Fashion forward Walloon designer dresses the stars

Pure excellence Serious science in hi-tech hotspot Mons

King of the road Cycling superstar Philippe Gilbert

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contents

28 gastronomy

Ruffus champagne is bringing the sparkle of success to a Walloon vineyard

30 agenda

Events not to be missed around the region

31 profile

Cyclist Philippe Gilbert is one of the sport’s most bankable stars

Editor-in-chiefSarah Crew

Deputy editorSally Tipper

ReportersMartin Banks, Anne-Laure de Harlez, Leo Cendrowicz, Sam Dansie

Art directorPatricia Brossel

General managerJoske Plas

A quarterly magazine focusing on Wallonia and Brussels

Editorial committee:

AWEX/WBI and The Bulletin /Ackroyd Publications

Editeur responsable: Philippe Suinen – AWEX/WBI

For more information on Wab magazine contact: Marie-Catherine Duchêne AWEX, Place Sainctelette 2 1080 Brussels, Belgium Tel: 00.32(0)2.421.85.76 Fax: 00.32(0)2.421.83.93 email: mc.duchene@awex.be

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4 the big picture

The Belgian twins making tracks in the athletics world

6 news

Featuring Mecca soda, the renaissance of Mons and walks in the park

8 file

Mons draws on the finest scientific minds at its innovative centres of excellence

Cover: Hands-on scientists at work in Wallonia. Image by Shutterstock

14 heritage

Grand-Hornu combines the best of past and present in a stunning temple to art

16 panorama

A different view of Liège’s new Crowne Plaza hotel

18 tourism

The home of jazz has plenty to offer

20 innovation

A team of Mons-based scientists are recognised by their peers

22 expat

Architect Nicolas Godelet tells us about life in China

24

fashion

Young fashion designer Emilie Pirlot has dressed two of pop’s biggest stars

26 investment

Caterpillar is investing heavily in modern machines

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Venini Triplo by Pierre Charpin, on show at Grand-Hornu Images

View from abroad: Nicolas Godelet swapped Wallonia for China

Corking: Wallonia’s own sparkling wine is creating a buzz

Sax appeal: Dinant’s heritage is a draw for tourists

Intimate: Performers at the Charleroi Dance Biennale

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the big picture

The weight of the nation’s expectations seem to be resting lightly on the broad shoulders of Kevin (left) and Jonathan Borlée.

As the pair performed a victory tour of the Heysel stadium during the Van Damme Memo-rial in September, they could reflect on a glori-ous season. In August Kevin won bronze in the 400m at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, Belgium’s sole medal. Twin brother Jonathan also ran in the final, coming home fifth. Their positions were reversed at the 35th Van Damme, when Jonathan produced his best time of the season at 44.78 to take first place, while Kevin followed second in 44.97.

Prior to the meet, the 23-year-old brothers had declared their determination to finish the season in style in front of a Belgian crowd. “We will give it everything”, they told local newspaper L’Avenir.

While the feat of two Belgians competing in a world championship has propelled the brothers to celebrity status in their home country, the story of their success is quite remarkable. Born in Brussels to former athlete Jacques Borlée and his first wife Edith Demaertelaere, a Belgian ex-sprinter, they grew up in the province of Luxembourg. Jacques is the patriarch of the family, responsible for train-ing his children, including Olivia, who won silver in the 2008 Olympic 4 x 100m relay. He is also an outspoken commentator on Belgian athletics.

The family are now the flagbearers for Belgian athletics and will be under the spotlight in 2012 with the London Olympics looming. But for Kevin and Jonathan, appreciated for their availabil-ity, kindness and modesty, it is the affection and mutual respect of their fraternal partnership that will also be applauded.

Lap of honour for the Borlée brothers

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Green light for Liège’s Trilogiport

A major transport hub at the port of Liège has been given the green light by Wal-loon planning minister Philippe Henry. Work on the logistic platform combin-ing three modes of transport – rail, boat and road – should start in 2012 and be completed by 2015. The project is expected to boost the Walloon economy and create 2,000 jobs.

The 100-hectare multimodal logistics park is on the banks of the Albert Canal in Hermalle-sous-Argenteau, near the Dutch border. It is an extension of the port of Liège, the third largest inland port in Europe. The logistics village will create a European distribution centre and warehouse site with a 15-hectare con-tainer park and a 1,750-metre quayside.

Liège is considered a potential leader in European logistics because of its existing transport infrastructure and geographical situation close to French, German and Dutch borders, upstream from Antwerp, Zeebrugge, Rotterdam and Dunkirk ports. The Trilogiport represents an investment by Wallonia and Europe of €45 million and is expected to generate €110 million in private invest-ment. SC www.port-autonome.be

Mecca soda made from Wallonia springsDubai-based French com-pany Mecca World Group has bought failed bottled water company Sources of Spon-tin for €1.3 million. Known as Duchesse, Presbytère and Clairchant, the natural springs near Yvoir (Namur province) have been famous for their curative virtues for centuries. The Duchesse and the Clairchant have been bot-tled for more than 30 years thanks to the Spadel group.

But in 2010, Spontin SA, a subsidiary of Spadel, went bankrupt, and a new company was sought to take over the industrial site, without success. Finally, the production lines were dismantled and the machines sold, but just as the site was about to become a warehouse, Mecca World Group reacted.

The company plans to set up four production lines before the end of the year and 40 people are due to be hired over the next two years to manufacture Mecca World Group’s products, including various sodas, juices, waters and syrups.

But the most famous of the group’s products is Mecca Cola, dis-tributed in 64 countries worldwide. Named after the holiest city in Islam, this alternative soda was launched in 2002, with the idea that part of the profits would go to pro-Palestinian associations. The slogan ‘The taste of freedom’ remains. Anne-Laure de Harlezwww.meccawgroup.com

Spirit of WalloniaA completely renovated Espace Wallonie, in the heart of Brussels and Europe, has been officially opened by Wallonia-Brus-sels Minister-President Rudy Demotte. The space, close to the Grand’Place, has been in existence since 2003, and has now been modernised to create a lighter and airier feel, featuring a new showcase for the region called Spirit of Wallonia. Aiming to be a one-stop site for cultural, touristic and economic information about the region, it combines a tourist office and contemporary art exhibition space with an epicurean shop and restau-rant. It also organises events and tours.

The store sells luxury and artisan gourmet items and offers regular sam-plings of beer, chocolate and other quality products, while the new cellar restaurant honours Walloon products. Chocolate by Duval, Destrée biscuits, Ruffus sparkling wine, Bush beers, Semois tobacco, cosmetics and Belgian Owl whisky are some of the products for sale.

Recognising the need to encourage tourists to venture south, Espace Wal-lonie is designed to attract people from Brussels and the rest of Belgium as well as foreigners, said Demotte at the inau-guration in September. Sarah CrewEspace Wallonie/Spirit of Wallonia 25-27 Rue du Marché-aux-Herbeswww.spiritofwallonia.be

Guided walks in the park

Walkers in the Ardennes can be guided as they discover the natural landscape and the local wildlife. The Parc Naturel Haute Sûre Forêt d’Anlier, a 72,000-hec-tare park in Luxembourg province, offers six guided tours to hikers.

The towns of Habay, Martelange, Léglise, Fauvillers, Bastogne and Vaux-sur-Sûre each have their own tour, com-plete with a recording. Hikers can choose a walk based on its length (from one to three hours) or the kind of landscape they want to see. Some are tours; others are a selection of places to visit. Laurence Libotte, in charge of the project, says: “The goal is to introduce the cultural, environmental and natural richness of the picturesque villages of the park.”

The recordings are MP3 files so every-one can download them from the website and listen to them on mobile phones or MP3 players. There is also a brochure available in French, English or Dutch containing pictures and some informa-tion about the walk. A-LdeHwww.parcnaturel.be

newswab

The revival of MonsMons is booming. The city is going through a real change, with the idea being to develop busi-ness tourism, which brings in three to four times the revenue of classic tourism, in order to gain a knock-on economic benefit for various sectors.

After putting Santiago Calatrava in charge of the new railway station (he has already designed Liège’s Guillemins station), American architect Daniel Libeskind has been chosen for a new con-ference centre in the same area. His team has already worked on the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site in New York. When asked to compare the projects, Calatrava said: “The archi-tecture has to be at the level of the places.”

The selection committee opted for a green concept using its environment efficiently and stressing renewable energies such as photo-voltaic panels or heat recovery. According to his website, Libeskind’s philosophy is about “the notion that buildings are crafted with the perceptible human energy”. The architect has already put his human energy into buildings such as the Jewish Museum in Berlin and the Danish Jewish Museum in Copenhagen.

