ROUBAIX, France -- Capping years of struggle, U.S. cyclist George Hincapie finally made it to the winner's podium at Paris-Roubaix on Sunday, taking second place by less than a bicycle length behind Belgium's Tom Boonen.

Boonen, racing for Quick Step, finished in 6 hours, 29 minutes, 38 seconds. Hincapie, of Discovery Channel, and Fassa Bartolo's Juan Antonio Flecha, of Spain, finished with the same official time.

The 159.6-mile Paris-Roubaix is the third of 10 World Cup races this year. Known as the "Hell of the North," The route featured 33.9 miles of bumpy cobblestones and a one-mile climb.

Filled with history and legends, the race ends in a historic velodrome at Roubaix. Hincapie entered the velodrome at the front of the trio with 1.5 laps to go to the finish. Flecha passed him, then Boonen sprinted away at end for the victory, according to the Velo News Web site.

Hincapie told the official Discovery Channel team site that he was satisfied but also frustrated with his 2nd-place result.

While his teammate Hincapie suffered on th4e cobblestones in France, Lance Armstrong caused a stir when he showed up unannounced for the second annual Garrett Lemire Memorial Grand Prix in Ojai, Calif.

According to the Ventura County Star newspaper, Armstrong glided up to the line shortly before the start of the 90-minute pro men's criterium. The newspaper said the Texan heard about the race from Dave Lettieri, a former tteammate and now owner of FasTrack Bicycles in nearby Santa Barbara, where Armstrong has a home.

Harm Jansen won the men's field, while Armstrong finished 15th.

The six-time Tour De France winner is expected to race in the Tour de Georgia April 19. The day before the race – his only scheduled U.S. race this season – Armstrong is scheduled to hold a news conference billed as a major announcement about his cycling career.

The Discovery Channel team manager has said he fully expects Armstrong to compete for a record seventh Tour de France victory in July.