Gilbert WC Win- In His Own Words

disgruntledgoat
disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
edited May 2015 in Pro race
Following the success (?) of my Thomas De Gendt translation, I'm going to take a swing at the same style of article, but written by Philippe Gilbert about his Worlds win in 2012.

Once again, the article is from Bahamontes, interview by Raf Liekens.

Intro

That World Championships would definitley be decided on the Cauberg, not unkown territory for Phillipe Gilbert. On this steep pimple he had already twice taken the Amstel Gold Race. No two without three, said the BMC leader and so he planned his year towards the Worlds. The finish was not straight on top of the Cauberg, but the half a kilometer after the top would present no problem. Not to a Gilbert in topform. The Walloon gives us, one year on, a view into his head as he takes his last lap in his rainbow jersey.
"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

@gietvangent

Comments

  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    The Run In

    "What a knockout. The door has been open all day. The British team fell away early (The Dutch here is "fell through the ice", I think he's saying its an open race with nobody taking control) : I saw how Cavendish, for whom this course is too hard anyway, was one of the first to get dropped and also Froome and Wiggins following a few charges said goodbye on the Cauberg. Their season was hard and long, the curve of their form is falling. Mine is peaking. Finally. I'm close to my 2011 level, I can feel it in the weeks leading up to today. I must make today my day."

    "With 50km to go, a big group rides away containing guys like Contador, Voeckler, Flecha and Gesink. It doesn't worry me. With Gianni Meersman and Bjorn Leukemans we have two men in front who'll do no work. Their excuse? Moi! And, thanks to the work of Dries Devenyns, Kevin De Weert and Johan Van Summeren the front group stays nicely in sight. Held and then taken half way round the lap. The bell rings. Last lap. The ideal scenario beckons"

    The Last Lap

    "The last climb of the Bemelerberg. Here the Spanish take the race in hand. They believe in the chances of Friere and Valverde. The Spanish interests run parallel to ours. Like me, Valverde will try to get to the Cauberg in good position. Friere must, like Boonen, hope that everything stays together so he can sprint for the win."

    "We still have 5 Belgians in the group. Tom and me, Van Avermaet, Leuki and Roelandts. We had agreed earlier to group together here. That way, the teammates can bring me to the Cauberg in an armchair. Then its up to me to make it work. A few laps ago I was doubting. The legs weren't feeling super. Nothing strange in a race over six hours long."
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    3km To Go

    "We fly into Valkenburg at 80kph. It's a technical descent. No sharp corners just zig zags. You have to constantly cut the corners. Left, right, again left. The speed makes it dangerous. It's like positioning for a sprint. Everything is squeezed and smashed together but the speed is too high to take unusual risks.Luckily! Roelandts manages to choose the perfect line. Precise work!"

    2600m To Go

    "At last: The foot of the Cauberg! We bounce over the speedbump and round the corner at more than 30kph. Two Italians are riding on the front, Nibali and Paulini. After them, Roelandts and Boonen. I know that Valverde is sitting behind me, but where exactly? I have to guess. I see him as my biggest competitor today. I know the others can't hold my wheel if I go on the Cauberg."

    "I hang around 15th place, Leukmans in front of me. Perfect! He's the ideal man to launch me later. After I've told him that I don't want to be too far forward here. If you sit here, you're already in the first five and then you have to sprint out of the corner. I want to spare myself the effort. It is better to wait and then later, at just the right moment, come out of the pack. I just hope that we can find an opening to slide up."
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    I know the others can't hold my wheel if I go on the Cauberg

    Brilliant confidence. And the best part about it is that it's true!

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    Contador is the Greatest
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    I was watching the video this morning and the ease with which Roelandts takes Boonen from the back of the group to the front with about 5km to go is fantastic, when he gets there there's already 3 other Belgians there. Fantastic team work that day.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    2400m To Go

    "Yes! Leuki begins his charge. I brace myself and grab his wheel. The adrenaline pumps through my body. The right side is a barrier between the riders and the fans. We can just squeeze by moving up a few places."

    2300m To Go

    "Paulini goes to the front after riding across our line. Leuki anticipates and looks to use the middle of the road. Nibali is at the front now and Leuki catches his wheel. I make myself small behind Bjorn's back and wait with concern. I know every centimeter of this hill. In the S Bend it gets steeper, up to 12%. That's the ideal place, certainly today. In Amstel I have twice attacked at the very start of the climb but today the wind is behind us therefore its better to jump later. Above that, the line is still 1 and a half kilometers after the top of the Cauberg. I must hold my effort. Waiting long enough is the order of the day."

    2200m To Go

    "The road bends slightly to the right. The famous S Bend. Nibali goes hard, Leukemans follows. I feel I can go faster. I look under my arm, see no front wheel behind me. Instinctively, I look again. Boonen and Roelandts have left a gap and nobody is sitting on me. Next to Boonen, I see Boassen Hagen pulling, Valverde is nowhere to be seen. We have a meter or 3! This is the moment. GO!"
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • milton50
    milton50 Posts: 3,856
    These are awesome stories, goat. The Belgians really did ride a perfect race that day.
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Milton50 wrote:
    These are awesome stories, goat. The Belgians really did ride a perfect race that day.

