Philippe Gilbert facts for kids

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Philippe Gilbert

Gilbert at the 2017 Tour de France
Personal information
Full name	Philippe Gilbert
Nickname	Le sanglier des Ardennes (Boar of the Ardennes) Monsieur Cauberg
Born	(1982-07-05) 5 July 1982 (age 42) Verviers, Belgium
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in)
Weight	69 kg (152 lb; 10 st 12 lb)
Team information
Current team	Retired
Discipline	Road
Role	Rider
Rider type	Classics specialist Puncheur
Major wins
Grand Tours Tour de France 1 individual stage (2011) Giro d'Italia 3 individual stages (2009, 2015) Combativity award (2015) Vuelta a España 7 individual stages (2010, 2012, 2013, 2019) Stage races Tour of Beijing (2014) Four Days of Dunkirk (2022) Three Days of De Panne (2017) Tour of Belgium (2011) Ster ZLM Toer (2009, 2011, 2014) One-day races and Classics World Road Race Championships (2012) National Road Race Championships (2011, 2016) National Time Trial Championships (2011) Paris–Roubaix (2019) Tour of Flanders (2017) Liège–Bastogne–Liège (2011) Giro di Lombardia (2009, 2010) Amstel Gold Race (2010, 2011, 2014, 2017) La Flèche Wallonne (2011) Omloop Het Nieuwsblad (2006, 2008) Clásica de San Sebastián (2011) Strade Bianche (2011) Paris–Tours (2008, 2009) Brabantse Pijl (2011, 2014) GP de Québec (2011) Giro del Piemonte/Gran Piemonte (2009, 2010) GP de Fourmies (2006) Other UCI World Tour (2011) Vélo d'Or (2011)

Philippe Gilbert (born 5 July 1982) is a Belgian former professional road bicycle racer. He is famous for winning the World Road Race Championships in 2012. He is also one of only two riders to win the three Ardennes classics in one year. These races are the Amstel Gold Race, La Flèche Wallonne, and Liège–Bastogne–Liège. He achieved this amazing feat in 2011. Gilbert also won the overall UCI World Tour in 2011.

Philippe Gilbert was a specialist in Classics races, which are tough one-day cycling events. He won many of these, including Paris–Tours twice (2008, 2009) and the Giro di Lombardia twice (2009, 2010). He won the Amstel Gold Race four times (2010, 2011, 2014, 2017). He also won La Flèche Wallonne (2011), Liège–Bastogne–Liège (2011), the Clásica de San Sebastián (2011), the Tour of Flanders (2017), and Paris–Roubaix (2019).

He is the first Belgian and second person ever to win all three Ardennes classics in a single year. In 2017, Gilbert became the third rider to win both the Tour of Flanders and the Amstel Gold Race in the same year. Only Eddy Merckx (1975) and Jan Raas (1979) had done this before him.

Gilbert has also won stages in all three of cycling's biggest races, called Grand Tours. He won three stages in the Giro d'Italia (one in 2009 and two in 2015). He won one stage in the Tour de France (2011). He also won seven stages in the Vuelta a España (two in 2010, two in 2012, one in 2013, and two in 2019).

Gilbert stopped being a professional cyclist after the 2022 Paris–Tours race. He celebrated his retirement in Valkenburg aan de Geul, where he became world champion and won the Amstel Gold Race four times. A special mural was made for him in the caves of the Cauberg.

About Philippe Gilbert

His Family Life

Gilbert lives in Monaco. He has two sons with his ex-wife Patricia Zevaert. They were born in 2010 and 2013.

Philippe's younger brother, Jérôme, was also a professional cyclist.

Working for Peace

Gilbert has shown his support for world peace through sports. He joined an organization called Peace and Sport.

In 2021, he was chosen to be a representative for road cycling on the Union Cycliste Internationale Athletes' Commission. This is a group that represents cyclists' interests. He won 66 percent of the votes.

Philippe Gilbert's Cycling Career

Early Years (2003–2008)

Philippe Gilbert was born in Remouchamps, a town in Aywaille. He became a professional cyclist in 2003 with the FDJeux.com team. In his first year, he won a stage in the Tour de l'Avenir.

In 2004, he won a stage and the young rider award at the Tour Down Under. He also raced in the 2004 Summer Olympics, finishing 49th. He won the Paris–Corrèze race that year too. In 2005, he won several races in France, including the Trophée des Grimpeurs, the Tour du Haut Var, and the Polynormande. He also won stages in the Four Days of Dunkirk and the Tour Méditerranéen.

Success in 2006

Gilbert at the 2006 Tour de France

The year 2006 was very successful for Gilbert. He won the famous Omloop Het Volk race. He attacked many times until he rode away alone with about 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) left. He also won the Grand Prix de Fourmies and the Grand Prix de Wallonie. He took stages at the Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré and the Eneco Tour.

