Philippe Gilbert Specials: Winning Milan-San Remo Before Career Ends

By: Aliz

Posted: June 7, 2019

Updated: June 7, 2019

Philippe Gilbert is currently racing in the Deceuninck–Quick-Step
Gilbert dreams of winning all the monuments out there
the last one to go is the Milan-San Remo

Image source: Flickr - Maarten van Maanen

Philippe Gilbert career predictions are questioning whether the rider will win the last Monument he has on his bucket list. As the athlete is 36, and fans are wondering if he is going to ride longer, or whether retirement is on the horizon. Gilbert has been very active in recent years and achieved good results with his team, the Deceuninck–Quick-Step. Soon, we will find out if the cyclist will sign another contract for the next season. His odds currently are 13.00 on Unibet Sportsbook. The rider is currently racing for the Belgian UCI World Team, the Deceuninck–Quick-Step. Additionally, the pro road bicycle racer is the second person ever to achieve what seems to be impossible. That is, winning three Ardennes classics in a single season of 2011, namely:

Amstel Gold Race
La Flèche Wallonne
Liège–Bastogne–Liège

What is more, in that same season, Gilbert also became the overall winner of the UCI World Tour. A true specialist of the classic style races, Gilbert won several of them:

Paris–Tours in 2008 and 2009
Giro di Lombardia in 2009, 2010
Amstel Gold Race in 2010, 2011, 2014, 2017
La Flèche Wallonne in 2011
Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 2011
Clásica de San Sebastián in 2011
Tour of Flanders in 2017
Paris-Roubaix in 2019

It was in 2013 that Philippe Gilbert was at the height of his career and was an absolute superstar at the time. His popularity has been rising each year, just like his trophies. At last, in April 2019, the racer won the Paris-Roubaix finally. No doubt, one-day races are totally Gilbert's thing. Nothing proves it better than the fact that he won four different monuments.

2016 put Gilbert at crossroads

Philippe Gilbert in Olympics Mens Road Race 2012 (Image source: Paul Wilkinson)

When the racer was over 30, and without a contract offer from BMC, the Belgian had to look for other options. Fans were already fearing his retirement that year. After all, at that moment Gilbert did not seem to be the explosive rider he once was. Gilbert was at crossroads as he faced challenges. Certainly, fans witnessed metamorphoses from an Ardennes cyclist to a cobblestone racer.

The driver does not give up his dream

Gilbert always had dreams of winning all the monuments out there. At the present time, he needs the last missing piece from his puzzle, the Milan-San Remo. For sure, the athlete knows the track quite well. The racer tried the monument 15 times already. Two times he even reached the podium, but only got to the third step, in 2008 and 2011. However, many told him that cobblestone tracks are not for him, Gilbert just tried his best. This year is not going to be different, and we will see Gibert on the track again.

Gilbert’s aim for 2019 is the Milan-San Remo

This year, the competition is going to be extremely tight at the Milan San Remo. But, that is not stopping Gilbert to give it a shot. At Quick-Step, the team has a tactic to use multiple leaders, which seems to work out very good. Anyway, the cyclist is satisfied and very happy that he is able to live out of his passion. The enjoyment and motivation keep him going. His dream is to win all the big races, and re-win the wons he have already. At 36, he is only one Milan-San Remo win away to make history and become the fifth cyclist to win all five Monuments. Meanwhile, the rider is coming to an end of his second contract at Quick Step, as he is 36. Most likely, time won't be on his side for much longer. So, at the moment, the racer’s future is unclear. However, one thing is certain, he will never give up his career unfinished: he will go for that last trophy. Online sportsbooks in Belgium admit that Gilbert has all that it takes to make that bucket list complete. Motivation, dedication, physical endurance, experience, and training are all on the biker's side. So what about Philippe Gilbert career predictions? He will get that trophy before finishing his career, you can already place your bet on that on Unibet Sportsbook.