"I have no doubts about Liège, Lombardy is more difficult" - Philippe Gilbert assesses Mathieu van der Poel's chances of Monument completion

After his latest Tour of Flanders success on Easter Sunday gave Mathieu van der Poel the fifth monument victory of his storied career, can he now go on and complete the set with victory at Liège-Bastogne-Liege and Il Lombardia?

Classics legend Philippe Gilbert won four of cycling's five monuments, only missing out on victory at Milano-Sanremo. As such, the Belgian is well placed to analyse van der Poel's chances. "I have no doubts about Liège, Lombardy is more difficult," Gilbert tells In de Leiderstrui. "I don't really doubt Liège. In a good race situation he can certainly win."

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As mentioned though, Gilbert feels Il Lombardia could be a trickier prospect, especially given this year's route. "The Tour of Lombardy route is very tough, so I would say 'not now'," Gilbert explains. "When I won there, you talked about a different, easier course. If it can happen again, Mathieu certainly has a chance. In terms of finishing place, he may have a better chance in Bergamo than in Como, because you still have those stones there in the final."

Nevertheless, Gilbert was more than impressed by van der Poel's showing on Sunday. "He was the top favourite. Winning is never easy when you have that status, but he won in a way that was very clever. Mathieu was able to make good use of his team, which was supposedly the weak point, in this race," he assesses. "I would say: ten out of ten. Perfectly ridden."

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Mathieu van der Poel emphatically lives up to expectations and takes fifth career monument with sublime Tour of Flanders victory

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