The conference centre in Mons, in the form of an opening flower when seen from the sky, should be finished in February 2014: just in time for the city to claim its status as Euro-pean Capital of Culture in 2015. A-LdeHwww.mons2015.eu

Charity cycle around the worldTwo brothers from Brussels have swapped their hockey sticks for bicycles in an ambitious charity project. Belgian hockey champions Matthieu and Lucas De Mot set off on a round-the-world bicycle trip to raise money for the Good-planet charity in September, starting their journey from their home commune of Uccle. In addition to the sporting challenge, the pair hope to collect €10,000 for the charity foundation, which raises awareness about environmental issues through sponsorship, talks, video screenings and T-shirt sales.To complete the 30,000km trip, Matthieu, 26, and Lucas, 23, need to cycle 73km a day. After crossing France and Spain, the pair will travel through Morocco, followed by South America, Australia and Asia before returning to Europe and Brussels. Goodplanet was founded by French photographer and ecologist Yann Arthus-Bertrand. SCwww.neswbybike.be

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a hotbed of activity of an altogether different kind – research and development. The region has reinvented itself to the point that global brands such as Google and Microsoft have beaten a hasty path to Hainaut, a province of 1.3 million inhabitants.

Little wonder, perhaps, that it has its very own ‘silicon valley’ and, just as with the better-known version in California, Mons’ scientific park is home to some of the best brains in the country.

Scientific specialistsMons is the epicentre of all this research and innovation. The city, the capital of Hainaut, hosts two universities – the University of Mons (UMons), a large public institution, and the Mons site of the University Catholic of Louvain (UCL) – as well as three research centres: Multitel, Materia Nova and Inisma. Multitel specialises in research into telecommuni-cations and information technology, Materia Nova in new materials and Inisma in ceramics.

All five institutions can lay claim to being international cen-tres of excellence. Between them, they are currently working on everything from a GPS-type system in trains and sound and light technology for rock bands to self-cleaning glass and what is known as pervasive computing.

Multitel, which specialises in telecommunications, signal processing and images, is another of the centres of excellence that have given Mons a new lease of life. The centre began by conducting research with funding from the European Union and the Walloon Region and, in 1999, was given the status of a non-profit organisation. Today, it is made up of a multi-disci-plinary team of more than 80 engineers and technicians and offers its scientific expertise in voice technology, data merg-ing, fibre-optics applications, image processing and enterprise data processing networks.

In image processing, the centre has developed software with ‘smart’ video surveillance. Another area of its work includes railway certification, and Multitel is one of three European Rail Traffic Management System laboratories in Europe.

Nicolas Vandermarliere, the centre’s business development engineer, explains, “Our aim is to provide new technology to industry in Belgium, but we also have businesses around the world and take part in many European and regional projects. Multitel is also responsible for the creation of new companies and our engineers sometimes develop a product as a spin-off of their work.”

UMons, based in Mons and Charleroi, is a founding part-ner of the Hainaut Cluster, a group consisting of the univer-sity and other higher education institutions. This teaching and research cluster has branches throughout the province and offers students more than 250 undergraduate degree courses. Research is one of the university’s key missions, with about 600 researchers working in more than 90 research departments in seven faculties as well as three institutes.

These research departments regularly make their exper-tise available to public authorities and private companies. Through its research and its close links with the industrial sector, UMons plays an active and vibrant role in the region’s development.

UCL has three campuses in the province of Hainaut: Mons, Tournai and Charleroi. Its operations in Mons focus mostly on research into information technology. Professor Alain Schoon, of the political and social science and communication depart-ment at Mons, says the work it does has a direct impact on the local economy by “maximising the transfer” of technological know-how developed in its labs to local enterprises. “What we do here undoubtedly contributes to the development of the whole region,” he says.

Leaving behind its industrial past, Mons

is now a hotbed of hi-tech research and

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world’s finest scientific brains

The home of new technology

Travel round the Mons region and you will be regu-larly reminded of its proud industrial heritage. Old slagheaps, now landscaped and perfectly integrated into the environment, dot the landscape. They

remind you of the not-too-distant time when this area was a hive of mining activity.

But there is a good news story to be told about how the region has shed its reputation for heavy industry and is now Martin Banks

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Synergy

Founded in 2000, Materia Nova works in various technologi-cal fields related to materials science and employs 90 highly qualified researchers, most of them with a PhD, as well as engineers and technicians specialised in polymer chemistry and engineering, surface treatments, bioplastics, composite materials and white biotechnology.

The centre plays a bridging role between fundamental research and industrial development. In addition to under-taking confidential research and development contractual projects, Materia Nova uses its skills to collaborate with uni-versities, industries and EU public organisations. The aim is to accelerate the emergence of advanced materials technology while targeting industrial applications.

Materia Nova, which has operated as an autonomous non-profit organisation since 2001, also provides services dedi-cated to business start-ups, SMEs and large chemical com-panies that wish to test new innovations before launching production.

The University of Mons enjoys what is generally regarded in Belgium as a unique relationship with Materia Nova. Philippe Dubois, vice rector for scientific research at the University of Mons, is also a scientific director at Materia Nova. The con-nection between university and research centre is, says Prof Dubois, significant, because the dual arrangement allows him and his colleagues to have a foot in both camps. Four other pro-fessors of UMons are also scientific directors at Materia Nova, bringing with them their own field of expertise as well as inter-national contacts.

At the university, Prof Dubois runs the laboratory of poly-meric and composite materials where he oversees basic aca-demic research into bio-plastics and nanocomposite materials. His role at the research centre, however, gives him the oppor-tunity to have a direct say in how such research is actually applied for use in industry.

“Materia Nova retains a close relationship with the scien-tific research board made up of the university professors like myself who advise and guide the research centre’s teams,” he says.

“This synergy between the two structures is a major asset. The university provides expertise in basic research while Materia Nova is directed towards applied research. This close link between the two kinds of research ensures a continuum and expands the possibilities of transfer from the university lab to industry.” The aim, according to Luc Langer, of Materia Nova, is to accelerate the emergence of advanced materials technology while targeting industrial applications.

Technical wizardry

Examples of some of the pioneering work being done in Mons abound. Numediart is a long-term research programme led by UMons with participation from UCL into sound and light tech-nology. This programme collaborates with many companies, including EVS SA, the world leader in slow-motion video for sports, which is jointly developing a new technology for syn-chronised slow audio. It’s a good example of how research that originates in a university lab can end up in applications that will be seen and enjoyed by millions of people around the world. Numediart – the Institute for New Media Art Technol-ogy – was founded last year by UMons. Its €5 million funding is shared between the Walloon Region and UMons.

It is organised around three major R&D themes (hyper-media navigation, body and media and digital instrument making) and directly benefits from the expertise of the Mul-titel research centre. The institute organises internationally renowned scientific training and research activities in the area of new media art technology. Topics covered include audio, image, video, gesture and bio-signal processing, for use where interaction between man and machine is aimed at creating emotion.

Its main goal is to foster the development of new media technologies through digital performances and installations in connection with local companies and artists. It has put together a type of software that allows it to capture in real-time the motion of a performer and to automatically detect key poses, thereby potentially easing the work of 3D animation artists.

This software system has been showcased publicly at a per-formance of BlaBla, the popular Belgian children’s TV charac-ter, in Louvain-la-Neuve, and it has also been used by direc-tor François Jacques in the creation of the latest music video for Belgian rock band Ghinzu. Numediart, a five-year project, has also provided support to Mediares, a company developing video sequences for the TV channel Arte-Belgium.

Along with the Czech city of Plzen, Mons has been desig-nated European Capital of Culture in 2015 and Numediart’s researchers are already busy working with the Mons 2015 Foundation on events to coincide with this prestigious event.

TeamworkInisma is another of the research centres in Mons fast gain-ing an international reputation for the excellence of its work. Founded in 1973, Inisma is a non-profit organisation and part of the Belgian Ceramic Research Centre. It’s involved in mate-rials development and applications, soil survey and classifica-tion and environmental challenges. This work, ranging from the environment to raw materials, is in addition to its core business, ceramics.

According to director Francis Cambier, Inisma has “always pursued a strong partnership policy in order to develop its activities and areas of competence, start new activities, con-solidate local and international roots and bring the scientific community closer together.”

Not to be outdone, Opti2Mat is another Mons-based pro-gramme of excellence, which brings together six laborato-ries from UMons and Materia Nova to work on two research themes: the development of a vacuum-packed thin organic coating and of chemical sensors on optical fibres.

The Opti2Mat programme will make it possible to develop new technologies that will be available to partner companies Arcelor Mittal and Sonaca, or any other interested company

with a view to developing new jobs and wealth-creating prod-ucts and processes in the Walloon region. Its €12 million fund-ing is shared between the Walloon Region, UMons and Mate-ria Nova.

Look to the futureIn terms of geographical surface, the province of Hainaut rep-resents 22.5 percent of Wallonia and 12.4 percent of Belgium. Its population represents 37.6 percent of Wallonia and 12.2 percent of Belgium. However, the rate of unemployment in the province remains stubbornly high. Currently standing at 8.7 percent, it is higher than the Walloon average of 5.4 per cent and one of the highest of any province in Belgium, where the national average is 3.6 percent.

Even so, Prof Dubois says the work being done in Mons shows it has well and truly emerged from the years of decline caused by the demise of its traditional industries. “This region has had a lot of problems in the past. These have been well-documented but are all behind us now. The whole region has had to change and adapt and it has done so. The fact that the

likes of Google and Microsoft have serious operations here is a clear sign of the confidence the international community has not only in the Walloon region but also in what we are doing right here in Mons.”

