Clocking up yet another trophy in what has been a remarkable season, Philippe Gilbert was yesterday named Belgian Sportsman of the Year for the third consecutive time.
The Omega Pharma Lotto rider was honoured at the Sports Gala in the Eurocam Media Center in Lint, with his total of 881 points well clear of the 686 points of runner-up Kevin Borlee, who picked up bronze in the world athletic championships in Daegu. Borlee’s brother Jonathan was third, while the footballer Eden Hazard was next in line.
In October, Gilbert was presented with the UCI WorldTour trophy and took his third consecutive Flandrien title in Belgium. He was also given the prestigious Velo d’Or award, with voting giving him 89 points. Tour de France victor Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) was on 73 points, with world champion Mark Cavendish (HTC Highroad) on 54.
Gilbert’s victories this year include a stage in the Tour de France (where he also wore the yellow jersey), the Montepaschi Strade Bianche, Flèche Brabançonne, the treble of Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, as well as the Belgian time trial and road race championships, the Tour of Belgium, the San Sebastian Classic, the Grand Prix of Québec, the Grand Prix de Wallonie and the Ster ZLM Toer.
The Omega Pharma Lott rider also took stage wins in the Volta ao Algarve, Tirreno-Adriatico, the Tour of Belgium, the Ster ZLM Toer and the Eneco Tour of Benelux.
The haul meant that he ended the year as the clear victor in the UCI WorldTour ranking, one of his stated goals for the season, and earned a lucrative contract with the BMC Racing Team.
He is set to make his 2012 debut in the Tour of Qatar. He said recently that he believed he would be stronger again next season; if so, this plus the strength of his team will greatly worry his rivals.
Gilbert has given advance notice of the races he will be targeting. “My objectives for 2012 are based particularly on the races that I haven’t yet won,” he told DH.be in October. “I’m thinking about Milan-Sanremo, the Tour of Flanders and the world championships.”
Philippe Gilbert’s 2011 victories (not including criteriums)
16/02/2011, Volta ao Algarve, Stage 1 : Faro - Albufeira, 2.1s
05/03/2011, Montepaschi Strade Bianche, 1.1
13/03/2011, Tirreno - Adriatico, Stage 5 : Chieti - Castelraimondo, World Tour
13/04/2011, Brabantse Pijl, 1.HC
17/04/2011, Amstel Gold Race, World Tour
20/04/2011, Flèche Wallonne, World Tour
24/04/2011, Liège - Bastogne - Liège, World Tour
28/05/2011, Ronde van België / Tour de Belgique, Stage 3 : Bertem - Eupen, 2.HCs
29/05/2011, Ronde van België / Tour de Belgique, 2.HC
18/06/2011, Ster ZLM Tour, Stage 4 : Verviers (Bel) - La Gileppe/Jalhay (Bel), 2.1s
19/06/2011, Ster ZLM Tour, 2.1
26/06/2011, National Championships Belgium (Hooglede-Gits) R.R., NC1
02/07/2011, Tour de France, Stage 1 : Passage du Gois - Les Herbiers/Mont des Alouettes, GT1s
30/07/2011, Clasica San Sebastian - San Sebastian, World Tour
11/08/2011, Eneco Tour of Benelux, Stage 3 : Heers - Andenne, World Tour
15/08/2011, National Championships Belgium (Tervuren) I.T.T., National championships
09/09/2011, GP de Québec, World Tour
14/09/2011, GP de Wallonie, 1.1