Despite having stated last month that he would be taking part in the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix in a bid to win all five monuments, Philippe Gilbert has now said that he won’t be taking part in those races after all, according to Het Laatse Nieuws.
Instead, he will take part in the Ardennes classics, Amstel Gold Race, Fleche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. He will also race in the Giro d’Italia.
Directeur Sportif Allan Peiper explained at the team’s training camp “Greg (van Avermaet) is team leader for the Flemish classics, Philippe for the Ardennes classics, there’s never been discussion about that. Philippe has indeed said that someday he wanted to ride the Tour of Flanders or Roubaix. I understand that completely. But in 2015 that will not happen. You can not be in all the top races.”
Regarding Van Avermaet, Peiper said, “Greg has grown over the past year, he has gained more confidence, he can be a true leader and he is our man in the spring.”
