2022 Liège-Bastogne-Liège, News, Philippe Gilbert -

If you’re a Phil, this Liège-Bastogne-Liège will thrill

If you're a Phil, this Liège-Bastogne-Liège will thrill

Roadside graffiti is one of those endearing things that makes cycling one of the world’s great spectator sports.

Depending on where you are, you can learn much about the allegiances of a region’s cycling fans. In Italy’s Emilia-Romagna, it’s All Pantani, All The Time, All These Years Later. In France, it’s the Pinot and LouLou show. In Flanders, they’re wild for Wout. Globally, obviously, it is road-width dicks, sometimes hurriedly converted into owls and butterflies.

This Liège-Bastogne-Liège, it’s a real Phil fest.

The town of Remouchamps – home of the decisive Côte de La Redoute climb – is both the crime-scene and the perpetrator. Local enthusiasts have gotten busy with the paint-rollers to adorn La Redoute with Phils; Phils at the top, Phils at the bottom, Phils in between. The La Redoute climb’s 1.6 km in length. According to veteran Belgian journo Stéphane Thirion, there are 700 Phils – one every couple of metres.

You guys, that is so many Phils.

The Phil in question, obviously enough, is Philippe Gilbert – Remouchamps is his birthplace. In a career full of wins, the 2011 edition of his local race was particularly memorable due to Gilbert rolling a matching pair of Schlecks in a three-way sprint. Gilbert will be retiring at the end of the 2022 season, making it his last jaunt through his hometown with a number pinned on.

Phil Gil, a man built to kill on a hill.

He probably won’t win, but it’s nice to remember the good times with 700 Phils on a hill.

If you’re a spectator called Phil, meanwhile, I imagine it’d be a pretty good race to watch, because there’s surely enough of your name on the ground to reasonably stake your claim on one for yourself.

Every Phil can have his fill of Phils. That’s the Remouchamps Promise.

The Bonus Content You’re Screaming Out For

What’s that? You’re a visual learner and would like to contextualise 700 Phils from the comfort of your browser window?

PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL PHIL

Aaaand … PHIL.

You’re welcome.

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