A new benchmark

Very often the great performances in cycling are the result of doping or other illicit performance enhancing techniques. We all know this. We're all jaded by this. Being let down by the participants in the cycling world is part of the territory of being a cycling fan.

But just as often, a great performance is exactly that: a great performance. Every once in a while a rider times his fitness to absolute perfection and dominates for a few weeks. Fabian Cancellara did it in 2010 during the northern classics campaign, literally riding his opponents off his wheel and into the dust of Flanders and Roubaix. In 2005, Tom Boonen timed his fitness so well that he won Flanders and Roubaix in decisive fashion. And this year, Phillipe Gilbert was the victor in each of the Ardennes classics winning Amstel Gold, Fleche Wallone, and Liege-Bastogne-Liege in dominating style.

So why all the cynicism around Gilbert's victories? In reading the innuendo written on the forum walls, I can only conclude that most people have given up on the sport. They don't want to believe anyone in cycling is clean and instead view all performances as suspicious. Can't say I blame them but I think Gilbert is a clean winner just as I think Cancellara is clean and triathletes are the worst bike handlers in all of sport.

See, Gilbert is in the prime of his career and you expect him to be strong. Gilbert's performances have become better and more consistent over the past several years. He didn't go from pack-fodder to superstar overnight. And just as importantly, Gilbert has never been implicated or associated with any wrongdoing or with any shady characters that might be invited to Lance Armstrong's compound for "dinner".

Give Phillipe Gilbert some credit for being a great champion and showing real ability to win races. Gilbert knows his opponents and uses their weaknesses to his advantage. At Fleche Wallone, when a late breakaway formed, he didn't wait around for help ala Tom Boonen at Roubaix in 2010. Nope, he took matters into his own hands, and with some real class and fighting spirit, chased back and eventually took the win. Sure, at Liege-Bastogne-Liege he only had to contend with tactically incompetent siamese twins of Andy and Frank, but Gilbert was neither afraid nor embarrassed to take advantage of their lack of racing intelligence.

Phillipe Gilbert has shown that a cyclist with talent and focus can accomplish amazing feats in this sport. Through hard work and dedication, he has accomplished something that will be talked about for years to come. By racing to win rather than racing not to lose, he's become the benchmark by which all other riders of the Ardennes classics will be measured. There aren't too many riders who have become icons. Gilbert is one of them.