A New American Town - Bentonville, Arkansas

Cycling Legend George Hincapie Brings the Gran Fondo to Bentonville

• Visit Bentonville • Season 7 • Episode 30

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Listen in on the chat with the legendary George Hincapie, one of the most recognizable cyclists in the world. Hincapie has taken part in four Olympic Games, 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008, in Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, and Beijing, and was a participant in 10 Tour de France races. Why is George on our podcast? Because the Hincapie Gran Fondo will be rolling into town on September 7 and 8.

Discover the unique appeal of Gran Fondos, learn about the exciting junior races, and get pumped for a weekend filled with top-tier cycling, community, and family fun. Whether you're a seasoned pro or a beginner rider, this is an event you won't want to miss. Tune in to hear all the details from George himself and get ready to experience the cycling culture that makes Bentonville a premier destination.

Stay in the loop by following Hincapie Sports on Instagram and checking out their website—you won’t want to miss any updates on this landmark event!

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Nat Ross:

Welcome to the bicycle edition of A New American Town. This is a podcast proudly presented by Visit Bentonville. I'm your host, Nat Ross, broadcasting from Haxton Road Studios in Bentonville. We've got a very special guest today an infamous cyclist, a world-renowned George Hincapie, and we've also got Jamie Catey here to introduce George and the Hincapie Gran Fondo that is coming to Bentonville and to Bella Vista quickly here. So, Jamie, let's hear a little bit about your special guest.

Jamie Cathey:

Sure Thanks, Matt. So we are hosting the first ever Grand Fondo Hincappi in Bentonville. Coming up here in just a few weeks, so September 7th and 8th, we've got two days of road riding, which is something that is new for us, something that we wanted to expand in Bentonville, and I don't think there's a better way we can do that than to work with an icon of American cycling who is with us today in George Hancappy.

George Hincapie:

Thank you, Jamie. It's a real honor to be here, very excited about the event coming up. We've been getting tons of calls about it here at our office and I'm just really looking forward to bringing our event to Bentonville.

Nat Ross:

George, I'll dive in, give the audience here a little bit of the history of a Grand Fondo. I know they were used to watching you race the Grand Tours, be a professional road cyclist and whatnot. But when you were overseas and when you were out in the communities, what did the Gran Fondo mean? What's the significance of one, and why are we bringing one to Bentonville?

George Hincapie:

Well, they're kind of unique in the sense that they started in Europe and they were more of a sort of a community-style event where it was competitive. But it didn't have to be competitive. It wasn't only pro riders lining up or very experienced cyclists lining up, it was really anybody can line up and just experience a bike for the first time or set a goal and they want to challenge themselves to break up their personal longest distance on a ride. So it's just the unique thing about grand funnels is that anybody can participate. So we encourage people that just kind of ride bmx bikes to school to participate. You know, grab a bike and do the shorter event.

George Hincapie:

Or, um, guys that are, or guys and guys that are really into riding, go for time, the time segments and make it a race. Um, or, like me, I'll probably stop at some of the rest stops and say hi to the locals and thank them for volunteering and handing us out the nutrition that we need throughout the day. So it's it's unique in the sense that you can go there for several different goals and, more importantly, just have fun. We like to encompass festivals around the event where you come back and there's lots of free food and drinks and an atmosphere for family members that aren't participating in the ride that they can have fun as well. So we just want to make it two really fun days for families in general.

Nat Ross:

Another thing that you do, george, which I think you've always supported junior cycling and that's been a big thing for you. Rich, and the Hincapie brand in general is the juniors. So if I'm a junior, how can I participate and what does that look like in the Grand Fondo?

George Hincapie:

Yeah, we do have the junior race within the Grand Fondo, the 50-mile, 55-mile version of it, and it's just super. There is hardly any big junior racing in the United States left and we have one here in Greenville now throughout our Grand Fondo and anytime we launch a new event event, we want to really encourage juniors to come out and participate in the race and, you know, line up with all of us so they get that feel of a, you know, a real big time event. Whether it's a European style start line, we kind of pride ourselves on the start line atmosphere and let these kids race it out and race against some of the best kids in the country and there isn't much of that, like I said, in the United States. So it's a. Benville is a great place for us to launch that junior event and many juniors are out there listening.