Calogero Conti, the rector of UMons, agrees and says that researchers based at Mons will increasingly have a crucial role to play in all our lives. He says, “Nobody can right now assess what the role of research will be in the future but what we can say with certainty is that there will be no future without research.”

“We can also say that while, throughout history, the main goal of science has been to expand the frontiers of knowledge, today this objective has become inseparable from strategic issues confronting society.

“Society needs researchers. It needs them to meet the chal-lenges facing it and, God knows, there are many of these. It needs them to improve the quality of life and to enable our economies to remain competitive. Against this background, the University of Mons has restructured its organisation to focus both on the quality of its basic research and on the trans-fer of knowledge to serve society.”

“Society needs

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Burning ambition: Researchers based in Mons have an increasingly important role to play

Digital performance: Numediart is involved in work that ends up in applications enjoyed around the world

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Major advances

Wallonia is fast becoming an important hub for research and development. Some of the country’s best scientific brains are now based in the region, blazing a trail for R&D. Many of them work at Wallonia’s 27 centres of excellence, a thriving network of expertise and technological wizardry.

Projects range from major advances in the biomedical sector at Louvain-la-Neuve to the centre in Mons, which is leading the field of information technologies and new materials. Else-where in the region, science parks – geared towards high-tech companies specialising in R&D – are also rapidly growing. Set up close to major university centres, these parks provide an extremely fertile ground for innovation in cutting-edge tech-nologies, particularly in the area of biotechnology.

Together, these centres of excellence and science parks are illustrative of a once economically deprived region that has taken firm charge of its future and is focused on welcoming international business with open arms. Both come under the auspices of the Wallonia Export and Investment Agency, whose remit is to attract overseas investment to the region.

It would, perhaps, be easy to underestimate the innovative work currently being carried out at the 27 centres of excel-lence. Take, for example, Cenaero, based in Gosselies. As with several of the others, this has been particularly successful overseas.

Founded in 2002 by both industrial and academic stakehold-ers, it provides in-depth expertise to industries on a daily basis but also works in parallel on long-term R&D projects such as regional and European collaborative research programmes.

CEO Michel Delanaye, who leads a 50-strong team of highly skilled engineers, pointed out that while the centre has a proven track record for “solving a challenging problem”, there is no room for complacency. “Our overall objective is to be internationally recognised,” he says.

Another hotbed of pioneering work can be found at the Centre of Technological Resources in Chemistry (Certech), which was created in 1996 by the Université Catholique de Louvain and is in Seneffe, in the south-west of the region.

Twelve years ago, it split from the uni-versity to become an independent,

non-profit organisation. It offers R&D services to a broad range of industries, in particular in the diagnosis and treatment of air quality and the use of plastic materials, and its 30 scientists manage a wide variety of state-of-the-art application research equipment.

Henri May from the centre says Certech can boast of several success stories, including developing tests to “evaluate the per-meability properties of packaging materials”. In packaging, Certech has helped major customers evaluate the emission pattern of new additives, he says.

Based in Charleroi, the Centre of Excellence in IT and Com-munication (Cetic) was created in 2001 through an initiative involving three Belgian universities and over the years it has been actively involved in R&D framework programmes run by the European Commission, as well as key regional research projects.

These include the Marshall Plan, an important Walloon government initiative aimed at regenerating the region’s economy. The €1 billion project seeks to develop areas of com-petitiveness in which Wallonia has the potential to become a European and even global leader.

Cetic’s Simon Alexandre says, “Taking part in European projects such as the framework programmes has been a great opportunity for Cetic to collaborate with either very large or small companies as well as well-known universities.”

In good healthAlso based in Charleroi is ImmuneHealth, which develops research programmes in cooperation with the pharmaceutical industry, biotech companies and public health institutions to assess the safety and efficacy of medical interventions target-ing the immune system.

With internationally renowned expertise in the evaluation of vaccines, the centre is extending its activities to all disor-ders involving the immune system. Marc Vander Kelen, of ImmuneHealth, said the centre was successfully bridging the gap between fundamental and applied research, adding, “As our understanding of the immune system is rapidly evolving, increasingly sophisticated interventions targeting the immune system are developed.

“The monitoring of the efficacy and safety of these new interventions requires the development of new ‘biomarkers’. This knowledge enables us to provide cutting-edge epidemio-logical, clinical and laboratory services for clinical research.”

Recently celebrating its 50th anniversary is the Coatings Research Institute (CoRI), a Limelette-based consortium of 60 companies, which has been active in the Belgian market since the late 1950s. Nowadays, though, CoRI consists not, as in the distant past, just of paint manufacturers but of all Europe’s major players in the coatings industry. It also has members in Mexico and has established many collaborative ventures with companies, research centres and universities worldwide.

Its scientific reputation is now well established globally, as proved by the fact that the institute was chosen to edit the sci-entific journal Progress in Organic Coatings, which has a global readership.

CoRI’s global reach also extends to communications and it regularly organises congresses on coatings in places as far away as Dubai, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok. Director Marcel Piens says, “Our objective, however, remains the same as in 1957 when we launched: to develop a better scientific and technological knowledge of the physiochemical properties of paint and coatings.”

Time to reflect

Another centre of excellence is Computers Roland Maes (CRM), based in Desselgem, which is now particularly active in its sector, which can be loosely described as providing ‘solu-tions’ for materials.

Spread over 693 hectares, the region’s network of science parks offers untold possibilities for accommodation and free spaces for Belgian or foreign investors and also offers a wide range of services allowing optimal development of innovative companies.

Via the Gembloux-based organisation Science Parks of Wal-lonia (SPoW), created in 2003, the parks work closely together to promote their know-how in the hosting of high-tech firms, some from overseas. They also support the process of innova-tion and economic development of the Walloon region.

The largest park is in Louvain-La-Neuve. Created in 1971, this park was actually the first of its kind in Belgium and, with 160 companies employing more than 5,000 staff, it is the larg-est in Wallonia.

The park in Liège focuses on sectors such as life sciences, space and electronics, while Crealys comprises about 100 com-panies, including major global players such as GlaxoSmith-Kline, Baxter, Eli Lilly, Pfizer and OCE Software Laboratories, with a combined workforce of more than 1,600.

SPoW president Philippe Barras says, “Our main goals include the promotion of the science parks and the interna-tional marketing of scientific knowledge and innovation in Wallonia. “No matter what their size, background or area of specialisation, all the parks share one common objective: to host companies that focus first and foremost on high-tech

Glowing reputations

Other centres of excellence include: the Belgian Centre for the Study and

Documentation of Water in Liège; Celabor in Chaineux; the Herve-based

Belgian Textile Research Centre; the Rural Economy Centre in Marloie; Walloon

Assembly and Material Control Study Centre in Ougrée; the Wavre-based Belgian

Road Research Centre; the Scientific and Technical Construction Centre, based

in Limelette; the Brussels-based Technical Centre for the Wood Industry; the

Brussels-based Belgian Welding Institute; and Sirris, in Seraing.

Wallonia is also fast earning a reputation for the quality of its science parks.

There are six of these: Louvain-la-Neuve Science Park; Liège Science Park;

Crealys in Gembloux; Aeropole in Gosselies; Initialis in Mons and Enghien-based

Qualitis – home to some 500 companies, including 73 spin-off businesses,

employing more than 13,000 people.

products or services and university-industry relations. By being part of SPoW, our members are becoming much stronger players, not only in Belgium but all over the world.”

Jean-Marc Nollet, the Walloon Minister of Research, says that in a globalised world it is vital the region stays ahead of the game and that these centres and parks remain competitive. It was partly for this reason that he recently launched a wide-ranging ‘reflection’ period on R&D in Wallonia.

The aim, he says, is to increase the visibility of the centres of excellence and science parks. In other words, to ensure that word about the work they are doing gets out to the rest of the world. The message is clear: for all its undoubted success, Wal-lonia’s trailblazing technology is not resting on its laurels.To read more about Prof Dubois’ work, see p20

Time out: student life in Mons

A changing landscapeOne of the most recent, and significant, developments involving this booming Walloon

network has been the creation of an organisation called the Environment and Materials

Research Association (EMRA). It comprises three centres of excellence: Interuniversity

Institute of Silicates, Soils and Materials (INISMa), the Belgian Ceramic Research Centre

(CRIBC) and the Earth and Stone Centre (CTP).

Veronique Huart, of CRIBC, says the idea of EMRA, created in 2009, was to adopt a joint

development strategy. EMRA employs nearly 150 people, 80 percent of them scientists

and technicians, working on projects and assignments that generated nearly €11 million

in 2010.

Huart says the alliance of these three centres reflects “the changing landscape of Wal-

loon research”. EMRA’s latest annual report makes the point that all three centres, which

have retained their close ties with academia, are in good financial health – an important

factor during the ongoing global economic downturn.

The report says, “The creation of EMRA provides a real opportunity for these institutions

to advance and make their respective competences available to business.”

Autumn 2011 - 1514 - Autumn 2011

heritagewab

The grandiose Hainaut colliery that is now a temple to art, design and industrial heritage was once an inno-vative and pioneering force of the Industrial Revolu-tion in Belgium. A symbol of coal mining in Wallonia,

it was unique in Europe; the Neo-classic edifice a 19th-century model village arising from the personal vision of a utopian and paternalistic captain of industry. The history of its conception, miraculous survival and extraordinary renovation is one of the region’s most successful heritage achievements.

