“Really very excited to share this news: I will be officially retired on October 15 at the Cauberg, where I won my greatest victory,” wrote Philippe Gilbert, 40 years old since July 5, punctuating his announcement with the image of a rainbow.
It was indeed on September 23, 2012 that Philippe Gilbert became world champion wearing the rainbow jersey after a 267.4 km race between Maastricht and Valkenburg. He was ahead of the Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen and the Spaniard Alejandro Valverde.
Philippe Gilbert will then draw a line under his fine career during this event where he also won four times in the Amstel Gold Race.
The program includes a Phil’s Last Race, a 65 km cycle ride for the general public on and around the route of the 2012 Worlds and a criterium at the end of which Philippe will symbolically hang up his bike.
The Belgian has won 80 victories over his 20-year career, notably winning four of the five Monuments: Paris-Roubaix (2019), the Tour of Flanders (2017), Liège-Bastogne-Liège (2011), and the Tour of Lombardy, twice (2009 and 2010). It only lacks Milan-Sanremo.
Twice Belgian road champion and once in the time trial, he won eleven stages in the three Grand Tours, also lifting his arms at Paris-Tours (2008 and 2009), at the Clásica San Sebastián ( 2011), the Flèche Wallonne (2011) or the Flèche Brabançonne.
Engaged for the 13th time in the Tour de France this year, Philippe Gilbert has won his last race for the time being on May 8: the final classification of the Four Days of Dunkirk. He had won the 3rd stage three days earlier, thus ending two and a half years without a win.