Nat Ross:

Please come out and join and register and we'll see you guys out there for, hopefully, a great, great event george, and I know that uh, you've been in bentonville a couple times and you've seen the junior community, I think uh enzo's actually uh pushed the pace uh in bentonville as well too, and got to race um, what are your thoughts of, uh, what's going on in bentonville now in the momentum? Oh, it's.

George Hincapie:

It's amazing just walking around the street, seeing kids riding down the street, doing wheelies or families riding together. I mean it's unlike any other community I've ever been to and it's just really impressive what bentonville has done. The bike past the, the um, the. The cycling culture there is is unlike anything in the united states and I I wish that communities around the country would follow what bentonville is doing, because clearly it's great for the health and wellness of communities and just overall happiness of people. I believe I'm strongly, uh, I have a strong feeling about just being out there and riding bikes is good for everybody. So it's just super unique and it's hard to describe. I mean, anytime I come back from benville, it's like you got to go check it out for yourselves and either ride mountain bikes or ride on the bike pass and just just feel that cycling culture firsthand and live. And it's really impressive what the community has done there.

Nat Ross:

Yeah, we're really excited to host the Grand Fondo and the different distances. So on September 7th I think a lot of folks are going to be treated to an expo of sorts as well, and the dining and the camaraderie. So, in general, what is the longest distance like? Like, how many hours would one be out on the bike? Um, if they did a shorter distance, what would that look like if they? If, even if in september they're still not quite getting the legs underneath them or they're not quite ready to commit to the the long go? Or maybe just looking at the media, perhaps?

George Hincapie:

yeah, I mean a 80 85 mile ride. If some guys are really fit and are really going for it, they can do it in under four hours, no problem. Um, you know, I would probably take four and a half five hours. I'd probably stop at some of the rest stops. So I'm I'm banking on under five hours, but having some fun along the way. But if you're just kind of really humping it and just want to take your time and pace yourself, you know plan on between six and seven hours. But of course there's plenty of rest stops along the way for hydration and nutrition and all that. So, like I said, it'll be from anywhere from under four hours to between six and seven for the guys that want to take their time and have fun.

Nat Ross:

I love it. Georgia, jamie's real familiar and visit Bentonville with the square to square or folks that ride from one town to the next and connecting the greenways. I know where you live. That's a big thing as well, just community riding and the structure there. So we're encouraging a lot of folks to do the Grand Fondo, that ride the square to square, because this is that similar type of a community event. Yes, there are people going for speed, there are folks that are going to want to test themselves and their fitness against you and your friends, but for the most part, a grand fondo is an experience about having fun on the bike yeah, agreed.

George Hincapie:

I mean, like we keep saying it's really anybody can do it and we have. We have the greenway here in Greenville, although nothing like what you guys have, but I I hope that events like that we're doing there in Bentonville brings a lot of attention to what you guys have done in terms of cycling infrastructure and really inspires communities across the country to do something similar to what you guys have done.

Nat Ross:

And I think in general, the Grand Fondo, especially this time of year in September. What a great weekend. I know you've been in Bentonville in the spring. You've been in Bentonville into the fall and I think this fall in particular it's a really special time to be part of that community. Who in your community do you see experiencing Bentonville for the first time? Who are you bringing in the Hencappy community besides the Expo folks, some of your supporters and sponsors, to experience Bentonville for the first time?

George Hincapie:

We're still kind of hashing that out, but I think Bobby Julik now he was going to come and he wasn't going to come. Now he's going to come again, so I'm excited to have him come. He's been with me a couple of times in Bentonville. He's done the rule of three. He's done. Uh, he's come with me in the fall for some mountain biking. Uh, trying to get christian vandenville and uh, really, in terms of other racers that race in europe. It's depending on their schedule whether or not they get selected to certain races.

George Hincapie:

So we're still holding out hope for some of those guys that are in europe that's right, you guys had a great calendar year yep and uh we do some of the guys from the we do team will be there as well, hopefully. Lance says he's coming. You know I'll. I'll believe it when I see it. But he said on the last day of the podcast that he was coming the first day. So Robin Thurston called me today. He runs all of outdoor light, outdoor life network. You know Bella news and all of those magazines and websites under that brand. He's excited he's doing both days.