An early casualty of postwar decline, the site was abandoned in 1954 and left to ruin, eroded over the years by decay and vandalism. In the 1970s it was almost demolished to create a car park, before being saved by a local architect and a succes-sion of committed individuals, cultural and political, who rec-ognised its unrivalled heritage status.

They also identified the enormous potential of the com-plex with its massive courtyards surrounded by workshops and administrative buildings, a winning combination of aes-thetic design and urban utility. Over the past few decades, investment, restoration and conversion have transformed this monument to the region’s economic and social history into the leading reference for design and contemporary art in Bel-gium’s French-speaking community, attracting some 75,000 visitors a year from all over Europe

A 200-year-old colliery is a shining example of innovation

in its new incarnation as cultural powerhouse

Sarah Crew

The story began 200 years ago when enterprising business-man Henri De Gorge bought a failing coal mining concession south of Mons. From 1820 he started building the village: some 440 houses with gardens plus, eventually, a school, library, public baths, dance hall and hospital, as De Gorge exercised his philanthropy for the well-being of his workers and ulti-mately the profitability of his colliery.

De Gorge died in 1832 during a cholera epidemic while Grand-Hornu was at the height of its prosperity, employ-ing up to 1,500 people. It was the second most important industrial site in the world after England and De Gorge ini-tiated new techniques for the extraction of coal, new steam engines and the introduction of the first private railway line on the site.

But following World War Two, while other mines in Wallonia diversified, the Borinage basin remained almost exclusively devoted to coal. Its mines became outdated and were among the most dangerous in the country, leading to the end of pro-duction in 1954.

Local architect Henri Guchez bought the site for a pittance in 1971, partially restoring the complex to house his own offices, garage his Cadillac and sublet to a Brussels gallery. But the majority of the site remained derelict until 1984, when Hainaut Province politician Claude Durieux launched the non-profit association Grand-Hornu Images to develop culture and tourism.

It was a success and the Hainaut Province bought the site in 1989. With financial help from the King Baudouin Foundation

A vision of past and futureShowcasing heritage and art: The inner courtyard (far left); Brazilian bangle in ‘Pearls of Freedom’ exhibition (top); the exhibit Computer at Fabrica (below)

and National Lottery, he undertook a massive restoration project. Thus the mantle of social and technological innova-tion passed to Grand-Hornu Images, with a continuing mission to combine the very best of culture, tourism, technology and futurology.

The project was completed by the French-speaking com-munity’s installation of the contemporary art museum MAC’s in the remaining undeveloped wing. A black-bricked modern extension designed by Liège architect Pierre Hebbelinck was inaugurated in 2002, presenting both Belgian and interna-tional creativity under the direction of Laurent Busine, who also curates its exhibitions of stimulating art. The museum represents a rare and fruitful collaboration between politics and cul-ture and is – sadly – a rare case of public finance being invested in a project other than conservation.

While an aerial view is mandatory to appreciate the massive scale of Grand-Hornu, the approach via an impressive entrance porch is all the more imposing in the context of the still-impoverished surrounding area. It leads to the lower courtyard, a brick-walled square that once would have been a hive of noise and activity with its horse-pulled rail carts and now contains large trees and a reflective Pol Bury water fountain sculpture.

The heart of the ensemble is a second large elliptical court-yard with a slightly skewed symme-try; the handsome engineers’ build-ings stand opposite a cathedral-like workshop from which the steam engines once thundered. While the former is now incorporated into the modern art museum, the latter stands largely unrenovated, an atmospheric reminder of the powerhouse that sup-plied not only Grand-Hornu’s mines but also many companies in the region. These two buildings are con-nected by semi-circular arcades that once housed the workshops required for operating a major colliery.

For Françoise Foulon, director of Grand-Hornu Images, this striking location has been her workplace since 1985 and is one she will leave at the end of the year due to retirement. While recognising her good fortune, she is naturally proud and passionate about the work of Grand-Hornu and her personal contribution. A prime mover in Belgian design, she is also a pragmatic visionary who opposed the idea of creating a museum to the mining industry. “This place had another potential that went further than the functional. It’s a cathedral to industry and while we don’t forget the past – we remember it – we had another ambition.”

Part of this mission was to promote all aspects of the site.

There is one single entrance ticket, explained Foulon. “We decided it would be more enriching for the public if whatever their interest, whether it be heritage, industrial archaeology, art or design, they had access to everything and were encour-aged to explore.”

There is also an educational programme tailored to the local socio-culturally disadvantaged population. “We offer free invitations to exhibitions and events, giving them a chance to see the very best in contem-porary art and design. We also take our work to them so that the cultural divide does not deepen,” says Foulon, who is herself from the region.

Local interest is slowly increasing. “There are play activities and work-shops during the holidays because par-ents don’t always have the means to pay for activities. It is our opinion that they

have a right to culture and this is a mutually enriching experi-ence, as the view of a child or adolescent is not the same as an adult’s,” she adds.

The cultural flank is a continuing extension of the artisan tradition in Wallonia. Foulon is quick to praise the technical

and artistic team that supports the two institutions and whose talent is central to one of the current exhibi-tions, Objet préféré, which arose out of a collaboration between Grand-Hornu employees and Fabrica, the illustrious international design team behind fashion chain Benetton. It originated from a personal con-tact between Foulon and Fabrica’s renowned chief designer, Sam Baron. Each of Grand-Hornu’s team selected a favourite object that was designed in-situ in a unifying wooden collec-tion that is a perfect summary of the form, function and collective spirit that defines Grand-Hornu.

Foulon’s parting gift to Grand-Hornu as curator is the Europalia exhibition Pearls of Freedom devoted to Afro-Brazilian jewellery “includ-ing a collection that African slaves created out of gold provided by plan-

tation owners who wanted to display their prosperity, and this combination produced the most beautiful things.” Shown alongside religious and carnival costume jewellery, it is a fit-ting tribute to the dual concepts of toil and innovation that also symbolise Grand-Hornu.

www.grand-hornu.be

“This place had a potential that went further than the functional. It’s a cathedral to industry”

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Autumn 2011 - 1716 - Autumn 2011

panorama

The Hotel

Rising out of the historic heart of Liège, a new urban lanscape is taking shape. The city with a 1,000-year past and its eye firmly on the future proudly presents its first five-star hotel – the

Crowne Plaza Liège – only the second in Wallonia. Com-posed of two abandoned private mansions, it entailed an archaeological dig and an audacious renovation to create a luxury resort that combines heritage with state-of-the-art comfort.

The 126 rooms, library, vaulted cellar bar, stunning ter-races, gastronomic restaurant, brasserie, ballroom and business centre fuse contemporary design with the legacy of the past. For the hedonistic traveller, an extensive spa

and wellness centre with swimming pool, sauna and fit-ness room ensure zen-like repose.

Vestiges of the original medieval site, dating from the 10th century, remain visible throughout the hotel. The original neighbouring Mont Saint-Martin Hôtels de Maître, Comtes de Méan and Sélys Longchamps, were aristo-cratic homes in the 16th and 18th century; the latter a Wal-loon Region classified heritage site. From the past to the present: the urban resort is minutes away from the futuris-tic masterpiece that is the Guillemins train station, and just hours from the rest of Europe.

www.crowneplazaliege.be

Autumn 2011 - 1918 - Autumn 2011

wab tourism

The Mosan valley is a significant cultural and economic artery that has altered the course of Wallonia’s his-tory. As it sinews through the province of Namur, the waterway reaches its picturesque peak and Dinant is

one of its most spectacular spots, with dramatic sheer cliffs, ancient citadel and domed gothic church.

Also known as ‘Daughter of the Meuse’, Dinant possesses an added draw as the birthplace of musical instrument inventor Adolphe Sax. In recent years the riverside town has transformed itself into a beacon of jazz, hosting each year an international music festival that attracts top jazz names from around the world.

Lying deep at the bottom of the valley, the town is squeezed into a single narrow street aligning each side of the riverbank at the foot of sheer chalk cliffs on one side and hillside on the other. Set against this breathtaking backdrop, the grey-green Meuse conspicuously flows past colourful cruise boats, over-hanging terraces and flags of every hue.

The innocuous scene belies Dinant’s tempestuous past. Its name may be of Celtic origin, signifying ‘sacred place’, and during the Roman period it was an important religious site, but thereafter Dinant was in perpetual conflict, aligned with

the powerful principality of Liège. By the end of the 18th cen-tury it found independence but had to reinforce the citadel to deter attack from its French neighbours.

Peace reigned until World War One, when 700 civilians were killed by the German army, and the ensuing postwar period saw a move away from traditional industries towards the bur-geoning tourist trade. Dinant had been a major copper site in both the Meuse Valley and Europe, from which the townsfolk earned their nickname Copère. During World War Two the town, citadel and famous Bayard rocky needle were all bom-barded by the Americans. Dinant’s beleaguered bridge also suffered damage and was rebuilt in 1953, dedicated to Charles de Gaulle, the former French general and president, injured apparently while crossing the bridge in 1914.

