Belgian captain Philippe Gilbert (Silence-Lotto) and countryman Tom Boonen (Quickstep) have agreed on the tactics for Sunday’s World Championships. “If the race is hard, then Tom Boonen will ride for me” said the French speaking Wallonian on the Belgian TV program Sportweekend.
Gilbert wants to avoid a situation like last year, where captain Boonen was left isolated while his teammates could have helped him. National Director, Carlo Bomans, has therefore given Gilbert full leadership with Boonen in his shadow while the other seven rider’s role is to support for as long as they can Gilbert.
“If the race is hard, then Tom Boonen will ride for me. The next two World Championships are for sprinters. Then I will work for him,” said Gilbert fourth in this year’s Amstel Gold Race and Liege Bastogne Liege.
“We definitely don’t have to take the race into our own hands. We have to remain attentive and follow till the finale,” replied the Belgian when asked about their tactics.