Cycling Profile: Philippe Gilbert
Philippe Gilbert is a Belgian professional road bicycle racer and he was born in Remouchamps (Aywaille) on July 5, 1982. Gilbert is a classics specialist and in history he is the second person and first in Belgian who secured the entire three Ardennes classics
race in a one year.
Gilbert always showed a tremendous effort in the stage and won the several classic cycle races including, Giro di Lombardia in 2009 and 2010, La Fleche Wallonne and Clasica de San Sebastian in 2011.
Philippe started his professional career in 2003 by joining FDJeux.com. He took his first victory after winning Tour de l’Avenir stage and also secured first place in Points Competition. He started the 2004 season by winning the Tour Down Under and Young
riders standing. He took a part in the Men’s road race at Summer Olympics and grabbed 49th place and he also took Paris-Correze race.
In 2005 season, he secured several races in France due to this he won the Coupe De France de cyclisme sur route. Gilbert continues his good effort and managed to take the Four Days of Dunkirk and Tour Mediterraneen. He also grabbed first place in Trophee
des Grimpeurs and Tour du Haut-Var. He also grabbed runner-up spot in GP de Wallonie.
2006 season is become the most successful year for Gilbert because after repeatedly attacking he won the prestigious Omloop Het Volk race. He also won the second stage of Criterium du Dauphine Libere and seventh stage of Eneco Tour of Benelux.
He continues his good effort and managed took GP de Wallonie and Fourmies. Gilbert worked hard in the Le Samyn race to grabbed first place but failed to maintain his pace in the stage and took runner-up spot.
He had a skin cancer lesion separate from his thigh in start of 2007 and due to this he had to hold-up to start his season. But he did not stop to trying himself and took a part in the Milan-San Remo when he managed to got away from the Riccardo Ricco before
being captured in the final line. He won the first stage of Tour du Limousin which is his first victory of this season. Gilbert grabbed second place in Le Samyn race.
In 2008 season, Gilbert won the King of Mountain competition in Tour Down Under. He continues his effort by winning the two stage of and wrapped up the overall standing of Vuelta a Mallorca. He tried his best to win the Milan-San Remo but failed and grabbed
third place. After solo attack in the race, he took Het Volk for the second victory of his career. Gilbert ended 2008 season by taking first place in Paris-Tour race.
Gilbert took a part in the Silence-Lotto in the season of 2009 and he grabbed third place in Tour of Flanders and secured fourth place in Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Amstel Gold. He also took his biggest victory of his career after winning the 20th stage of
Giro d’ltalia. He again took a part in the Paris-Tour race and due to his good effort he again retained his first place in the stage.
Gilbert started 2010 season by winning the Amstel Gold Race in April. He also won the Giro del Piemonte and took third place in Ronde van Vlaanderen. He ended 2010 season by winning the 13
and 19 stage of Vuelta a Espana.
In 2011 season Gilbert won his first victory of Brabantse Pijl and again won the Amstel Gold race. Three days later, he took a part in the La Fleche Wallonne and grabbed first place. He also secured fifth stage of Tirreno-Adriatico and first stage of Volta
ao Algrave. Gilbert won the Montepaschi Strade Bianche in March and won the Belgian National road race championship in June.
Gilbert won the opening stage of Tour de France by three seconds over Cadel Evans but failed to hold the yellow jersey in time trial. Recently, Gilbert won the third stage and also grabbed second place in Eneco Tour. If Gilbert continues his effort then
he can win the other Tours coming up.
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