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Hincapie Skeptics
Hincapie Skeptics
Hincapie Skeptics
Hincapie Skeptics
Professional Road Race Champion Rode into the Society of Skeptics
Brittany Rockenfeller

The Blair community welcomed former professional road bicycle racer George Hincapie on October 30 to the Society of Skeptics, where he provided an exciting look into the life of a world-class cyclist. His presentation was held in the Chiang Center for Innovation and Collaboration.

A 17-time rider in the Tour de France, Mr. Hincapie embodied the term “domestique,” making a name for himself by serving his teammates. In road bicycle racing, a domestique is a rider who works for the benefit of his or her team and leader, rather than trying to win the race. He is most well-known for riding with famous cyclist Lance Armstrong. He began racing as a young boy, winning 10 junior national titles and two world medals prior to joining the professional ranks. The following 19 years included victories in a record 17 Ronde van Vlaanderen races and a second-place finish at the grueling Paris-Roubaix, which was the best placement of any American. More recent victories include two stages at the Tour of California (2006), the overall and a stage at the Tour of Missouri (2007), and another stage win at the Critérium du Dauphiné in 2008. He is a three-time U.S. Professional Road Race champion (1998, 2006 and 2009).

Mr. Hincapie was born in Queens, New York., and his father, Ricardo, introduced him to cycling at a young age. His first race training took place New York City's Central Park. In 2004, Mr. Hincapie, along with his brother, Richard, launched a line of sportswear called Hincapie Sportswear. In 2012, they began the Gran Fondo Hincapie series, a high-end cycling experience in Greenville, South Carolina, that has now expanded Chattanooga, TN, Boise, ID, and Fort Worth, TX. Also in 2012, they began their own developmental racing team, which has now grown to a Continental team with numerous titles and a renowned reputation. In 2017, the brothers began the Hincapie Cycling Society in order to further encourage others to get into cycling.

To watch Mr. Hincapie's presentation, please click below.

The History of Skeptics

The Society of Skeptics was established as a forum for students and faculty to discuss and debate important global issues; it has grown to become one of the premier high school lecture series in the United States. Each week, speakers from the political, social, scientific, economic and literary arenas share their unique perspectives with students, who are encouraged to engage with presenters, asking questions and debating points of view.

The program was an outgrowth of the Blair International Society, begun in 1937. Forty years later, former history department chair Elliott Trommald, PhD, Hon.’65, established the modern Skeptics program as a regular forum for student discussion and debate; history teacher Martin Miller, PhD, took over in the mid-1980s and molded the program into a weekly lecture series, one that has since continued without interruption. Under the tutelage of Dr. Miller, Skeptics has featured a wide variety of speakers who are engaging, accomplished in their respective fields and often controversial. For a listing of upcoming Skeptics programs, please click here.

 

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