Sound of musicToday tranquillity is restored and tourism flourishing. Helping draw in visitors is the musical heritage of Adolphe Sax, which is evident throughout the town. Giant colourful saxophones flank the bridge that straddles the Meuse. In one of the prin-cipal streets, named after the inventor, stands his birthplace,

now transformed into a walk-in tribute to the prodigious inventor and his celebrated instrument. Seated in front is a sculpture of Sax, who was born in 1814.

Sax’s father was an instrument designer and Adolphe made his own instruments from an early age. After music studies at Brussels Royal Conservatory his first important invention was an improvement of the bass clarinet, which he patented at the age of 20. In 1841 he moved to Paris and worked on a series of valved bugles, not an original invention but such an improve-ment they became known as saxhorns and paved the way for the flugelhorn. The saxhorn rapidly saw worldwide success, helped by the launch of the British brass band movement. Around 1840 Sax developed the instrument for which he is best known, the saxophone, patented in 1846. French com-poser Hector Berlioz was an early champion. He continued to make instruments and presided over a new saxophone class at the Paris Conservatoire, surviving two periods of bankruptcy when rivals attacked the legitimacy of his patents. He died in Paris and was buried in Montmartre cemetery.

Assuring the jazz presence in Dinant over the past few years is the Adolphe Sax International Association, the group behind the museum and saxophone sculptures, and the non-profit group Jazz Nights, a separate volunteer organisation run by Jean-Claude Laloux. “Adophe Sax is in fact the hook for jazz here in Dinant,” explains Laloux. “He draws people into the town, fills the cafés and helps put the town on the map.”

Jazz Nights runs a successful summer festival that drew a crowd of 10,000 this year and will be celebrating its 15th edition next July under the patronage of American organist Rhoda Scott. Many musicians taking part in the festival are ignorant of the town’s jazz history. “When I show them around they are amazed to discover that Adolphe Sax was born here. It’s magnificent for the town,” adds Laloux.

The festival is held in alternate years in the magnificent grounds of nearby Leffe Abbey and local school Collège Notre-Dame. Fortuitously, one of the abbey fathers is a jazz enthusi-ast, facilitating a collaboration between the abbey and Laloux. Jazz Nights also organises monthly concerts at the abbey.

What to seeFor an unsurpassed panoramic view of the town, head to the citadel and its extended fortress wall, accessible by cable car or an energetic 420-step climb. Originally built in 1051, it was destroyed by the French in 1703 and the current fortification dates from Dutch occupation in the early 1800s.

Dominating the riverbank below is the unusual bulbous-domed Gothic Collegiate Church of Notre Dame, considered one of the finest churches in the country with its famous stained glass. It was rebuilt after a falling rock from the adja-cent cliff partially destroyed the Romanesque church in 1228 and killed 36 people. From the centre of town take a shut-tle bus to see the colourful rock formations of the grotto La Merveilleuse, where there are guided tours of the bat-filled caves with their chalk concretions and stalactites.

Among the varied shop windows in town it is impossible to miss intriguing and highly figurative displays of biscuits – the famous Couques de Dinant. They date from the 15th cen-tury, when the city was under siege and sugar was in short supply. Resourceful citizens confectioned a hard paste from flour and honey which was pressed into copper moulds, resulting in the creative designs. The hard biscuits are more of a decorative souvenir than gastronomic treat, however.

www.dinant-tourisme.com

A river through time

Where to eat

La Citadelle

www.citadellededinant.be

The French-style bistro perched

high above the town also offers regional

and seasonal dishes.

La Broche

www.labroche.be

French gastronomic cuisine in the town

centre with seasonal and creative menus.

Brasserie Café Leffe

newsites.resto.com/cafeleffedinant

Popular beer café in prominent and central

position with terrace overlooking the Meuse.

Where to stay

L’Auberge de Bouvignes

www.aubergedebouvignes.be

Stone-built family-run inn dating from 1830

and recently renovated. Overlooking the

Meuse just outside Dinant.

Hôtel IBIS

www.ibishotel.be

Modern hotel on the banks of the Meuse

in the centre of town, close to restaurants,

bars and casino.

The Meuse winds peacefully through modern-day

Dinant, belying a turbulent past

Man about town: Sax sculpture; Collegiale Church; Couque de Dinant; Maison de Monsieur Sax

Sarah Crew

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Summer 2011 - 2120 - Autumn 2011

innovationwab

The University of Mons (UMons) has distinguished itself as a major force in the fields of material sci-ence and chemistry – and in recognition of this, four of its researchers have made it into a prestig-

ious chart. Thomson Reuters – a provider of information to businesses and professionals worldwide – has published two Top 100 charts ranking the world’s material scientists and chemists in order of influence. This index rates scien-tists according to their impact on their peers, based on the number of publications they have produced and the number of times their publications were quoted between January 2000 and October 2010.

In terms of numbers, the results are impressive. Philippe Dubois (18th place overall, and the fifth highest-ranked European) had one article quoted 2,350 times by his peers, while Jérôme Cornil (ranked 100th among the chemists) published 65 papers that between them were quoted 3,640

times. The other Belgian scientists are Jean-Luc Brédas (84th place, as a researcher of Georgia Tech) and David Bel-jonne (88th).

The four of them work together, if not in the same labora-tory then within the same network. Prof Dubois is part of the Centre of Research and Innovation in Polymer Materi-als, where Prof Beljonne and Prof Cornil are working on a joint project. Prof Brédas, of UMons and Georgia Tech in Atlanta, is collaborating with them from the US. They all agree that their places in these charts are the result of teamwork.

“This 18th place,” Prof Dubois says, “is not Philippe Dubois’ place but belongs to a research group that I have the pleasure to be in charge of.” Collaboration seems to be the key word. As Prof Beljonne says: “It is clear that science research is most of all about teamwork.”

Prof Cornil says: “It is a great joy and pride for a small

university to see itself listed in this chart, surrounded by major American universities.” So what is it that makes UMons such a success? According to Prof Brédas, their papers are easy to understand; they are written for a wide audience so everyone can find an interest in them. He also gives credit to the high quality of work and qualified researchers, while Prof Cornil mentions the size of their laboratory and the interest in the fields they are working in.

Prof Dubois concurs with his colleagues when describ-ing the work he carried out based on renewable resources such as agricultural waste rather than gas or oil. “I chose this path before it was covered by the media in the way it is nowadays. I may have taken a step ahead.” However, he praises the access he had to great facilities. “The University of Mons focused on carefully targeted areas and among them is materials science.”

The Walloon Region set up federative centres across Wallonia. Described as groups bringing together compa-nies, education centres and research units, these centres are designed to encourage booming sectors. The idea is to put Wallonia on an international footing. And chemistry is what has made Mons an important centre. Since the end of the 1980s, the city has invested in research. In 2000, UMons inaugu-rated Materia Nova, a research and development centre subsidised by the Walloon Region and the Euro-pean Union. Ten years after it was established, Materia Nova repre-sents more than 60 researchers in materials science. The human ele-ment is one of its strengths. “If we want to progress, we need to invest,” says Prof Dubois. And this invest-ment is human as well as financial.

The publication of the Thomson Reuters index may help Mons go further in developing the chemis-try industry. “Since March [when the materials science list was pub-lished], I have won two new con-tracts with industrial multination-als. I was not expecting that effect at all,” confides Prof Dubois. “We have international recognition.”

The whole production lineHowever, he insists he never launches a research project in order to sell it. Lead times are simply too long. He prefers to protect his results first by obtaining patents and then publishing them. He explains by reference to a technology he developed in 1997: it took 11 years to come on to the market. But indus-trialisation is part of the process in the city. Prof Cornil says: “We have the whole production line in Mons, which is pretty rare. We can start with the concept, go with the synthesis and then finish with the creation. This complete line is likely to attract many investors.”

The important development of chemistry in the Wal-loon Region tends to be shared with the northern part of the country. Belgium set up several inter-university poles of attraction to encourage Wallonia and Flanders to work

Top of the popsA network of influential scientists are helping Wallonia lead the way

Anne-Laure de Harlez

together, and that federal initiative strengthened the sector. Chemistry now accounts directly for 100,000 jobs. Accord-ing to Prof Dubois, Belgium is known as The Little Giant in chemistry circles. “By virtue of our size, we are small, but by virtue of our involvement, we are huge,” he summarises.The Thomson Reuters Top 100 also reflects the quality of UMons’ education. Prof Cornil sees it as a message for the younger generation: it says to the general public that this small university is as good as the big ones; that a univer-sity like UMons can compete with the big universities in America or Britain. This recent fame comes during the International Year of Chemistry, one of the goals of which is to attract the interest of young people. Prof Beljonne says: “The best way to sensitise young people to chemistry is without a doubt by sharing our passion and our enthusiasm. We do it every day through the contact we have with the students and researchers from varied backgrounds. If this fame can help to carry the message, good for us!”

The International Year of Chemistry is also celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first Solvay Conference. These meetings bring together the most important scientists of the moment to discuss problems of both physics and chem-

istry. They were established in 1911 in Brussels thanks to Ernest Solvay, a Belgian chemist and industrialist. It explains why the closing ceremony will take place in the Capital of Europe on December 1. Prof Brédas has been invited to make a speech to mark the occasion.