Nat Ross:

That's great. Like Jamie pointed out, are a whole community that you're a part of, but also, just in H incapie, the brand itself. You've always supported the uprising, the youth, the folks getting into the sport. It's not just about the upper echelon, but you've always developed folks to become cyclists or learn that experience and shared it, and you're always out there riding with folks as well, which I think that's a big reason that people want to attend this event is to get to ride with George Hincapie. They've watched you on tv, they've seen you, um, in the classics, they've seen you in uh, whatever, over 12, 13. How many Tour de Frances did you finish?

Nat Ross:

17, 17 17 so true legend of the sport and I I think a lot of folks are really excited to uh get to see you in person again in Bentonville and ride part of the Grand Fondo. As far as the expo goes and folks walking around the expo, I think if Outside Magazine and, let's say, robin brings his crew and stuff, there'll be a lot of nutrition, there'll be a lot of sources of learning how to have a better experience on the bike and I think that's something that you've over the years really helped a lot of people out with is figuring out how to have a better time on the bike or a little bit less pain, more comfort, more enjoyable experience. So we're really looking forward to you having an expo and bringing in all those brands associated with Hincapie, the Gran Fondo and your friends.

George Hincapie:

Basically, Well, thank you. Yeah, we're excited about it. I cannot wait until September 7th, the weekend.

Nat Ross:

Great George. I think Jamie has one more question for you and my final question before we see you in September is for the Gran Fondo in general. When you line up at the Grand Fondo, do you still get nerves? Do people still get nervous at the Grand Fondo, or what goes on at the start line at a Grand Fondo?

George Hincapie:

Certainly some people will get nervous. Just because you know, hopefully there's a bunch of people lined up and just anytime there's, you know, several hundred cyclists lined up in one area, it can be quite a little bit daunting to newcomers. I know myself and a lot of my friends will just be there having a great time and enjoying the start time experience. The juniors that will be lined up which also, we should mention, is like a couple of the EF education on to juniors will be there, which is a great opportunity for the local juniors to test themselves against one of the best teams in the country, if not the best team in the country. So it's just going to be a really great overall experience for the juniors and, of course, the rest of the attendees that participate.

Jamie Cathey:

George, you're being really humble, but your son is going to be there, right, and he is a current just won two more national championships, a current just won two more national championships. So, yeah, you know, not just riding with george and cappy, but riding with into hencappy too, is a really big deal.

George Hincapie:

yeah, no, it's gonna be fun. And, like you said jamie, thank you for pointing out he just got off a great national championships and he's racing in green mountain the weekend before bentonville, so he's gonna be very fit. I'm taking him to spain on friday to train on in Girona, where he was born, so he's never ridden a bike there, so it'll be fun to do that, and then I'll hit Bentonville afterwards.

Nat Ross:

George, you are on a whirlwind tour and Bentonville is excited to be part of it. We are really looking forward to September 7th and 8th and the Grand Fondo. Where can folks find out more about the Grand Fondo? Where do they go on social media to follow this as well?

George Hincapie:

Yeah, you can go to Hink Happy Sports on Instagram or Hinkhappycom as our website, and there you can see all the information on Bentonville.

Nat Ross:

That's great. I think we're going to send a lot of people your way. A lot of folks have been on the fence about are they fit enough, and I think you just gave them the confidence to know that you're out there. You're going to stop at the aid stations, enzo is going to be around. There'll be a lot of juniors from our community that are ready to ride with you, so looking forward to you guys coming to the Grand Fondo. We would like to thank George Hincapie and the professional crew that the Gran Fondo brings. This is one of the special experiences. We don't get many road events and I think, george, one piece that you. You're an all-encapsulating cyclist. Lately you've been doing gravel. You've been on a mountain bike a lot. Your background was in the road and you're bringing back the road to Bentonville and that's going to be a really big piece for us, as we are known for our mountain biking and gravel riding, and you're going to reinforce the fact that we have great road riding all around Northwest Arkansas.

George Hincapie:

Yeah, that's the plan and I think people will be. We're going to be very impressed with the road riding around Bentonville.

Nat Ross:

Great. Well, we're excited to have you. Thanks for bringing the Gran Fondo our way, Jamie, and I will see you soon. So this is the bicycle edition of A New American Town. This is the podcast presented by Visit Bentonville, our special guest George Hincapie, and we're leaving you from Haxton Road Studios. Thank you, George.