Philippe Gilbert Discussion Thread

[Valanga]

So, monday morning Gilbert got a phone call that he was not selected for the tour.
Gilbert not really happy with this, and although I can understand the reasoning behind his non-selection, I don't get why this has to be communicated so late. He did prepare himself for the tour, went on altitude training, was super motivated with the start in Brussels.

Anyway, the love between Lefevere and Gilbert seems over, and Gilbert is insinuating now that he will leave the DQ. Probably joining Lotto-Soudal.
Merckx, a good friend of Gilbert, pretty much said the same in an interview yesterday, that he's likely switching teams.

He wants to race for 2 more years.

 

[nevele neves]

Re:

So, monday morning Gilbert got a phone call that he was not selected for the tour.
Gilbert not really happy with this, and although I can understand the reasoning behind his non-selection, I don't get why this has to be communicated so late. He did prepare himself for the tour, went on altitude training, was super motivated with the start in Brussels.

Anyway, the love between Lefevere and Gilbert seems over, and Gilbert is insinuating now that he will leave the DQ. Probably joining Lotto-Soudal.
Merckx, a good friend of Gilbert, pretty much said the same in an interview yesterday, that he's likely switching teams.

He wants to race for 2 more years.

It had a poor appearance for the team was bad and I would not blame him for leaving the team.

 

[Escarabajo]

Do we know "exactly" why he was not selected?

 

[Leinster]

Who ever knows "exactly" why Lefevere does anything?

 

[Valanga]

Re:

Who ever knows "exactly" why Lefevere does anything?

Ah but according to Lefevere he has nothing to do with that

Viviani, gets Richeze and Morkov as lead outs.
Mas, gets Devenyns as support.
Alaphilippe.

Then the last 2 spots were to be divided between Asgreen, Lampaert, Gilbert and Declercq.

The TTT is very important for DQ, and Asgreen and Lampaert are better TT'ers than Gilbert.
+ "You can't ask a champion like Gilbert to pull the peloton from kilometer 0" (dixit Lefevere), so that puts Asgreen above Gilbert.

But apparently you can let him prepare himself fully and then tell him a week in advance that he's not going.

Anyway, if Gilbert is still serious about his "strive for 5", he might actually be better off at Lotto-Soudal.
To win MSR he'll have to come up with something unpredictable and at DQ they will always go for Alaphilippe and Viviani (if he stays). Not sure they'll be prepared to give Gilbert the freedom he needs.

 

[Leinster]

No one is going to give Gilbert the freedom he needs to win San Remo. He’s not so strong ovee the Poggio to drop everyone he can’t beat in a sprint, nor fast enough in a sprint any more to beat the guys who can stay with him or even drop him over the Poggio. His only hope is to get into a group with just the right mix, so that everyone but, say, Bora decides they’re not worth chasing.

Quickstep would let him go with that attack. The problem for Gilbert is that Alaf will more than likely be in there as well anyway.

Am I alone in finding it odd that he skipped/missed the Tour 3 years in a row when he was with BMC, and has DNF'ed the last 2 years with QS (ok, not his fault either time, but still), and is now feeling hard done by at not being picked.

 

[Valanga]

Re:

No one is going to give Gilbert the freedom he needs to win San Remo. He’s not so strong ovee the Poggio to drop everyone he can’t beat in a sprint, nor fast enough in a sprint any more to beat the guys who can stay with him or even drop him over the Poggio. His only hope is to get into a group with just the right mix, so that everyone but, say, Bora decides they’re not worth chasing.

Quickstep would let him go with that attack. The problem for Gilbert is that Alaf will more than likely be in there as well anyway.

Oh I fully agree, it will be nearly impossible for him ;-)
But that doesn't mean he can't try.. and I'm guessing he's getting more freedom at LS to try something than at DQ. At DQ they don't try, they do.