Passion and enthusiasmFinally, the publication of the Thom-son Reuters indexes is an opportu-nity for UMons and its researchers to be recognised by their peers and the general public. But it is most of all the chance to show what passion and enthusiasm can lead to. Prof Beljonne sums up: “Like any other researcher, I have a passion for my job and I will keep contributing as I can to the development of knowl-edge in the materials science field. It is possible that this recognition gives the little necessary boost for a project to be funded.”

“It is a great joy for a

small university to see

itself listed in this chart,

surrounded by major

American universities”

Appliance of science: Left to right, Jérôme Cornil, David Beljonne and Philippe Dubois; opposite page, Jean-Luc Brédas

wab

Autumn 2011 - 2322 - Autumn 2011

expat

Where in Wallonia are you from? I was born in Montreux, Switzerland, but lived and studied in Belgium since my childhood. My homeland is Condroz, and I lived in the village of Dorinne, where my parents run the gastronomic restaurant Le Vivier d’Oies. This part of Wallonia has fantastic landscapes: hills, forests, rivers and stone architecture that is all about geology and the climate. This entwining of landscape and architecture was my first lesson in the philosophy of sustainable design. I studied in Louvain-la-Neuve, at the faculty of engineering and architecture, then wood microstructure in Leuven, followed by lessons in Asian scripture and five years of Chinese language at the ILV language institute. But studies do not provide all knowledge, so I’ve travelled a lot since I was 15, alone with my backpack in Europe, North Africa, Lapland, India, the Himalayas, Pakistan and China.

What made you decide to move to China? I’ve lived in Beijing for nine years. After some private architecture design work in Belgium, and research into sustainable architecture and planning at the Architecture and Climate research centre in Louvain-la-Neuve, I decided to return to China, for the Olympic preparations. I thought I could participate in interesting projects in this ever-transforming country. China was marching ahead and was open to young architects, especially if they could speak the language. My Chinese needed to improve, and I applied for a grant to study at Beijing Foreign Studies University. The cultural department of the embassy of China offered me the opportunity.

First inspired by the Walloon

countryside, architect Nicolas Godelet

hasn’t looked back since setting up

business on the other side of the world

What, if anything, do you miss about life in Belgium?I come back to Belgium three to four times a year. The air, the light, the clouds, the nature are what I miss most, along with my family and friends. Everything else is material and can be found anywhere today. Urban and public spaces are not the same in China. Here, people gather in parks, on pavements, in restaurants, hotels or shopping malls. It’s another social network linked to a different geography.

What are your favourite aspects of life in China? What makes China interesting is also what makes it difficult to live with as a European. The country has a strong dichotomous structure: you can be in the presence of the past and the future, the extremely rich and poor, the latest luxury car and simple horse and cart, the Qing dynasty mansion next to a high-rise building, the super-dense city and the no man’s land. For an architect, it means a lot when you can access all these ranges of people: I can find the latest high-tech products, but on the other hand I can use very old techniques of copper carving or develop wonderful details in my buildings. In China, human relationship is the key. An interesting life means being able to interact directly with anyone, to understand a few codes or manners, and to know how to express your respect to others. I do business mostly in Chinese with Chinese customers; English or French with others. I hate to speak through someone else. Moreover, Chinese translators have never learned about structure, space and technical matters. But I needed seven years to be able to speak fluently, and another seven years to understand jokes and some dialects.

Tell us about your companyI’ve worked in China for eight years, first managing a small office for a French architect. Then in 2007 I opened my own workshop, the Gejianzhu or Gejian Architects and Engineers office (Gejian is my Chinese name). There are 17

of us now in the office: Chinese and foreigners, architects, urban planners, engineers and landscapers. If I want to keep on designing by myself and ensure quality, I don’t think I will expand much more.

Is the business culture very different in China compared to Belgium?Business scale and opportunities are very different due to the demands and the country dimensions, but relationships with clients are on another level. In China, clients look at your background and experience, but they first check your human qualities. The reason may come from a previous era when business didn’t need any other contract than respect and ‘face’.

What sort of projects do you specialise in? I don’t want to be specialised in any particular field; I love my work because of the variety it involves. Architecture, seen from a very wide angle, demands knowledge of society, landscape, botany, climate, art, structure, urban construction, economy, politics, everything that makes up our environment. So I include all these fields in my daily work. My first project in Beijing was to design the French Chamber of Commerce – it was a competition and I lost it! After, I worked with Bernard Viry, a famous structural engineer, on the Beijing National Theatre designed by Paul Andreu and ADPI. It’s a wonderful building; the metallic structure of the underwater gallery is very complex. It made me understand the capacity of China and Chinese professionals to accomplish very technical and precise work. Now I’m working on the biggest bridge in Beijing with Bernard Viry, my collaborator, another in Shanxi, a

plan for the Unesco-listed Pingyao ancient city, a chocolate museum in Shenyang, a wine cellar, a private house in Japan, the French embassy of Beijing with Alain Sarfati and a competition in Liège for the renovation of the Val-Benoît, an abandoned Art Deco area on the banks of the Meuse.

Tell us more about the chocolate museum!Yes, we worked on a ‘chocolate world’ in Shenyang, and maybe in the future another in Beijing. It’s an extremely interesting project because it includes a greenhouse, restaurants, art gallery etc. It’s also very complex as it aims to use less energy, or produce its own. Chocolate and cocoa specialists, interior and light designers, engineers,

economists, tropical greenhouse consultants are all involved. Because we work for a private client, the project requires a very efficient business plan, and that is the case for a lot of new museums nowadays. The state invests less and less in cultural facilities.

Finally, describe your family life. Do you imagine you will return to Belgium one day?My wife, Aya, is Japanese, and we met at university. We speak Chinese

at home, or French-English-Japanese, depending on the situation! She plans to create a chocolate factory in Beijing, and has been preparing the project for a few years, and she’s now looking for investors. She has decided to stay in Belgium for a while, studying chocolate production, product transformation and the art of the praline. I like the idea very much, especially the chocolate! Belgium will always be my home and I want to keep a house there. Now I plan to do more projects in Belgium, and find some opportunities to breathe the Belgian air.

Building bridges

Sally Tipper

In China, human

relationship is the key.

An interesting life means

being able to interact

directly with anyone

Ambitious: One of Nicolas Godelet’s latest projects is Beijing’s biggest bridge, in collaboration with Bernard Viry

Autumn 2011 - 2524 - Autumn 2011

wab fashion

At the age of 26, Walloon designer Emilie Pirlot seems to have the fashion world at her feet. She’s worked with giants of couture such as Diane von Furstenburg, Lanvin and Dior – and then Lady

Gaga came calling. The pop star – renowned for her unique look as much as her music – saw something equally individ-ual in Pirlot’s designs, and asked her to create outfits for her and fellow superstar Beyoncé to wear in the video for her single Telephone. The chance to have her work showcased on such a high-profile platform was just reward for the young designer, who is putting in the hard work in fashion houses across the world.

Born in Yvoir, in Namur province, Pirlot had long held an interest in the creative world before embarking on fash-ion studies at the age of 19 – a journey that saw her travel from her Walloon hometown, to Antwerp, to New York and finally Paris, where she has been for the past year and a half. But her travels may not be over yet. She says, “Paris has a fantastic heritage and it’s a very interesting city for a crea-tive person. I think, however, that cities like London and New York are a better springboard for young designers who want to start their own label.”

A certain edgeIt’s an industry that’s constantly changing, and one where there’s always something to learn. Stages with big names of the industry have stood Pirlot in good stead, each teaching her something new. “I spent time with Diane von Fursten-berg and Lanvin, and I now work for Dior,” she says. “Each house has taught me something different, whether from a technical or artistic perspective. It’s very interesting to ana-lyse and compare the creative process from the first inspira-tion to the show because each creator works differently, it’s very personal.

“Diane von Furstenberg is a more commercial house. At Lanvin, the work is very intense, but there is something magical and sensitive in the air. And then Dior is bathed twice a year in the euphoria of the new-season Haute Cou-ture collections. I admire the work of Madame Grès, Nico-las Ghesquière at Balenciaga, Alber Elbaz at Lanvin, Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen. But I also really like the col-lections of young designers such as Proenza Schouler and Rodarte.”

It must take something with a certain edge to catch the eye of Lady Gaga; this is, after all, the woman who once wore a dress made entirely of meat to an awards ceremony and performed on tour in an outfit made of clear plastic bubbles. The singer has previously said in interviews that fashion is a major influence in her music, that she considers Donatella

Fame callingMeet Emilie Pirlot, the designer who has

her finger on fashion’s pulse and has

dressed pop’s woman-of-the-moment

Sally Tipper

Versace her muse, and that: “When I’m writing music, I’m thinking about the clothes I want to wear on stage. It’s about everything all together – performance art, pop, fashion. For me, it’s everything coming together and being a real story.” Telephone, released in Belgium in April last year, was a hit across Europe and reached number one in both the Walloon and Flemish charts.

The video is a nine-minute epic, in which Lady Gaga is thrown into jail and bailed out by Beyoncé, before the pair embark on a road trip that leaves a group of truckers dead in their wake, poisoned at a roadside diner. Other clothes and accessories in the video were designed by Chanel and Thierry Mugler, among others.

