Philippe Gilbert is a bit of an anomaly on this list, as the vast majority of his wins came in the space of a period just over two years long.

But it was one of the most impressive purple patches in cycling history, including becoming only the second rider (after Davide Rebellin in 2004) to win all three Ardennes Classics in the same year, as well as adding Strade Bianche and Brabantse Pijl for good measure.

Not only excelling on the pure hills, though, Gilbert has finished on the podium at Flanders and San Remo twice each and even sprinted to third at Gent-Wevelgem.

Aside from his glittering palmares, one of the reasons Gilbert has been taking to the hearts of both the Belgian and wider cycling public is his attacking style. He has been the protagonist rather than antagonist in most of his wins, and – as evidenced a number of times in San Remo – sometimes his attacking predisposition gets the better of his tactical sense, making for exciting racing that doesn’t always end the way he’d hoped.

What we’re basically saying is that part of what makes Gilbert so great is panache. In a peloton where a lot of riders are happy to race conservatively, almost riding to not lose rather than win, Gilbert tendency to shoot off up the road is a breath of fresh air. He might not win all the time, but he’s happy to risk it all for a chance of crossing the line first. And it’s just fantastic to watch.