Am I alone in finding it odd that he skipped/missed the Tour 3 years in a row when he was with BMC, and has DNF'ed the last 2 years with QS (ok, not his fault either time, but still), and is now feeling hard done by at not being picked.

I kinda agree with that as well. The reasoning for his non selection makes sense, but ... you could also make that same reasoning 2 months ago, or even at the start of the season.

 

[Flamin]

Lefevre and Gilbert are on a different level regarding a new contract. It's as simple as that.

 

[Davesta]

Re: Re:

No one is going to give Gilbert the freedom he needs to win San Remo. He’s not so strong ovee the Poggio to drop everyone he can’t beat in a sprint, nor fast enough in a sprint any more to beat the guys who can stay with him or even drop him over the Poggio. His only hope is to get into a group with just the right mix, so that everyone but, say, Bora decides they’re not worth chasing.

Quickstep would let him go with that attack. The problem for Gilbert is that Alaf will more than likely be in there as well anyway.

Oh I fully agree, it will be nearly impossible for him ;-)
But that doesn't mean he can't try.. and I'm guessing he's getting more freedom at LS to try something than at DQ. At DQ they don't try, they do.

It's definitely gonna be very difficult for him to win MSR, but if he's that focussed on winning all 5 monuments, then he's surely better off leaving QS. His negotiation with any team should be simple - give me full, undisputed leadership at MSR with full team support, and I'll do anything else you tell me to do for the rest of the year. QS can't give him that that, but I'm sure there's a lot of teams that can...

 

[Leinster]

I think for him to win, he needs to get in a break with the right composition, riders from enough different teams to reduce a chase, and have enough race craft to out sprint them at the line. The final part shouldn’t be an issue, but the sweet spot of the rest will be hard to hit on purpose. He’s Philippe Gilbert, any movie he makes during the race is going to provoke a reaction.

 

[Koronin]

Re: Re:

No one is going to give Gilbert the freedom he needs to win San Remo. He’s not so strong ovee the Poggio to drop everyone he can’t beat in a sprint, nor fast enough in a sprint any more to beat the guys who can stay with him or even drop him over the Poggio. His only hope is to get into a group with just the right mix, so that everyone but, say, Bora decides they’re not worth chasing.

Quickstep would let him go with that attack. The problem for Gilbert is that Alaf will more than likely be in there as well anyway.

Oh I fully agree, it will be nearly impossible for him ;-)
But that doesn't mean he can't try.. and I'm guessing he's getting more freedom at LS to try something than at DQ. At DQ they don't try, they do.

It's definitely gonna be very difficult for him to win MSR, but if he's that focussed on winning all 5 monuments, then he's surely better off leaving QS. His negotiation with any team should be simple - give me full, undisputed leadership at MSR with full team support, and I'll do anything else you tell me to do for the rest of the year. QS can't give him that that, but I'm sure there's a lot of teams that can...

I think most teams could give him that. The question then becomes which teams can fully support him for MSR.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

It's got nothing to do with that. If he peaks to MSR and is in good form, even DQS could give him full leadership and team support at MSR. Even with co-leadership he'd be better off at DQS than any other team. It's like Flamin says. He wants a two year contract, Lefevre doesn't want to give a two year contract to a rider that has passed 36. Maybe now Gilbert also wants more money upfrond (while his current contract had a lower base figure, with a big bonus per result).

 

[Velolover2]

He should strive for another Roubaix or Ronde.

MSR is almost impossible at 35+. At that age you can still work on your endurance and hardiness, but it's difficult to regain your youthful explosiveness.

 

[IndianCyclist]

"Mas, gets Devenyns as support."
Mas is most likely leaving the team. Mas is not in great form. So the selection of Devenyns for a rider who might finish top 10 is suspect. Gilbert would be a better choice in terms of options.

 

[Leinster]

Re:

"Mas, gets Devenyns as support."
Mas is most likely leaving the team. Mas is not in great form. So the selection of Devenyns for a rider who might finish top 10 is suspect. Gilbert would be a better choice in terms of options.

