"AND' my last Liège – says Gilbert, who was moved as the video scrolled on the screen – it's special to be here at the foot of the Redoute. This morning I passed by on my bike and saw my name written on the groundThere wasn't a big surprise effect, because they had been working on it for three days, but it moved me».
Friday, route test
Four o'clock on Friday afternoon, the day dedicated to testing on the route. Gilbert passed by the Redoute greeting friends and relatives. And now he welcomes us for a press conference in the Aywaille square which bears his name. The Belgian of Lotto Soudal he saw the video in which his voice narrates the relationship with the Doyenne and suddenly he betrayed his shining eyesHe was born and raised right here. And even though life has taken him to Monaco and faraway roads, he remains the boy who, as a child, challenged himself on the Redoute and the last Belgian to win the Liège. Questions and answers, few journalists.
"It's the first press conference in a long time," he jokes. "It means there are important things to say. Let's get started..."
Nibali and Zanini, Astana home, review of the route on the phone and then off we go Aleotti's first Redoute alongside Benedetti: an important baptism Poels won the 2016 Liège in a snowstorm. Today is sunny, but the sprint to the Redoute is powerful. Teuns has just won the Flèche Wallonne and is testing his legs on the Redoute: the crowd is cheering him on. There's talk of cycling back to the hotel after training: "What are you talking about?!" Nibali becomes threatening... Borselli adjusts the Garmin on Nibali's bike: do you think it will work for the Sicilian? Nibali is not happy, he puts the Garmin back in its place and speaks with Tosello, the team's mechanic The entire Astana team: from left: Cucinotta, Tosello, Zanini, Borselli, and Possoni Velasco's second Liège: his baptism in 2021 with Gazprom, now cancelled It's 12 degrees Celsius, so we'd better get going. Astana is the first to leave Vielsalm. Ag2R-Citroen on the Stockeu at a slow trot: others will pass much faster Stockeu again, France again: this time it's Groupama-FDJ The passages on the Redoute begin, AG2R-Citroen aims for Cosnefroy Valverde came through very quickly, emerging from a swarm of amateurs, Movistar followed him at a slow trot The Redoute is plastered with Gilbert's name from base to top The press conference took place in the R-Hotel located in Place Philippe Gilbert in Aywaille.
Nibali and Zanini, Astana home, review of the route on the phone and then off we go Aleotti's first Redoute alongside Benedetti: an important baptism Poels won the 2016 Liège in a snowstorm. Today is sunny, but the sprint to the Redoute is powerful. Teuns has just won the Flèche Wallonne and is testing his legs on the Redoute: the crowd is cheering him on. There's talk of cycling back to the hotel after training: "What are you talking about?!" Nibali becomes threatening... Borselli adjusts the Garmin on Nibali's bike: do you think it will work for the Sicilian? Nibali is not happy, he puts the Garmin back in its place and speaks with Tosello, the team's mechanic The entire Astana team: from left: Cucinotta, Tosello, Zanini, Borselli, and Possoni Velasco's second Liège: his baptism in 2021 with Gazprom, now cancelled It's 12 degrees Celsius, so we'd better get going. Astana is the first to leave Vielsalm. Ag2R-Citroen on the Stockeu at a slow trot: others will pass much faster Stockeu again, France again: this time it's Groupama-FDJ The passages on the Redoute begin, AG2R-Citroen aims for Cosnefroy Valverde came through very quickly, emerging from a swarm of amateurs, Movistar followed him at a slow trot The Redoute is plastered with Gilbert's name from base to top The press conference took place in the R-Hotel located in Place Philippe Gilbert in Aywaille.
How do you get to the last Liège?
The calendar has changed, Roubaix at the beginning of the week didn't helpI've been feeling ill the past few days and haven't been able to do the necessary specific things. The shape is good, but not enough to guarantee a resultIt's not ideal, but the experience is there and can partially compensate. But miracles aren't possible in Liège.
Your career doesn't end tomorrow...
I would like to underline this. There are still many races on the calendar and for now I am concentrating 100 percent on my job.Then it will be difficult to abandon him, I have some contacts and we'll see if they materialize at the end of the year. I will have more time for family, that is always a precious aspect.
What Liège do you expect?
A more open race. Valverde, second in Huy, showed he is in good condition and will have to take his role, meaning that his team will have to pull if there's a breakaway in the final stages. But these days, it's difficult to make predictions, as Amstel proved. Certainly the new finish without the Cote de Forges lends itself to attacksWith the wind changing direction every three hours, it will make it even more illegible.
Some doubt that this will be Valverde's last Liège...
For me it certainly will be, I decided this three years ago when I signed this contractI don't think I'll go back, really not.
Do you think Van Aert can make his race?
Why not? He missed the Flanders stage due to Covid, but for him, arriving in Liège is a good thing.It would have been more difficult to manage him at Ans, but even if they dropped him at the Roche aux Faucouns and he managed to climb at his pace, I think he would have plenty of time to come back.
On the Redoute, will you be thinking about the crowd or the race?
If I'm in front, the crowd will give me strength, but I'll think about the result. In my opinion, La Redoute has regained importance without the Cote de Forges. Anyway, having an audience will be nice, after the two bad years of the pandemic. Sport is, above all, about conveying emotions to young people on the streets. It's important to give them powerful experiences..
Were you moved by reading the words in that video?
Not too much. I read it aloud four times and then recorded it on the first try. But I have to say that seeing it now with the pictures… It didn't leave me indifferent!
