Philippe Gilbert of Lotto Soudal told Belgian media that he is looking forward to returning to racing at Strade Bianche on August 1, but is still very wary of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and said that if racing resumes, even if he and his colleagues have to race without He said that if the race resumes, even if he and his colleagues have to race without spectators, it is better than no race at all.

"I like to watch other sports, and Formula 1 could resume without spectators," Gilbert told Belgian public broadcaster RTBF on Monday. 'It's a little strange, it's true, but at least the race is on.'

"Even if that's all we [the cycling world] can do, that would be the main thing--we can still organize interesting races," said the 38-year-old, who joined Lotto Soudal this year from Detunink-Quickstep. 'I usually like to interact with the fans, but I'd rather have no spectators than no race at all.'

According to RTBF, Gilbert is currently attending a training camp with his teammates in the Vosges Mountains of eastern France, but is aiming for "complete the set" to win all five major one-day classics of professional racing, this year's Milan to San Remo (changed to August 8) and will resume the season at the Strade Bianche, a week before Sanremo.

"We are working in a 'bubble,'" Gilbert explained. 'We try to stay with the same small group of people. We only have one mechanic and two soigneurs in training camp, so we're almost like a continental-level team, working with the bare minimum."

"It remains to be seen how this historic return to racing will turn out. The UCI, the race organizers, and the teams have a lot of rules and we have to respect all of those protocols for as long as there is a race to start." That is if the race is held at all. ...... As I look at the current situation, I see that the number of people getting sick again is increasing day by day, and I am concerned again."

"There are two mandatory inspections before the race. But it's part of the job," Gilbert said."