Walloon looks back at the year that was at Omega Pharma's first camp in preparation for 2011
Following another busy offseason full of awards, honors, and recognitions, Philippe Gilbert is back with his Omega Pharma-Lotto team for a three day mini-camp in Marche-en-Famenne ahead of the 2011 season.
The rider, based in Monaco, admits to La Derniere Heure that these times are a rarity and something that he appreciates. He is happy to get some time with his team and staff outside of racing.
"These are always good times - the opportunity to see my teammates and the people involved in the team outside of racing."
Looking back at another rampantly successful season, the Walloon is content with his performance. He says that he accomplished everything he set out to, save for one thing, and a World Championship never seems to come easily for the world's best Classics riders.
"I wanted to win a Classic, I even took a second win, and I was aiming for the World Championships, which I did not win, but I was there."
Unlike Fabian Cancellara, Gilbert admits that his desires as a bike racer are relatively simple, and as he improves, his goals narrow down to small points on the calendar. Ominously, this year's winner of two big classics, Amstel Gold and the Giro di Lombardia, notes that he feels that he has not reached a ceiling on his potential.
"Over time, with my experience, my work, my team, my ambitions become less complicated, but it's still very hard. I learn every day, I get better every year, but I do not know my limits."
Victory in April's Amstel Gold Race was Gilbert's first win as part of the Ardennes Triptych, and, unsurprisingly, he says it had a lot of sentimental significance for him, who, as a young rider, once lived not too far away.
"The Amstel Gold Race was a good win, and it was something sentimental. I won on roads that I frequented often when I lived in Remouchamps, in front of my fans and my family, that I see a lot less of now that I've moved."
It would be five months before Gilbert would get another Classics win, but it was worth the wait. A second consecutive Giro di Lombardia win capped off a splendid 2010 campaign, and it was a victory that stood out to the 28 year old, because he won it as the decisive favorite.
"Lombardia was at the top of my calendar. I was the favorite, and I announced my ambition [to win]. There were also the terrible conditions and [the hard work of] my teammates."
Moving past the two Classics wins, which were understandably highlight of his season, the Vuelta follows right behind, with one particular stage at the top of his list.
"I also remember my stage win at Toledo at the Vuelta [Gilbert's second]. The team took control from the start. When you're behind seven of your teammates, you have an extra twenty percent to give."
Gilbert's team is at the forefront of the ever improving rider's thoughts, and rightly so, as the better he gets, the more important they will become to his chances of scoring win after win after win. Gilbert seems happy with his decision to move to Omega Pharma-Lotto two years ago, and he is appreciative of his team's personnel decisions over his two seasons with the team. Notably, the addition of Andre Greipel and his small cadre of lieutenants is a pleasing one to the team's Classics leader.
"The team has improved dramatically in the last two years. It evolves well, and it will be even stronger with Greipel. If it were publicly traded, he would have been a very good investment."
The winner of two stages at this year's Vuelta is not only happy with his trade team, but also his national team. While the Belgian team was not able to take home the Rainbow Jersey at this year's World Championships in Geelong, Gilbert feels that the groundwork was laid for future success, likely to come in either 2012 in Valkenburg or in 2013 in Florence.
"I also have very good memories of the Belgian team's World Championships. We did not win, but it was a good investment and an experience that will help us in future Worlds."