t.co/H3tMpkA4Pa
📸 @swpixtweets pic.twitter.com/py7qtfWrtG
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment