Philippe Gilbert targets one Classics race at a time
Belgian rider Philippe Gilbert has said his long-term objective of winning six Classics races will be completed one event at a time.
The Omega Pharma-Lotto rider's ambition is to win the Milan–San Remo, Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix, Liege–Bastogne–Liege, Paris–Tours and the Tour of Lombardy by the time he retires from cycling.
This year, Gilbert defended last year's win at the Tour of Lombardy, having already won the Paris–Tours in 2008 and 2009.
With victories in the remaining four races yet to come, Gilbert told Belgian daily
Het Laatste Nieuws that he will focus on the Tour of Flanders in 2011.
"Winning six classics is a dream, but I'll take them one-by-one. Next year I'm aiming at the Tour of Flanders," the 28-year-old said. "I also dream of Liege-Bastogne-Liege of course. But like the [Tour of Flanders], if you're on top form, you never finish
outside the top five."
The Belgian finished third in this year's Liege–Bastogne–Liege, behind Alexandre Vinokourov of Kazakhstan and Russia's Alexandr Kolobnev.
Milan–San Remo the toughest event
Gilbert, who claimed his first two stage wins at the Vuelta a Espana in September, added that it would take an exceptional performance to win the Milan–San Remo.
"You can ride Milan-San Remo at one hundred percent of your form down and yet only finish twentieth. That never happens at the Tour of Flanders."
Milan–San Remo, the longest of the Classics at 298km, has been held since 1907.
In 2008, Gilbert finished third in the event behind recent world champion Fabian Cancellara and Filippo Pozzato. This year, the Belgian came in 9th place as Spain's Oscar Freire claimed first place.
In March, Gilbert became the first Belgian to win the Amstel Gold Race since Johan Museeuw's victory in 1994.
Gilbert's next competitive appearance is expected to come at the Tour of Qatar in February 2011.
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