Out of the ordinarySo how did this collaboration come about? Pirlot explains: “My collection ‘Mysterious Wonderland’ has some-thing about it that is poetic, very feminine and quite surpris-ing at the same time. I like to experiment, to try creating a new shape by twisting the body while maintaining a certain elegance and femininity. It’s probably this experimental side that appealed to Lady Gaga.

“It happened by chance. One day, I received an email from her assistant asking me to create two dresses for the upcom-ing video, because Lady Gaga loved my work. I had less than a week to recreate these two dresses from my collection, while I was training in Paris, and I had absolutely no technical means to achieve it. It was a real challenge! So I came back to Belgium for two days, and worked night and day before returning to Paris to continue my internship.

“It’s two dresses from my collection, based on the film 8½ by Fellini. Nicola Formichetti, Lady Gaga’s designer, is very interested in new designers and students of the great fash-ion schools. He and Lady Gaga always try to promote new artists, and they highlight creations that are a little out of the ordinary. I find it very interesting and it’s also good for those of us who are starting in the world of fashion. Even if, for me, it’s not an end in itself, to dress a star. And I didn’t have the chance to meet Beyoncé and Lady Gaga!”

It’s been an interesting and valuable distraction from her training for Pirlot, who hopes to keep working with such noted fashion teams, gaining the experience she might need if she were ever to branch out on her own. She says: “If I could create the conditions and funding, I would start my own label in a few years.”

What advice would she pass on to someone wanting to set out on the path to a career in fashion? “You have to stay motivated and above all passionate about what happens, even if it’s a very difficult environment. Believe in your dreams and find the strength to achieve them.”

This Hollywood-tinged glamour is a far cry from her Wal-loon childhood, but Pirlot hasn’t forgotten where she comes from. She says: “I grew up in a very peaceful little village in the middle of the fields. My childhood was very calm. I come back to Wallonia every two months; I return to my family, and to the quiet of nature.”

“At Lanvin, the work is very intense, but there is something

magical and sensitive in the air”

Go west: The cowboy hat-inspired outfit similar to the ones worn by Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, designed by Wallonia’s Emilie Pirlot

wab

Autumn 2011 - 2726 - Autumn 2011

investment

Making tracks

Caterpillar is investing heavily in its Wallonia

arm, producing bigger and better diggers in

Gosselies

If, as they say, every Belgian is born with a brick in the stomach, then Caterpillar is sitting pretty in its plant in Gosselies, near Charleroi. Caterpillar, the US manu-facturer of mechanical diggers, bulldozers and other

heavy equipment, has been based in the Walloon town since 1965, and if there is indeed a local feeling for anything to do with the construction business, then this is a perfect match.

But Caterpillar Belgium is now planning to make even more – and better – big machines: in July, the company announced €150 million in new investment at its Gosselies fac-tory between now and 2015. The plan was jointly unveiled with Walloon Economy Minister Jean-Claude Marcourt, as the Wallonia region is fronting some 14 percent (about €21.5 million) of the total investment.

Nicolas Polutnik, CEO of Cater-pillar Belgium, says the investment will be used to build a new genera-tion of machines, designed with the strictest environmental standards in mind. “These new machines will be more sophisticated and larger and require that the plant deeply transform its production lines in the coming years,” he says. The assembly lines for medium-sized wheel load-ers and hydraulic excavators will be transformed into two captive assembly lines modelled on those used in car plants, he says.

Sustainable innovationPolutnik is keen to explain the technical and environmen-tal specifications of the products planned over the next few years, which include hydraulic excavators (diggers, in lay-men’s terms) and wheel loaders (bulldozers) ranging from 14 to 90 tonnes. Indeed, Caterpillar Belgium is a world-wide source for the large hydraulic excavators of 74 and 90 tonnes – and 97 percent of the products manufactured at the Gosselies plant are exported globally. “The innovation on our new models focuses on sustainable development with major reductions of particle emissions, but also fuel consumption with no compromise on the performance of the machine,” Polutnik says.

Polutnik, 48, is a local boy who has spent most of his career in the company: born in Charleroi, he was first hired by Caterpillar Belgium in 1987, and steadily worked his way up. “When you are the most expensive, you must be the best,” Polutnik says. “I like to think that we have all the tools in our hands to succeed: products designed for sustainable development, €150 million of investments, the right loca-tion in the heart of Europe and the experienced and tal-ented employees to make it happen.”

Over the past 46 years, Caterpillar Belgium has built wheel loaders, hydraulic excavators and components such as hydraulic cylinders and valves, gears, axles and drives. Created in 1965 from a greenfield site, the facility spreads its machining, welding and assembly activities over an area of 98 hectares, and now has a workforce of some 4,300.

Why did Caterpillar choose to set up in Wallonia? “Because this region, right in the heart of Europe, is excep-tionally well-connected,” Polutnik says. “As well as that, the company can count on a network of local suppliers – about

Leo Cendrowicz

700 – and well-reputed technical schools that guarantee advanced education. This was true in 1965 and is still true today, except we have more and more difficulties finding candidates with a technical educational background.”

Caterpillar Belgium was hit by the economic downturn in 2009 and early 2010, partly because orders dropped when customers were unable to secure the credit to buy the machines, and partly because of the fall in commodity prices (critical when many customers are active in mining).

It meant the production volume of Caterpillar Belgium dropped by 67 percent in 2009.

Bright futureDespite the upheavals elsewhere in the Caterpillar group worldwide, the Belgian facility was able to weather the crisis without making any lay-offs. The company now expects 2011 production to be at about 80 percent of 2008 volume. Caterpillar credits the Walloon government for help-ing during the crisis with its special

support measures for workers, and for providing part of the latest investment plan. But the company is also pushing the regional authorities to further ease business conditions, in particular by lowering labour charges that make it harder to hire new employees.

With a presence in Belgium for half a century, Caterpillar has seen the market change dramatically over the years. But change is constant, and the company needs to anticipate future trends and demands, as Polutnik acknowledges. “We are definitely moving ahead for more sustainable products and we have a great opportunity to build expertise in these advanced technology products,” he says. So whatever the size and shape of the skyscrapers, malls, stadiums and other big constructions of the future, Caterpillar Belgium should be there with the heavy lifting machinery to build them.

Eyes on the future: Nicolas Polutnik, CEO of Caterpillar Belgium

A multi-billion-dollar corporate giant

Perhaps best known for its bulldozers, Caterpillar is actually a sprawling industrial

behemoth with global interests ranging from cranes and gas turbines to insurance and

footwear.

Initially based on machinery with caterpillar tracks – tractors, tanks and diggers – it is

now the world’s largest maker of mining and construction equipment. But Caterpillar has

branched out and expanded so successfully that it last year boasted a global income

of some $43 billion (on $64 billion of assets), making it the 44th largest company in the

world, according to Forbes. It is seen as a bellwether for the global economy because it

sells heavy machinery used for construction, mining and logging.

Founded in 1925 and based in Peoria, Indiana, it had some 132,239 worldwide employ-

ees on July 1, 2011. Its brand presence – often simply referred to as CAT – is strong

enough for it to copyright the yellow livery on its products, and set up offshoots including

a successful line in heavy-duty boots (ostensibly for construction workers, but fashion

items nonetheless).

Caterpillar Belgium was set up in 1965, and currently employs 4,300 people. It is one

of the largest industrial companies in the region, and the second largest manufacturing

facility of Caterpillar Inc.

“When you are the most

expensive, you must be

the best. I like to think

we have all the tools in

our hands to succeed”

Autumn 2011 - 2928 - Autumn 2011

wab gastronomy

Belgian bubbles

The Leroy family are living proof that persistence, passion and exuberance can all successfully be bottled. The largest vineyard in Belgium and the main producer of sparkling wine has been win-

ning awards and selling out since launching almost 10 years ago.

Fourth-generation Binche wine merchant and enthusiastic oenologist Raymond Leroy first spotted the potential of a strip of chalky land close to the French border almost 30 years ago. Its farming owner was not interested in selling or renting the ground, so Leroy had to be content with planting a couple of vines in his garden. But he never forgot that south-facing sloping terrain close to the village of Estinnes.

Twenty years later, a chance meeting with the farmer’s son led to the founding of Domaine des Agaises and a fruitful collaboration that includes to this day French Champagne-growing friend Thierry Gobillard and two local friends. On the advice of Gobillard, the fledgling growers planted two hec-tares to test the viability of their product and the site.

That was in 2002, and each year the domain has

As he describes the intricate and precarious daily process of growing vines, from the precise spacing of the plants to trigger the correct amount of growth, to the battle against bacteria and the dependence on fine dry weather, it is clear this is a labour of love for the whole family. It is also evident that vintners need nerve, confidence and a dash of foolhardiness.

Traditional winemakingCultivation is an expensive business. “It costs approximately €25,000 per hectare without the land, so the vineyard rep-resents a massive investment,” explains Arnaud, 30, a former IT consultant who is now responsible for the company’s marketing.

The fine spring weather encouraged growth early in the year and the Leroy family report an excellent harvest despite the cool and wet summer. Some 400 volunteers descended to share in the round-the-clock business of grape-picking, although machinery is increasingly finding its place in the traditional process.