Challenges in 2007

In early 2007, Gilbert had a small skin cancer removed from his leg. This delayed the start of his racing season. He tried hard in the Milan–San Remo race, almost winning. He only got one victory in 2007, a stage in the Tour du Limousin. In Paris–Tours, he was caught by other riders very close to the finish line.

Big Wins in 2008

Gilbert at the 2008 Tour of Flanders

Gilbert started 2008 well. He won the King of the Mountains award at the 2008 Tour Down Under. He also won the overall title and two stages at the Vuelta a Mallorca. He finished third in Milan–San Remo, which was his first time on the podium in a major Monument race. He won Omloop Het Volk again, attacking alone with almost 50 kilometers (31 miles) to go. A few days later, he won the GP Samyn. He ended the year by winning the classic Paris–Tours race. He was in a small group that broke away and won the sprint against them.

Joining Silence–Lotto (2009–2011)

A Strong 2009 Season

In 2009, Gilbert joined Silence–Lotto. He aimed to lead the team in the Classics. He finished third at the Tour of Flanders and fourth in both the Amstel Gold Race and Liège–Bastogne–Liège. He also won his first stage in a Grand Tour, stage 20 of the Giro d'Italia. He won a stage and the overall title of the Ster Elektrotoer. Later that year, he won Paris–Tours again. A week after that, he won the important Giro di Lombardia race. He was awarded the Flandrien of the Year award, recognizing him as the best Belgian rider.

More Success in 2010

In 2010, Gilbert won his first Classic of the year, the Amstel Gold Race. He attacked in the last 500 meters (1,640 feet) of the climb to the finish and won easily. He also won a stage in the Tour of Belgium. Gilbert finished the 2010 season in great form. He won two stages in the Vuelta a España. He then won the Giro del Piemonte and the Giro di Lombardia again, repeating his wins from 2009. He won the Giro di Lombardia by attacking alone in bad weather.

His Best Year: 2011

In 2011, Gilbert won the Montepaschi Strade Bianche, a race with many gravel roads. He then had an amazing streak of four wins in a row. First, he won the Brabantse Pijl. Then, he won the Amstel Gold Race again. Three days later, he won La Flèche Wallonne. Finally, he won Liège–Bastogne–Liège. This made him the second rider ever to win all three Ardennes classics in one year. He also won stages in the Volta ao Algarve and Tirreno–Adriatico. He won the overall title and a stage in both the Tour of Belgium and Ster ZLM Toer.

Gilbert at the 2011 Tour de France, wearing the Belgian national champion's jersey.

In June, Gilbert won the Belgian National Road Race Championships. In July, he won the first stage of the Tour de France. This allowed him to wear the famous yellow jersey as the overall leader. He lost the yellow jersey the next day but still held the green and polka dot jerseys. A week after the Tour, Gilbert won the Clásica de San Sebastián. In August, he won a stage at the Eneco Tour, his 15th win of the year.

In September, Gilbert won the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec. This put him in the lead of the UCI world rankings. Two days later, he finished third at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal. He ended the season far ahead in the UCI World Tour rankings. He won 18 races in 2011, more than any other cyclist.

Gilbert was also chosen to be part of the first UCI Athletes' Commission in 2011.

BMC Racing Team (2012–2016)

World Champion in 2012

Gilbert sprinting to victory in the road race at the 2012 UCI Road World Championships

In 2012, Gilbert joined BMC Racing Team. His goals were to do well in the Spring Classics and help his teammate Cadel Evans win the Tour de France again. He didn't achieve these goals. His best result in the Spring Classics was third at La Flèche Wallonne. He also finished sixth at the Amstel Gold Race. He didn't win any stages in the Tour de France and lost his Belgian National Championship titles.

On 26 August 2012, Gilbert finally got his first win of the season. He won the ninth stage of the Vuelta a España. He won another stage, stage nineteen, on 7 September.

On 23 September 2012, Philippe Gilbert won the UCI Elite Men's Road Race world championship. He earned the special rainbow jersey by making a huge attack on the final climb of the Cauberg.

Wearing the Rainbow Jersey in 2013

Gilbert wearing the rainbow jersey at the 2013 Tour de France

In 2013, Gilbert started the year as world champion but didn't win any races while wearing the rainbow jersey for a long time. He hoped the Vuelta a España would help him. After almost winning stage 7, Gilbert finally won a stage (stage 12) while wearing his rainbow stripes.

Returning to Form in 2014

In 2014, Gilbert regained his strong form. In the spring, he won his second Brabantse Pijl and his third Amstel Gold Race.

