Eddy Merckx: “Philippe Gilbert took Belgium very high”
Lhomages are multiplying to celebrate the career of Philip Gilbert (Lotto Soudal) which will challenge sa last professional course on the roads of Paris-Tours, an event he managed to win twice during his career (2008, 2009). A page is therefore turned for the Belgian who has one of the most beautiful records of modern cycling (Paris-Roubaix, Tour of Flanders, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Tour of Lombardy…). The exploits achieved by the 40-year-old runneralso respect the elders, among those who Eddy Merckxconsidered the greatest cycling champion of all time. “He’s a great champ. He was world champion and when you see the number of classics he has won, he really is a rider of extraordinary value. He also carried Belgium very high and he made the country vibrate for years“, explains it Cannibal in comments reported by RTBF.
Video – Philippe Gilbert will bow out at Paris-Tours
What a day to say goodbye to the fans of 🇧🇪 in Binche, alongside @EvenepoelRemco 🤩 #binch #BincheChimayBinche pic.twitter.com/60GhUEzILV
— Philippe Gilbert (@PhilippeGilbert) October 4, 2022
Wout Van Aert: “I saw how classy Philippe Gilbert was”
In few hours, Philip Gilbert (Lotto Soudal) will bow out on the occasion of Paris-Tours, this Sunday. And after Marc Madiotwho had offered him his first professional contract in 2002, it is Wout Van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) who wished to address a sympathetic word to his eldest. “I immediately think of Paris-Roubaix in 2019, his last big victory. I was in the lead group with him when he attacked. I measured at that time the qualities of Philippe. Before that I had seen it on TV and I had heard testimonials from other riders in the peloton. But then I saw how classy he was. He’s always a nice guy when you talk to him. He’s a great runner retiring“, explains the green jersey of the Tour de France 2022 in remarks reported by the RTBF.
Marc Madiot: “Philippe Gilbert did not need to be assisted, he had everything in him”
Asked about the career of his former rider, the team boss Groupama-FDJ – Marc Madiot – underlined the “s”innate master of the race” of Philip Gilbert which has one of the finest track records in modern cycling (Paris-Roubaix, Tour of Flanders, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Tour of Lombardy…): “I find him to be one of the most disadvantaged riders in modern cycling. He would have had an even greater record if it hadn’t been for all the gimmicks we have around racing today, such as headsets and power sensors. All of these are interesting artifices, but they have weak and bad points. Without that, Gilbert would have made the difference even more against certain riders. Because he didn’t need to be assisted, he had everything in him.”