"Good On Ya" Philippe: Lotto's Gilbert Scores Giro Stage, Reduces Internal Team Pressure Ahead of Tour de France

Philippe Gilbert had a breakout year in 2008, and as the dawn broke on the 2009 season the Belgian seemed on the precipice of greatness. After all, he had signed with a Belgian team (Silence-Lotto), had remained injury and sickness free during the off season and was riding sky-high confidence following that breakthrough 2008 campaign.

But all did not go to plan for Gilbert in the first half of the season. Luckily for the intense Belgian, his luck finally changed for the better at the Giro d'Italia. After a few near misses throughout the first half of the event, Gilbert broke through with a crucial win for his Belgian sponsor, taking the 20th stage of the centenary Giro d'Italia. Using a signature late race attack, Gilbert was able to stay free to the end of the stage, taking a well-earned and extremely important victory for both himself and his team.

Gilbert's win not only took the pressure off of him heading into the Tour de France, but it also reduced the overall malaise that the Silence-Lotto team has been experiencing thus far in 2009. After an abysmal classics season the outfit came into the Giro on the lowest of lows, but with Gilbert's win they will surely feel a renewed vigor to compete and excel over the final half of the season. With a top GC threat (Cadel Evans) and several stage hunters heading to the Tour, Silence-Lotto should be able to take the momentum that Gilbert started in Italy and carry it into the biggest bike race on the planet in about 30 days time.

Gilbert is an undeniable and intense talent capable of big things, but like any cyclist he needs a bit of luck of be successful. With a win at one of the three grand tours under his belt, expect Gilbert to attack with a vengeance in the Tour, assuming his leader Evans allows it. And as for Evans, he'll be considerably more mellow in knowing that his team has now finally scored a major victory in a prestigious race. Racing without so much pressure should be good for Evans, who wilted under the media spotlight at last year's Tour.