Giro d'Italia Success in 2015

Gilbert in July 2015

Gilbert finished third at Brabantse Pijl. At the Amstel Gold Race, he finished tenth. He crashed out of La Flèche Wallonne but still raced Liège–Bastogne–Liège. He got his first wins of the season at the Giro d'Italia. He won stage 12 by beating the lead group on a steep climb. He won again on stage 18, attacking alone after a tough climb and descent.

National Champion Again in 2016

In 2016, Gilbert won his first race of the season in February, the Vuelta a Murcia. He won the sprint of a small group. In June, he won the Belgian National Road Race Championships again.

Quick-Step Floors (2017–2019)

Dominant 2017 Season

Gilbert at the 2017 Tour de France

After five seasons with BMC, Gilbert joined Quick-Step Floors for 2017. He finished second in the Dwars door Vlaanderen behind his teammate. He also finished second at E3 Harelbeke. The following week, Gilbert won the Three Days of De Panne. He attacked on the Muur van Geraardsbergen and rode alone to victory.

Three days later, he won the Tour of Flanders with a solo attack. He rode alone for 55 kilometers (34 miles) to the finish. Gilbert became the first rider in 20 years to win both the Tour of Flanders and Liège–Bastogne–Liège in his career. Two weeks later, he won the Amstel Gold Race for the fourth time. He became only the third rider to win both the Tour of Flanders and the Amstel Gold Race in the same year. It was later found that he won the race despite having a minor kidney injury. This injury meant he couldn't race in La Flèche Wallonne and Liège–Bastogne–Liège.

Crash at Tour de France in 2018

In Stage 16 of the Tour de France, Gilbert had a bad crash on a downhill section. He went over a wall and broke his kneecap. This was on the same road where cyclist Fabio Casartelli died in 1995. Even with his injury, Gilbert got back on his bike and rode the remaining 57 kilometers (35 miles) to the finish. He won the Most Combative Rider award for his bravery, but his Tour ended there.

Paris–Roubaix Victory in 2019

Gilbert leading Nils Politt at the 2019 Paris–Roubaix

In April 2019, Gilbert won Paris–Roubaix in a sprint against Nils Politt. This was his fifth Monument title. During the Vuelta a España, Gilbert won stage 12 to Bilbao. He dropped his breakaway companions and finished alone. On stage 17, he won again. His team pushed the pace in strong crosswinds, allowing him to win the sprint finish. This stage was the fastest ever road stage over 200 kilometers (124 miles) in a Grand Tour.

Lotto–Soudal (2020–2022)

In August 2019, Gilbert signed a three-year contract with the Lotto–Soudal team. He raced with them until his retirement in 2022.

Career Achievements

Major Race Results

Grand Tour Results Timeline

Grand Tour	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Giro d'Italia	32	—	DNF	—	—	97	—	—	—	—	—	39	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Tour de France	—	70	110	DNF	112	—	—	38	46	62	—	—	—	DNF	DNF	—	DNF	99	76
/ Vuelta a España	—	—	—	69	DNF	54	50	—	59	DNF	45	—	DNF	—	—	32	—	—	—

Classic Race Results

This table shows Gilbert's results in the great classics.

Major Championships Timeline

Event		2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
Olympic Games	Time trial	NH	—	Not held			—	Not held			17	Not held			—	Not held				—	NH
	Road race		49				—				19				42					—
World Championships	Road race	DNF	DNF	77	92	8	15	6	18	17	1	9	7	10	—	17	—	DNF	—	—	—
	Team time trial	Not Held									2	—	—	—	—	4	—	Not held
European Championships	Road race	Race did not exist													8	—	—	—	—	DNF	—
National Championships	Time trial	8	—	—	—	2	6	—	—	1	3	2	4	—	11	—	—	—	—	—	—
	Road race	10	6	—	2	3	24	2	2	1	54	6	44	—	1	40	2	4	22	25	36

Awards and Honors

Philippe Gilbert has received many awards for his cycling achievements:

• Crystal Bicycle: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
• Sprint d'Or: 2008
• Belgian Sportsman of the year: 2009, 2010, 2011
• Belgian National Sports Merit Award: 2009
• Flandrien Award: 2009, 2010, 2011
• AIJC trophy: 2009
• Walloon-Brussels Sports Merit Award: 2010, 2011, 2012
• Vélo d'Or Mondial: 2011
• Mendrisio d'Or: 2012
• Square Philippe Gilbert in Aywaille: 2013 (a public square named after him)
• La Philippe Gilbert Juniors [fr]: an annual bike race for junior cyclists, started in 2013
• Honorary Citizen of Valkenburg: 2016
• Ruban Jaune: 2019 (an award for the fastest average speed in a professional race over 200 km)
• CyclingRanking – Overall ranking (12th place)

See also

In Spanish: Philippe Gilbert para niños