Yeah, there must be something more to it than “Philippe is having contract negotiation issues,” if a young Spanish rider who is leaving gets better treatment at a Belgian team than a Belgian veteran.

It seems like he has a weird relationship with the Tour, though. Only 1 stage win, and not exactly a plethora of near misses otherwise.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Re:

"Mas, gets Devenyns as support."
Mas is most likely leaving the team. Mas is not in great form. So the selection of Devenyns for a rider who might finish top 10 is suspect. Gilbert would be a better choice in terms of options.

Alaphilippe more than likely wanted Devenyns in the Tour team. I mean, the guy wouldn't re-sign unless Devenyns got a contract extension, too. And Devenyns has said that he can pull harder for Alaf than for any other rider in the team...

The Mas thing is mostly BS, surely. A better TTTer (Gilbert) would probably be better for him.

 

[Velolover2]

Devenyns is more of a puncheur himself, right? It would make sense to have him as a helper/lead-out man for Alaphilippe in hilly stages but is he useful in the high mountains for Mas?

 

[Leinster]

GC is just not part of the equation for Quickstep. They let Dan Martin ride the whole Tour on his own with a broken back. If Mas gets any more support than that he should count himself lucky.

 

[Nirvana]

Re:

No one is going to give Gilbert the freedom he needs to win San Remo. He’s not so strong ovee the Poggio to drop everyone he can’t beat in a sprint, nor fast enough in a sprint any more to beat the guys who can stay with him or even drop him over the Poggio. His only hope is to get into a group with just the right mix, so that everyone but, say, Bora decides they’re not worth chasing.

Quickstep would let him go with that attack. The problem for Gilbert is that Alaf will more than likely be in there as well anyway.

Am I alone in finding it odd that he skipped/missed the Tour 3 years in a row when he was with BMC, and has DNF'ed the last 2 years with QS (ok, not his fault either time, but still), and is now feeling hard done by at not being picked.

In the past i remember him saying more than one time that the Tour was the GT he liked less and if he changed his mind was very recently considering that in both 2016 and 2017 he was scheduled for the Giro before missing it due to injuries. He also never performed really well in France, he needed his 2011 god form to win a stage there and still was a lot less impressive compared to the other races, i think that in almost every other race that year he would have won with a leg stages like Mûr de Bretagne and Super Besse.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Re: Re:

No one is going to give Gilbert the freedom he needs to win San Remo. He’s not so strong ovee the Poggio to drop everyone he can’t beat in a sprint, nor fast enough in a sprint any more to beat the guys who can stay with him or even drop him over the Poggio. His only hope is to get into a group with just the right mix, so that everyone but, say, Bora decides they’re not worth chasing.

Quickstep would let him go with that attack. The problem for Gilbert is that Alaf will more than likely be in there as well anyway.

Am I alone in finding it odd that he skipped/missed the Tour 3 years in a row when he was with BMC, and has DNF'ed the last 2 years with QS (ok, not his fault either time, but still), and is now feeling hard done by at not being picked.

In the past i remember him saying more than one time that the Tour was the GT he liked less and if he changed his mind was very recently considering that in both 2016 and 2017 he was scheduled for the Giro before missing it due to injuries. He also never performed really well in France, he needed his 2011 god form to win a stage there and still was a lot less impressive compared to the other races, i think that in almost every other race that year he would have won with a leg stages like Mûr de Bretagne and Super Besse.

Gilbert would've won three stages that Tour (including Super Besse, where he would have been unbeatable) if his team had contained the breaks. He only disappointed on Mûr de Bretagne.

 

[tobydawq]

Re: Re:

No one is going to give Gilbert the freedom he needs to win San Remo. He’s not so strong ovee the Poggio to drop everyone he can’t beat in a sprint, nor fast enough in a sprint any more to beat the guys who can stay with him or even drop him over the Poggio. His only hope is to get into a group with just the right mix, so that everyone but, say, Bora decides they’re not worth chasing.

