After another very quiet showing in yesterday’s Gent Wevelgem, the 2011 UCI WorldTour winner Philippe Gilbert appears to have given up hope of performing in one of his big targets of the year, the Ronde Van Vlaanderen.
The Belgian dominated the sport last season but has been unable to make any impact thus far this year. His best placing to date is fifteenth in the Tour du Haut Var. He was a non-finisher in Friday’s E3 Harelbeke, and was 39th yesterday, two minutes 33 seconds back.
"I do not think I can play a significant role in the Tour of Flanders," Gilbert said after yesterday’s race, according to Het Nieuwsblad. “I am far removed from my good form."
"I do not think I can play a role. You never know, but I must also be realistic. My optimal shape is very far away. Of course I hope a good performance, but we are one week before the Ronde. Within a few days you can make much progress and I felt in Ghent-Wevelgem already better than in Harelbeke. But I am not in the condition of 2011.”
Gilbert’s move to the BMC Racing Team was expected to lead to more dominant performances, particularly with a very strong squad of riders around him and able to give him support when needed.
Instead, he has been riding for those other competitors, with Greg Van Avermaet and Alessandro Ballan stepping into leadership roles due to his quiet form.
His team revealed last week that he had been experiencing problems due to an infected tooth, stating that it believed this was the reason for his poor form. The issue was apparently rectified last week, but his strength has not yet returned.
"I want no excuses," he said at the start of yesterday’s race. "But that dental problem was bigger than expected and cost me lots of energy.”
He said that he would be patient and that he thought that things would turn around. “I know I've worked a lot last winter. I now just need time to come back. My top form will come.”
He returned to his base in Monaco yesterday, and plans to head back to Belgium on Wednesday. He will then check out the new route of the Ronde Van Vlaanderen prior to Sunday’s Classic.