Philippe Gilbert

by zegnotronic on Oct 12, 2007 3:32 PM EDT

Has anyone taken note of Philippe Gilbert's season? Nothing spectacular, but once he started in March, he hasn't stopped. Good, but not great results, but he has raced all of the big races with just a break in May. Now I looked at the start list for Paris Tours and he's on it, and he'll probably be on the line for Lombardia as well. How many riders can start and finish MSR, the cobbled classics, the Ardennes and 2 grand tours in a year. It's Zabel-esque. Has anyone else had a year like this?

3/3 Het Volk - 11
3/11-18 Paris Nice - 50
3/24 Milan San Remo - 21
3/31 E3 Prijs Vlaanderen - 7
4/1 De Brabantse Pijl - La Flèche Brabançonne - DNF
4/8 Ronde van Vlaanderen - 25
4/11 Gent - Wevelgem - 45
4/15 Paris - Roubaix - 52
4/25 La Flèche Wallonne - 19
4/29 Liège - Bastogne - Liège - 16
6/10-17 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré - 44
7/7-29 Tour De France - 14 stages DNF
8/4 Classica San Sebastian - 84
8/19 Vattenfall Cyclassics - 80
9/1-23 Vuelta A Espana - 69
9/30 UCI World Championships - 8
10/11 Paris-Bourges - 13
10/14 Paris Tours

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I wonder

when's his make-or-break year? He's pretty young, so I'm assuming this year was devoted to progress and experience. If so, he's on a good course.

by Chris Fontecchio on Oct 12, 2007 11:02 PM EDT reply actions

It's coming soon, chris

He keeps doing better and better, and honestly, the breakthrough will come sometime soon. Maybe next year or the year after - hopefully not too far away, though. It's a matter of when, in my view.

by BDBrian on Oct 12, 2007 11:49 PM EDT reply actions

Last year was stellar, by almost any measure...

... only on of the superstars, Il Grillo Diabolico, Tommeke, Oscarito, etc... would be expected to do better.
2006 - Française des Jeux
1st, Stage 2 - Dauphiné Libéré
1st - Omloop "Het Volk"
1st, Stage 7 - Eneco Tour of Benelux
1st, GP de Wallonie
1st - GP de Fourmies
2nd - GP d'Ouverture La Marseillaise
2nd - Trophée des Grimpeurs
2nd - Le Samyn (Fayt-le-Franc)
2nd - GP d'Isbergues

If last year was the breakthrough, then this year has been the BIG base building year. He raced 2 GT's fer cryin' outdoors. I'd look for him to be crushing it in the Ardennes in 2008. A Triple of some sort is not out of the question.

America is all about speed. Hot, nasty, badass speed. -Eleanor Roosevelt