    It's a really nice magazine. The only other 2 like this I have are Cancellara on his San Remo win in 2008 (I think) and Ludo Dierckxsens on his Belgian Championship, but I dont see anybody wanting that one...

    Theres some other really nice articles though (interview with Fignon's wife was good, especially). I'll maybe put up a list after I've done this and Cancellara and take requests
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    2100m To Go

    "I push as hard as I can on the pedals and fly past Bjorn and Nibali. There's still power in my legs. If you're good when you attack uphill, you just feel like you're flying. Also, there's mini-explosions in your legs pushing you forward. I have that feeling now. I sense that i've distanced the rest. The mounting pain in my legs is forgotten. I'm gone! I'm away!"

    2000m To Go

    "I cone out of the S Bend, still not up to top speed. I must go yet harder. I must stay out of the saddle, like a crazy rampage until I'm at the top. I've put everything into this one attack. The noise is deafening. Its as if I'm in a tunnel full of noise. The whole day the atmosphere on the Cauberg has been superb, like racing at home. Now I don't hear it anymore. Just one loud noise, a gulf of sound which seems to come out of one mouth. A mouth that sucks me forward."

    1900m To Go

    "I steal a quick look over my shoulder and see Klobonev writhe about 15 meters back. Perfect! He's not making much progress. I have no fear of the Russian, I sprint faster on the big ring uphill than him. "
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • adr82
    adr82 Posts: 4,002
    Great stuff, thanks for translating!
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    1800m To Go

    "I sprint under the bridg. The steepest portion is behind me. Everything hurts, from my legs to my neck. My arms and pectorals are tight from pulling the bars. But I have no choice: Push it, to the 12!"

    1750m To Go

    "I sit down in the saddle. From the bottom until now, I've gone full force out of the saddle. A full minute. I train all year on this with intervals. Sometimes I train in the hills around Monaco for 10 minutes at a time out of the saddle. But I never go as deep as this in training."

    1700m To Go

    "The top of the Cauberg. I shift to my 11, my biggest gear. The cut is made, I feel that immediately. My whole body is full. My tendons and muscles cry for mercy. But I must keep the gear spinning so I don't lose any speed. Stay hammering, I'm carved out of wood! Before, I'd thought that at this point I need 20 meters, then they won't catch me again. I look back. I have the 20 meters. But i'm still not certain to win. I'm a bloc, but hopefully they are too."
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    1600m To Go

    "A motorbike is driving in front of me. I focus on his line, a benefit my pursuers don't have. I take the inside of the corner and pass half a meter from the fans. Not too close, there's always people with cameras taking pictures at the wrong moment."

    1500m To Go

    "Another 100m of false flat. I'm going to pieces. The pain is horrible. My mouth hangs open and my sight is totally cramped (you tell me!). My lungs are burning. My heart wants to burst out of my chest. God, this is hard! Harder than the climb itself. I've already been making this effort for so long. I look at my computer, 61KPH (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!). Come on, keep above 60. I must! Above everything else I must keep pulling on the bars and pushing on the pedals, keep pushing the big ring round. Through the f***ing wall!"

    1400m To Go

    "Finally that nasty bit is behind me. Now it goes in a straight line towards the finish. I gain speed, grab the drops hard. Streamlined, it's easier to the finish, with a tailwind."

    "I look behind. Not out of fear, but because you have to keep analysing the situation. I'm calculating the worst case scenario. If the group behind is all together, I can still be beaten in a sprint. But I see only three chasers: Klobonev, Boassen Hagen and a Spaniard. That must be Valverde. My advantage is relatively stable."
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    disgruntledgoat wrote:

    1750m To Go

    "I sit down in the saddle. From the bottom until now, I've gone full force out of the saddle. A full minute. I train all year on this with intervals. Sometimes I train in the hills around Monaco for 10 minutes at a time out of the saddle. But I never go as deep as this in training."

    Must be fairly straightforward (if intensely dull) to be Phil Gil training for this worlds.

    It's just about 2 things. Being ok with the distance, and training for that one monster effort.

    Months and months aimed at that.
    _
  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    disgruntledgoat wrote:

    1750m To Go

    "I sit down in the saddle. From the bottom until now, I've gone full force out of the saddle. A full minute. I train all year on this with intervals. Sometimes I train in the hills around Monaco for 10 minutes at a time out of the saddle. But I never go as deep as this in training."

    Must be fairly straightforward (if intensely dull) to be Phil Gil training for this worlds.

    It's just about 2 things. Being ok with the distance, and training for that one monster effort.

    Months and months aimed at that.

    he had a pretty average season with BMC pissing around with his bike fit and not being allowed to use the pedals he wanted. once he changed a few things he got back in the groove for a few weeks and then had an awful year as world Champ, with only the one victory. this was a great win though...
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    Did he crash at 1400m or something?

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