🇧🇪 #RVV23 Recon. 🧐
Philippe Gilbert cautious with Wout van Aert's chances at Tour of Flanders: "He was good in E3 but he was not the strongest"
CyclingSaturday, 01 April 2023 at 12:00
Philippe Gilbert is one of the most experienced and successful classics riders in modern cycling, and has won the Tour of Flanders in 2017. He's analyzed the chances of Wout van Aert as well as recalling some of his own memories from the race.
“Let’s hope Wout van Aert but I’m not sure. He was good in E3 but he was not the strongest," Gilbert said in an interview with Eurosport. "Let’s see. I think he went deep at Gent Wevelgem in the bad weather so let’s hope he is recovered, but I have no guarantee of that. Pogacar and Van der Poel are ready and really strong. I hope that Van Aert can win. I am not so sure.”
Click here to create your own team for the Fantasy Tour of Flanders. At least $6,500/€6,000/£5,720 in prizes!
The fight for the win is expected to revolve around Wout van Aert, Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogacar. The trio have thrived over recent weeks and at the E3 Saxo Classic seemed to be a level above the competition. Each of them have their own weak spots however, and none can be called the true man to beat this Sunday.
“For me, it (Flanders, ed.) has always been a dream. I was always dreaming about winning Flanders. Even when I was under 23, I was coming through the wind and sprint, and I finished fourth. I was already thinking, ‘ah, that was a chance to win Flanders at 23 and I missed it," the Belgian legend shared.
“Then when I was turning pro, I was twice on the podium, but still not winning. Finally, I won and it was a big symbol because I also had the Belgium jersey. It's a big symbol because we know that there are always political fights between two languages and two cultures. But in the end, we are all from the same country, so I was really proud of that," Gilbert concluded.
The team in which he's won Flanders, current day Soudal - Quick-Step, will hope to join the fun when the race explodes but it is currently under difficulties. Nevertheless several riders will be aiming for a result and to improve on their results this spring.
Read also
claps 0visitors 353
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Most of these have nothing to do with rider safety or are completely unachievablevappaxbipmv23-12-2024
- Depends on how fast the Cipressa would be beforehand and in what condition Philipsen would bevappaxbipmv23-12-2024
- Some things sound crazy until they aren't, what if he's actually right? 🤷vappaxbipmv23-12-2024
- Why make a comment to state the obvious? Of course MvdP is much better at CX than Pogacar, does anyone doubt that But that wasn't his pointvappaxbipmv23-12-2024
- If you look at road alone obvi Pogacar is the better rider. But maybe MVDP is the better overall rider since he can win in three plus disciplines?mobk23-12-2024
- Correction on 2021 Olympics. It was mainly the Dutch ladies who didn’t know who was leading the race. Other teams like the Germans and Italians knew that Kiesenhofer was out front.mobk23-12-2024
- A champion turning into a sore loser. Or is he on coke again?
UltimateOpportunist23-12-2024 - If you look at the major races they’ve both been in, van der Poel had the early edge as lately Pogacar has had the advantage. It’s all on procyclingstats.RidesHills23-12-2024
- I wouldn’t assume Tadej can’t win at cross. He did a cross race, not a World Cup, a few years ago and crushed the field. It was a minor race. But he can win anywhere.mij23-12-2024
- I wonder what would happen if Pogacar attacked on the Cipressa instead of the Poggio in San Remo? Would MvdPoel still be able to follow?Ride197423-12-2024