CyclingQuotes.com uses cookies for statistics and targeting ads. This information is shared with third parties.
ACCEPT COOKIES » MORE INFO »

Every day we bring you more pro-cycling news

"If I had won a Classic in the spring, I would have probably ignored the Tour de France. But I have not won and that is a big disappointment," said Gilbert. "I need the Tour now."

Photo: ASO

PHILIPPE GILBERT

RIDER PROFILE
|
NEWS

TOUR DE FRANCE

RACE PROFILE
|
NEWS
29.04.2013 @ 12:02 Posted by Jesper Ralbjerg

Reigning world road champion Philippe Gilbert (BMC) has so far spent a luckless and unsuccessful 2013 season in terms of victories. For the second consecutive year the Belgian has gone without a win in the Ardennes Classics or to be more specific, simply a win in the opening four months of the season.

 

His winless streak has now led him to question his early season schedule, travelling to Australia for the Tour Down Under and the demands placed on the world champion being blamed for his failure to capture one of the coveted Ardennes Classics.

 

"It was wrong to ride the Tour Down Under," Gilbert told Belgian newspaper Nieuwsblad. "The travel was too heavy. You really need a month in advance for travelling [to Australia] and it was also stressful. Everyone wanted a piece of the world champion," he said.

 

Evidently the Ardennes Classics, battleground for some of Gilbert’s greatest successes in the past, featured prominently on Gilbert’s wish list for this season but as witnessed at La Flèche Wallonne, the favourites put a considerable pressure on the shoulders of the former winner and effectively marked him out of the race on the final ascent of the Mur de Huy.

 

"In the finals of the Ardennes Classics there was a huge burden because everyone looks at you. It was quite different from wearing the Belgian champion jersey."

 

With nearly half the year already behind him and no victory to his name, Gilbert is considering riding the Tour de France to remedy his lack of winning results.

 

"If I had won a classic in the spring, I would have probably ignored the Tour de France. But I have not won and that is a big disappointment," said Gilbert. "I need the Tour now. But there are absolutely no guarantees. There are 14 or 15 riders for 9 places. Only Cadel Evans and Tejay van Garderen are certain."

 

In a team likely to include former winner Evans and a potential rider for the podium in the shape of up-and-coming star van Garderen, Gilbert's role could mean setting aside his personal ambitions for the greater good. Additionally, a rider of Gilbert's quality and characteristics may not easily be assimilated to the US Pro Team’s aspirations to bring home the yellow jersey.

"I won't be there to help in the mountains but that does not mean I take the place of someone else. There is Evans and van Garderen but we do not have any other real climbers in the team," he said.

MORE NEWS:

VIEW SELECTED

Bycykling 101: Navigering i byens gader og cykelvenlige... 27.11.2023 @ 12:11The Best Danish Cyclist To Bet On At 2022 Tour De France 13.01.2022 @ 15:262022 Upcoming Tournament Overview 03.01.2022 @ 09:45Best Place to Find Stand-Up Paddleboards 16.06.2021 @ 08:16What are Primoz Roglic’s Chances to Win 2021 Tour de Fr... 17.03.2021 @ 08:37Amazing victory by young champion Sarah Gigante 04.02.2021 @ 14:21Three reasons why cycling is one of the best ways to ex... 28.09.2020 @ 12:03Why do businesses use meeting room managers? 14.09.2020 @ 13:42Five things that you can do, if you want to gain more f... 20.08.2020 @ 15:38One for the road 09.06.2020 @ 15:25List of CyclingQuotes previews 07.05.2020 @ 13:20Blue Energy: room for all interests 26.08.2019 @ 12:56Get your daily dose of exercise at home 08.07.2019 @ 10:443 good advice to be able to afford your favorite bike 25.02.2019 @ 12:32Cycle through gorgeous landscapes 22.10.2018 @ 21:41Balance Your Economy and Diet and Start Saving Money 08.10.2018 @ 11:18Stay Safe: 3 Helmets That Can Keep Your Head Protected... 20.07.2018 @ 07:59Planning to bet on Tour De France - Bet types and strat... 24.05.2018 @ 14:18Basics of cycling betting 25.10.2017 @ 13:10Bauer moves to ORICA-SCOTT 28.08.2017 @ 10:45End of the road for CyclingQuotes 08.01.2017 @ 16:00Rui Costa confirms Giro participation 07.01.2017 @ 12:55Van Avermaet: I am not afraid of Sagan 07.01.2017 @ 09:45Unchanged course for E3 Harelbeke 07.01.2017 @ 09:32Jenner takes surprise win at Australian U23 Championships 07.01.2017 @ 08:53No replacement for Meersman at Fortuneo-Vital Concept 06.01.2017 @ 19:14Barguil with two goals in 2017 06.01.2017 @ 19:06More details about French Vuelta start emerges 06.01.2017 @ 14:16Kristoff to start season at Etoile de Besseges 06.01.2017 @ 14:10Ion Izagirre announces schedule for first year at Bahrain 06.01.2017 @ 12:40JLT Condor optimistic for Herald Sun Tour 06.01.2017 @ 09:19Haas leads Dimension Data trio in fight for Australian... 06.01.2017 @ 09:15Sagan spearheads Bora-hansgrohe at Tour Down Under 06.01.2017 @ 09:12Henao and Thomas lead Sky Down Under 06.01.2017 @ 09:09Bauer crowned New Zealand TT champion 06.01.2017 @ 08:33Van der Poel ready to defend Dutch title 05.01.2017 @ 21:00Pantano ambitious for first Tour with Trek 05.01.2017 @ 20:41Landa with new approach to the Giro 05.01.2017 @ 20:36Sunweb Development Team sign Goos and Zepuntke 05.01.2017 @ 20:27Dumoulin confirms Giro participation 05.01.2017 @ 20:19Bauer targets victories in Quick-Step debut 05.01.2017 @ 20:16Gaviria and Boonen lead Quick-Step in San Juan 05.01.2017 @ 20:13Team Sunweb presented in Germany 05.01.2017 @ 20:09ASO take over major German WorldTour race 05.01.2017 @ 11:01Team Sunweb unveil new jersey 05.01.2017 @ 10:54Reactions from the Australian TT Championships 05.01.2017 @ 08:27Dennis defends Australian TT title 05.01.2017 @ 08:21Scotson takes back to back U23 TT titles in Australia 05.01.2017 @ 08:15Utrecht on track to host 2020 Vuelta 04.01.2017 @ 18:28Pre-season setback for Talansky 04.01.2017 @ 17:56Kristoff: It's not impossible for me to win in Rou... 04.01.2017 @ 17:49Boom close to first cyclo-cross win in LottoNL debut 04.01.2017 @ 17:40UAE Abu Dhabi make late signing of Arab rider 04.01.2017 @ 17:36UAE Abu Dhabi unveil new jersey 04.01.2017 @ 17:30BMC unveil race schedule 04.01.2017 @ 17:21

Currently no news in this list

Gabriel BAPTISTA
19 years | today
Steven DE DECKER
42 years | today
Tomas BARTA
25 years | today
Zydrunas SAVICKAS
33 years | today
Fredrik LUDVIGSSON
30 years | today

© CyclingQuotes.com