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Photo Essay: Gilbert’s phenomenal Tour of Flanders

Philippe Gilbert's win at Tour of Flanders stuns fans and rivals alike, as the Belgian champion succeeds in long-range solo breakaway.

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Tour
The 101st edition of de Ronde van Vlaanderen commenced in the sun-kissed heart of Antwerp. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
The Cannondale-Drapac squad took to the stage with headliner Sep Vanmarcke. It also marked Taylor Phinney’s return to the spring classics. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
The cafés and pubs lining the Grote Markt in Antwerp were busy all morning serving the thousands of fans that had gathered for the Ronde. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Fans packed the Grote Markt — or main square — in Antwerp to see the team presentations on the big stage. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
There was no lack of fanfare around Tom Boonen (Quick-Step) when he arrived at the stage. He was immediately surrounded by journalists, TV media, and fans angling for a moment with Tommeke. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Spectators clapped in unison to welcome Boonen to the stage alongside his Quick-Step teammates. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Three-time Flanders winner Boonen took the stage at the start of de Ronde van Vlaanderen for the last time. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Philippe Gilbert (Quick-Step) looked relaxed and jovial onstage in Antwerp although fresh attention and pressure was put on him as the most recent contender for Tour of Flanders. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Fans gave Antwerp a grand welcome as the new start town for de Ronde. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Race favorite Greg van Avermaet (BMC) was looking to continue his winning streak in Flanders after two successes the previous week at E3 Harelbeke and Gent-Wevelgem. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
In classic form, Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) rode a wheelie to the stage, delighting fans along the runway. Photo: George Deswijzen / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
The peloton rolled out from Antwerp center along the neutral parade route before the official start. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
This year’s race route showcased not one but seven Dorp van de Ronde (towns of the Ronde) — the first of which was the historic center of Saint Niklaas where the race had previously started before Bruges was host city. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
All along the parcours, Boonen fans shared “thank you” banners for the Flanders cycling legend. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
The race passed through the Medieval city of Aalst where huge carnival animals faced the old Stadhuis (belfry). Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
In Flanders, de Ronde is a national holiday. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Vanmarcke had the full support of his team early in the race as the peloton came up the Oude Kwaremont on the first of three passages. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Fans and flemish lions stood high on the upper slopes of the Eikenberg waiting for the race. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
The peloton reached the third cobbled climb of the day, the Eikenberg, marking the halfway mark in the race. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
At the Holleweg, the peloton was still a large bunch, working to reel in the break that had ballooned the gap to over 12 minutes. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
With the iconic Kapelmuur (the “Muur”) back in the 2017 race profile, fans found newfound reason to line the barriers in Geraardsbergen. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
The breakaway reached the summit of the Muur as a veritable hillside of fans cheered them on. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Boonen did not miss the opportunity to be the first man on the Muur as the front of the peloton made its way up after the breakaway. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Tom Boonen started an aggressive move on the steepest part of the Muur that would force a select group to take shape. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Sagan rode in the bunch up the Muur before the tempo of the race escalated. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Boonen worked hard for teammate Gilbert, pulling at the front between the Muur and the Kanarieberg. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Once the break was caught, Gilbert made an escape on the lower slopes of the Oude Kwaremont, 56 kilometers from the finish in Oudenaarde. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Vanmarcke and Boonen came up the middle of the Oude Kwaremont not far behind Gilbert before bad luck would sideline them both with a crash for Vanmarcke and a mechanical on the Taaienberg for Boonen. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Van Avermaet had the help of loyal teammate Daniel Oss as he climbed the Kwaremont alongside Matti Breschel, John Degenkolb, Edvald Boasson Hagen, and Luke Durbridge. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Gilbert crested the toughest section of the grueling 600-meter Paterberg at kilometer 209 with less than 30 seconds’ lead. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Sylvain Chavanel showed strong form and tenacity riding up the Paterberg in good company with Tom Boonen, Alexander Kristoff, and others. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
The chase through Flandrien fields would continue for another 50 kilometers. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Gilbert made a grand entrance in the Koppenberg with his solo attack. Photo: Eoin Clarke | Cyclefile / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
All the main race favorites were together on the Koppenberg with over 45km left of racing. Photo: Eoin Clarke | Cyclefile / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Van Avermaet charged up the Taaienberg shortly after Boonen was waylaid with a mechanical. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Gilbert showed pure “grinta” (bravado) in his race gamble and the seamless execution of it. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Less than a kilometer before a crash with the barriers ruined his chances at victory, Peter Sagan lead the charge after Gilbert up the Kwaremont (at kilometer 242) with Van Avermaet, Oliver Naesen, and Dylan van Baarle in tow. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Gilbert was serenaded by fans lining the Paterberg when he arrived with almost a minute gap. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Philippe
Proving his earlier form in the cobbled races, Gilbert returned to the spring classics with showmanship, winning 2017 Tour of Flanders. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Van Baarle took the reins as team leader when a crash took Sep Vanmarcke’s Flanders chances away. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Van Avermaet and Niki Terpstra were once again Paterberg companions in the race finale, bringing their fight all the way to the line for second and third place respectively. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
At the top of the Paterberg Sagan looked back over his shoulder — arriving nearly three minutes down on the Van Avermaet-Terpstra duo. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
What better way to take victory in Oudenaarde then with a solo ride down the finishing straight. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Gilbert took high honors for his win of de Ronde in the Belgian national champion’s jersey. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Boonen embraced teammates in victory after the finish line in Oudenaarde. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Sagan was escorted backstage by medics and organization chaperones where his crash injuries were evaluated at Tour of Flanders. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
The 2017 de Ronde van Vlaanderen podium: Gilbert, Van Avermaet, Terpstra. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Gilbert got a face full of champagne from teammate Terpstra. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Philippe
To the victor go the spoils. And the spoils of his 2017 Tour of Flanders victory were quite sweet for Gilbert. Photo: Iri Greco / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com
Tour
Philippe Gilbert was caught in the moment as it all sunk in. Photo: Jim Fryer / BrakeThrough Media | www.brakethroughmedia.com

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