The Hincapie Story

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The Hincapie Story Meet the Team News & Events Frequently Asked Questions Hincapie Athletes Contact Us
1954:
Ricardo Hincapie gets his first bike.
1960:
Ricardo moves to the United States from Medellin, Colombia in search of a better life.
1979:
Ricardo’s son Rich competes in his first race, the Tuck Tape Cycling Classic.
1983:
Ricardo’s son George Hincapie begins his 30-year cycling career with a first place finish at the Skippy Peanut Butter Classic in Nutly, New Jersey.
1992:
George participates in his first Olympic games in Barcelona, Spain.
1996:
George rides in his first Tour de France with the Motorola Cycling Team.
1998:
Hincapie Sports LLC, owned by Rich, runs cycling races throughout the southeast including the South Carolina Heritage Series and the Michelin Cycling Classic, which are still held today.
1999:
Rich continues his involvement in the sport by managing the first Hincapie Cycling Team, Team Fairway Subaru.
2002:
Rich launches Hincapie Sportswear, Inc. He and partner former Italian cyclist Roby DiGiovine work out of his attic to produce custom cycling clothing for a few local teams.
2003:
Rich manages his fast-growing company full-time. Roby’s cycling connections help the small company to source fine Italian fabrics and craftsmanship and add a small selection of retail products to their current custom line.

Ricardo Hincapie’s brother, Jorge Hincapie, begins producing small runs of jerseys in Medellin, Colombia by importing fabrics from Italy and outsourcing the cutting, printing, and stitching.
2004:
Jorge forms MDA Limitada, the Colombian manufacturing facility of Hincapie Sportswear. He purchases a couple of small printing machines and hires a small staff of 3 people. His wife Mari runs the office while he supervises the plant.
2005:
The staff and machinery at MDA Limitada grows quickly to keep up with the demands for orders. The majority of the Hincapie custom line is now produced in Medellin. The name changes to C.I. Hincapie Sportswear S.A. in 2006.

George rides for Lance on the Discovery Channel Cycling Team to help him win his record-breaking 7th Tour de France.
2007:
Hincapie Sportswear S.A. purchases their own building and again their machinery and staff is doubled as they grow to fill the new workspace. The number of full-time workers has grown from 3 to 90 in just 3 short years. The entire custom line as well as part of the retail line is now manufactured at the Hincapie family-owned facility.

George Hincapie joins the T-Mobile Professional Cycling Team. The team becomes Team Columbia by the middle of the season. George wins the Tour of Missouri.
2008:
C.I. Hincapie Sportswear S.A. in Colombia reaches 100 employees strong.

The Fairway Subaru elite team becomes the Hincapie-Coca Cola Team. Hincapie partners with Kansas City advertising/marketing firm Barkley to form the Hincapie Barkley U23 Development Team. The team was founded to support young riders and to help train and mentor them to become pro riders. Former Hincapie Development Rider, Craig Lewis becomes a ProTour rider at the highest level of the sport when he joins Team Columbia with George.

Hincapie Sportswear is chosen as the cycling apparel supplier to the Tour of Missouri. The Company also sponsors several elite cycling teams and athletes including: Inferno Racing Team, Aaron’s Women’s Professional Cycling Team and Track World Champion Sarah Hammer.

George Hincapie represents the USA at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, becoming the only cyclist to represent the USA in 5 Olympic Games.
2009:
Hincapie Sportswear is chosen as the cycling apparel supplier to the Amgen Tour of California.

Hincapie Sportswear develops and introduces Hincapie SkinDefense SPF 30+ sunscreen.

Hincapie Sportswear introduces Hincapie Premium Denim product line.

Hincapie Sportswear expands with the purchase of a second warehouse in Greenville, SC.

George Hincapie wins his 3rd US Professional Road Race Championship.
2010:
George Hincapie joins the BMC Racing Team and Hincapie Sportswear becomes the team’s official apparel sponsor. In addition to George, riders on the team include current World Champion Cadel Evans and former World Champion Alessandro Ballan. Former Hincapie Development Team Rider, Chris Butler becomes a professional with the BMC Racing Team.

Hincapie Sportswear continues as the cycling apparel supplier to the Amgen Tour of California.