At 34 years old, Philippe Gilbert (QuickStep Floors) is aware that time is running out for him to add to his extensive list of Classics wins, but the Belgian is determined to add to his palmares before eventually hanging up his wheels.
The Belgian national road champion has won Amstel Gold three times, Il Lombardia twice and Liege-Bastogne-Liege once. Add in a rainbow jersey and eight stages spanning all three Grand Tours, and it’s easy to state that he’s one of the most complete one-day riders of his generation.
Top of the list of aims for 2017 is a victory in Milan-San Remo or the Tour of Flanders – two races that are still missing on his roll of honour. Win both and he would complete the set of cycling’s five Monuments.
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“My dream is to win all of them. I’ve won some but I still need to win San Remo and Flanders. If I can win one of those it would be nice,” he told Cyclingnews.
‘Nice’ might be somewhat of an understatement. Gilbert has not won a Classic since 2014 with injuries and bad luck holding him back in recent years.
“For sure I’ve had some bad luck in the past but it’s like I’ve always said, when you’re good you never crash and you’re never sick,” he said, reminding all of his 2011 season in which he won all three Ardennes races. “When you’re a little bit less, then something happens, and when you crash or you get ill there’s always a reason. I hope that I’ll be good and that I can compete for the win.
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
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