Retired since the end of last season, Philippe Gilbert (40) is experiencing his career change. The former world champion joins the Eurosport channel as a consultant. He will start in his new role on February 25 at Het Nieuwsblad.
Philippe Gilbert has not said goodbye to the peloton for four months now that he is already relocated. At 40, the young Belgian retiree is experiencing his retraining. As for many of his colleagues who are no longer active, she will go through a TV set. But more as a guest, as had been regularly the case during his career, the specialized programs feasting on each of the passages on the antenna of this “good client”. This time, Gilbert will be on the other side of the barrier, in the shoes of a consultant. The Eurosport channel announced on Tuesday that the former world champion would join the team of “Kings of the Pedal”. The Walloon, also passionate about hunting, will intervene before and after the races. But that’s not all, since the one who bowed out on October 9 after Paris-Tours will also comment on the races live, before then analyzing them alongside the rest of the band dear to Guillaume Di Grazia, Steve Chainel or Jacky Durand. On February 25, five days after the broadcast of a behind-the-scenes documentary on Gilbert’s career and his quest for the five Monuments (he won four of the five), the former leader of the Lotto-Soudal team will his debut at the Het Nieuwsblad, a race he had won twice (2006 and 2008) when the champion with 80 professional victories was still a runner.
Not really a first for Gilbert…
Very happy to be able to share this news. See you soon on Eurosport! @Eurosport_FR
— Philippe Gilbert (@PhilippeGilbert) February 7, 2023
Gilbert will first take his place on the bike, on the cobblestones of Belgium, before starting on commentary, on Paris-Nice. In 2018, the Belgian had nevertheless already played the commentators for the channel, during the World Championships. He repeated the experience two years later on Paris-Tours. This time, he will chain the experiments, and it is not to displease him. “I am very proud to assume a more important role on the channel and to become a permanent consultant after some great one-off experiences, admits Gilbert in the columns of the Last Hour. I am also proud to be able to share my experience with the public and above all to remain so closely linked to this sport which has brought me so much and is close to my heart. »
