'I looked back and I saw that I had a little gap...I asked the team and they said 'just go''
Philippe Gilbert says he didn't plan to make his solo move from 55km out at the Tour of Flanders
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Philippe Gilbert (Quick Step Floors) says that his 55.5km solo ride to win the Tour of Flanders this afternoon in Oudenaarde, Belgium, came unexpectedly on the Oude Kwaremont.
>>> Twitter reacts to Philippe Gilbert’s incredible Tour of Flanders win
The Belgian champion rode clear of a 21-man group that contained two team-mates Tom Boonen and Matteo Trentin. He pulled off the most successful solo attack in sometime, making many recall Eddy Merckx's 73km ride in 1969.
"We decided first with Trentin and Boonen to speed up on the Kwaremont, and Tom just went full-gas on the asphalt before the cobbles," Gilbert said.
"He did a big pull and the first part of the climb, then I took over. I was shifting to the big chainring when it was flatter, then after the little chainring there was this village.
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA
"I looked back and I saw that I had a little gap, but I didn't know what to do, so I stayed at my speed. At the end of the cobbles, I looked back and I saw them already pretty far back, so I was always asking what to do, and the team said, ‘Just go.’ So I went, but it was a long way."
When Jacky Durand won in 1992, he won from the day's breakaway that rode 200km. He soloed from that group on the final climb.
Gilbert did so with the main attacking group, which broke free with 95km to race under Boonen's pressure on the Muur.
"I was trying to go fast, but not too crazy because I knew it was a long effort to deal with,” added Gilbert.
“I was trying to do my best because I knew the last 10 to 15km would be really hard. I was scared of having a hunger flat because I knew from this moment I didn't really have time to eat much.
"I had some gels from the car that I had also myself, but that's the only thing I could eat. And drinks, but there's not much energy in drinks – it's not easy to deal with this effort."
Photo : Yuzuru SUNADA
Gilbert's effort came thanks to such a strong team that included Boonen, Trentin, Niki Terpstra and Zdenek Stybar. Behind, Boonen and Trentin, then Terpstra later, were able to work against the chase's effort.
"For sure a win of the whole team, I'm aware of that because I heard from the radio that everyone was working behind me and I'm really thankful to them because they did really big work," Gilbert explained.
"I know that without them I would’ve never won today, so I'm really thankful to them. I think everyone deserves to be on the podium today, because we won as a team today – that's something special."
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Gregor Brown is an experienced cycling journalist, based in Florence, Italy. He has covered races all over the world for over a decade - following the Giro, Tour de France, and every major race since 2006. His love of cycling began with freestyle and BMX, before the 1998 Tour de France led him to a deep appreciation of the road racing season.
-
-
Bikes of the Atlas Mountain Race 2023: from comfort gravellers to speed weapons, here’s what caught our eye
Covering 1,300km / 800mi of Morocco’s gravel roads and mountain passes, the Atlas Mountain Race demands a tech-heavy approach for its 3+ days of bikepacking racing
By Stefan Abram • Published
-
British champion Cameron Mason hoping for rain at Cyclo-cross World Championships
British national champion says patience will be the key in what’s expected to be a fast race in Hoogerheide, the Netherlands
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Tadej Pogačar eyes Tour of Flanders revenge in 2023
The UAE Team Emirates rider hopes to add to his Monuments collection next season
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Julian Alaphilippe: ‘I want to be 100% for the Tour of Flanders’
The Frenchman has said the Monument is his “big goal” for next season.
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Philippe Gilbert slams UCI for ‘negligence’ at Vuelta a Burgos
‘It’s time safety topics are taken seriously’ says Belgian former World Champion
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
‘Those climber guys can ride over the cobbles these days’ - Fabian Cancellara predicts a fast paced opening week at the Tour de France
Cancellara has won the opening stage of the Tour de France five times and knows the importance of a strong opening week
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
'I’m still having to pinch myself a little bit, what a ride!' : Reinardt Janse van Rensburg’s journey to a sixth Tour de France
The 33 year old South African rider feared his career was over before Lotto Soudal came calling.
By Tom Thewlis • Last updated
-
Mark Cavendish wants to continue for 'at least' two more years
Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl sprinter turns 37 this weekend
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Retiring Philippe Gilbert ends 966-day drought without a win
The Belgian rider won the third stage at the 4 Jours de Dunkerque, his first victory since September 2019
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
From the cobbles to the race track: Tom Boonen is living his best life
Classic legend Tom Boonen on race car driving, Mathieu van der Poel and modern cycling
By Anne-Marije Rook • Published