Quickstep would let him go with that attack. The problem for Gilbert is that Alaf will more than likely be in there as well anyway.

Am I alone in finding it odd that he skipped/missed the Tour 3 years in a row when he was with BMC, and has DNF'ed the last 2 years with QS (ok, not his fault either time, but still), and is now feeling hard done by at not being picked.

In the past i remember him saying more than one time that the Tour was the GT he liked less and if he changed his mind was very recently considering that in both 2016 and 2017 he was scheduled for the Giro before missing it due to injuries. He also never performed really well in France, he needed his 2011 god form to win a stage there and still was a lot less impressive compared to the other races, i think that in almost every other race that year he would have won with a leg stages like Mûr de Bretagne and Super Besse.

Gilbert would've won three stages that Tour (including Super Besse, where he would have been unbeatable) if his team had contained the breaks. He only disappointed on Mûr de Bretagne.

I recall him riding very Saganly in pursuit of the green jersey but he was too slow in the regular bunch sprint to be a threat to Cavendish and Rojas at the end of the race.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Re: Re:

No one is going to give Gilbert the freedom he needs to win San Remo. He’s not so strong ovee the Poggio to drop everyone he can’t beat in a sprint, nor fast enough in a sprint any more to beat the guys who can stay with him or even drop him over the Poggio. His only hope is to get into a group with just the right mix, so that everyone but, say, Bora decides they’re not worth chasing.

Quickstep would let him go with that attack. The problem for Gilbert is that Alaf will more than likely be in there as well anyway.

Am I alone in finding it odd that he skipped/missed the Tour 3 years in a row when he was with BMC, and has DNF'ed the last 2 years with QS (ok, not his fault either time, but still), and is now feeling hard done by at not being picked.

In the past i remember him saying more than one time that the Tour was the GT he liked less and if he changed his mind was very recently considering that in both 2016 and 2017 he was scheduled for the Giro before missing it due to injuries. He also never performed really well in France, he needed his 2011 god form to win a stage there and still was a lot less impressive compared to the other races, i think that in almost every other race that year he would have won with a leg stages like Mûr de Bretagne and Super Besse.

Gilbert would've won three stages that Tour (including Super Besse, where he would have been unbeatable) if his team had contained the breaks. He only disappointed on Mûr de Bretagne.

I recall him riding very Saganly in pursuit of the green jersey but he was too slow in the regular bunch sprint to be a threat to Cavendish and Rojas at the end of the race.

Yeah, he was going for green. Would've beat Rojas for second place with better team support, though, so it made sense, as you never know if Cavendish makes it to Paris.

 

[Valanga]

The deal with signing for Lotto seems as good as done.
Gilbert is getting a 2 year deal. After a very weak spring campaign, Lotto wants to strengthen their classic squad.
They want to sign both Gilbert and Degenkolb => no money left for Campenaerts, he can start his search for another team.

https://www.demorgen.be/sport/liever-gilbert-dan-campenaerts-bij-lotto~b786a7e1/

 

[Leinster]

Re:

The deal with signing for Lotto seems as good as done.
Gilbert is getting a 2 year deal. After a very weak spring campaign, Lotto wants to strengthen their classic squad.
They want to sign both Gilbert and Degenkolb => no money left for Campenaerts, he can start his search for another team.

https://www.demorgen.be/sport/liever-gilbert-dan-campenaerts-bij-lotto~b786a7e1/

That sounds like the sort of deal where Campanaerts goes to Quickstep and wins 10 Grand Tour stages and 2 points jerseys in 3 years while Gilbert and Degenkolb combine for a couple of semi classics and a sprint win in a Dauphine stage and not much else.

 

[Pantani_lives]

And he does it again!

Ten stage wins in GTs is a lot for a non-sprinter. Maybe he'll be glad now that he wasn't selected for the Tour. He will be good at the world championships too. I just hope the Belgian team doesn't have too many leaders.