At the domain’s nearby farm base, the infrastructure is impressive, with enormous thermo-regulated tanks and

Blanc de Blancs

Consists of 100%

Chardonnay

(90% of

production, €15)

Rosé

Blend of

Chardonnay,

Pinot noir and

Pinot meunier

Brut Zéro

Consists of 100%

Chardonnay

(lower sugar

level)

Ratafia

Sweet liqueur

wine created by

adding eau-de-

vie to the freshly

pressed juice

Discover the hedonistic and desirable

sparkling wine Ruffus produced by Hainaut

vineyard Agaises Sarah Crew

progressively grown to its present size of 14 hectares and pro-duction of 100,000 bottles a year. Visiting the site on a damp summer day, not even the drizzle can detract from what is a glorious bucolic spot. Farm tracks, herds of cows, copses of trees and rows and rows of orderly vines bearing low-lying clusters of grapes stretch along the inclining land.

The combination of the exceptionally chalky soil – a geological extension of the ridge on which France’s Champagne region is founded– plus hillside and southern orientation are the key to the success of the domain, as Leroy’s sons, John and Arnaud, explain: “This is the only chalk area in Belgium and it is necessary, as it drains well.” An enormous hole lies next to the vineyard, an old lime oven that “proves the site had already been exploited for its chalk vein that is an extension of the Champagne growing area.”

John, 27, an agricultural engineer who pursued oenology studies in Montpellier like his father and also worked in a New Zealand vineyard, shows the vine stock that originates from Champagne, planted in the pebbly and

mulched soil. Grafted on to these vines are the Ruffus varie-ties of 80 percent Chardonnay, 10 percent Pinot noir and 10 percent Pinot meunier.

pressers originating from France. The production of spar-kling Champenoise-style wine, known as méthode tradi-tionnelle, is another exacting art. After pressing, the clear juice is collected and ferments for two weeks at low tem-perature in stainless steel tanks. When the wine is bottled, a mixture of sugar and yeast is added to provoke fermenta-tion, which gives the wine its effervescence and fullness of flavour. The bottles then spend one year on slats to repose before being disgorged to remove the yeast deposit.

Ruffus produces dry wines, aiming for a crisp, mineral product, suitable for aperitif or accompanying a light starter, with a final alcohol content of 12.5 percent. “On an aesthetic level, we try to produce constant bubbles from the bottom of the glass to the top,” explains John. “For the taste, we are looking for a good effervescence. It is possible to dose the sugar with part of the previous year’s wine for continuity of flavour, but as we always sell out there are some variations.”

The top of the topWhile about 500 litres is exported to neighbouring coun-tries, the majority stays in Belgium, with half sold in the Hainaut province, 20 percent in Brussels, and the rest in other parts of Wallonia. Private buyers and wine merchants reserve almost a year in advance and collect their order during a three-week period in June when the domain also opens its doors to the public. Since its launch, each year’s production has sold out, a success confirmed by the awards and medals earned as well as a loyal clientele that includes many gastronomic restaurants.

As 2009 was a good year for all winemakers, Ruffus decided to produce a vintage wine, a blend of all three wine varieties left to mature for three years with a period in wooden casks. The 3,000 numbered bottles of Franco Drag-one Vintage (named after the local Hainaut theatre director who designed the label) will be available in 2012 (costing approximately €38). “We have aimed for something that is really the top of the top,” says Arnaud.

Since 2006 the vineyard has possessed the attribution ‘Cremant de Wallonie’, although it is not included on the label as preference has been given to the promotion of the name Ruffus, or Seigneur Ruffus in tribute to the first Lord of Estinnes. “We thought it worked well in all languages and

was memorable. The name Le Domaine des Agaises means ‘white soil’ in local dialect, which is also quite appropri-ate,” adds Arnaud.

The Ruffus label features the famous Gilles of Binche. The inclusion of this colourful carnival image has particular resonance for the brothers. As proud Gilles, they dress up each year for the world-renowned tradition. An impor-tant part of the Gilles cer-emony is quaffing champagne

and oysters at 6.00 in the morning. Arnaud jokes: “Hope-fully one day this will be replaced by Ruffus.”

Since its launch, each

year’s production has

sold out, a success

confirmed by the awards

and medals earned

A family tradition: Arnaud (top) and John Leroy

www.ruffus.be

Autumn 2011 - 3130 - Autumn 2011

profile

wab agenda

Culture abounds this autumn with a clutch of innovative

international festivals and events Sarah Crew

Brussels and Wallonia

EuropaliaUntil January 15

There’s more to Brazil than beaches, car-nival and caipirinhas, as you’ll discover in this biennal international arts festival celebrating the country’s cultural herit-age. It presents an overview of art and culture under the banner of diversity – with some 20 exhibitions showing the heritage and contemporary art of Brazil in more than 200 venues in Belgium and abroad. Mont des Arts in Brussels is the nerve centre, bringing some sunshine to the Belgian winter, as it hosts free events on weekly themes focusing on aspects of Brazilian culture, such as samba and bossa nova, plus tempting regional gas-tronomy and handicrafts.www.europalia.be

Brussels

WalloniaAntica Namur November 11-20

Antica is one of the highlights of the art and antique calendar. The annual autumn gath-ering at Namur Expo is a convivial and high-quality show of Belgian and international dealers. The 140 stands exhibiting at the 35th edition consist of numerous styles, from local Mosan to English interiors with a sweet scent pervading the scene as perfume is this year’s theme, via drawings, prints, paint-ings, sculpture and tapestry. Similarly under the spotlight are fine and costume jewellery and vintage accessories. Ten experts are on hand to value and provide authenticity. www.antica.be

NEXT 004 International Arts Festival

November 18-December 3The Hainaut province is increasingly linking up with its neighbours both economically and culturally. The cross-border Belgian and French street theatre festival in the Eurometropôle of Tournai, Kortrijk, Lille (Fr) and Valenciennes (Fr) is a prime example. Now in its fourth year, the festival is a dialogue between contemporary artists, not only from Europe, but all corners of the world, with an accent always on the NEXT genera-tion. www.nextfestival.eu

Both Art Nouveau and Art Deco treasures are on the agenda for the second time in a row in this guided tour extravaganza held over four weekends in October. Visitors are invited once every two years to get an exclusive inside scoop on 66 interiors, ranging from pri-vate residences, hotels and schools to shops, industrial buildings and churches. The theme of this sixth edition is Victor Horta, in a tribute to the 150th anniversary of the birth of Brussels’ most cel-ebrated architect. The majority of his designs are on display: Solvay, Autrique, Max Hallet, to name but a few. Walking tours, bus and bike tours, lectures and films are all on tap, led by historians and architecture specialists. Reservations are required for many, and visitors to all biennale sites must have a ‘passport’, which can be bought online or at biennale headquarters. It’s advisable to plan ahead. www.voiretdirebruxelles.be

Biennale Art Nouveau and Art Deco Until October 30

Biennale Charleroi-Danses 2011

November 9-27

Once every two years, a dance invasion stirs up Brus-sels and Charleroi as the two cities host the core of this contemporary dance platform promoting artists from the French-speaking Community and abroad. The 2011 festival focuses on the relationship between dancer and choreographer, provoked by the loss of the two leading 20th-century choreographers Merce Cunningham and Pina Bausch, who died shortly before the 2009 biennale that featured their works. But the biennale is not blink-ered by the past; it links up with the Brazil Europalia for many performances of a multidisciplinary charac-ter: Joanne Leighton’s project Made in Charleroi fea-tures 99 amateur dancers; Kiss & Cry by Michèle Anne De Mey and Jaco Van Dormael blurs the boundaries of poetry, film and dance; Belgian première Migrations by Cie Mossoux-Bonté is performed on an ice rink. www.charleroi-danses.be

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On a steep road out of Remouchamps, about 30km from Liège, a single name, in block capitals, is printed from the foot of the climb to the top: PHIL. The hill is La Redoute, and the person it

celebrates is Wallonia’s cycling sen-sation, Philippe Gilbert.

In April, the connection between Gilbert, 29, and ‘his’ climb was tight-ened when he flew up the painted road on his way to victory in one of the biggest one-day cycling races of the year –which also happens to be his home race – Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Growing up in Remouchamps imbued the race with native sig-nificance for Gilbert. And when he crossed the finish line in Ans, north-west of Liège, he became the first Wallonia-born winner since Frank Vandenbroucke in 1999.

L-B-L came towards the beginning of Gilbert’s annus mira-bilis. Victories in the preceding week at the other so-called Ardennes classics, La Flèche Wallonne and Amstel Gold, set the scene, but Gilbert has continued to rack up prestigious wins with astonishing regularity. Since April, he’s also won the Tour of Belgium, the Belgian national championships, a stage of the Tour de France in July and the Clásica San Sebastián in Spain. Gilbert has stood like a colossus over the season and it’s hard to imagine he won’t be made Belgian Sportsman of the Year in December for the third time in a row.

It’s not just that he wins: he wins with panache. His

King of the hill

Philippe Gilbert has scaled the heights

to become cycling’s newest heroSam Dansie

impulsive, aggressive style is characterised by daring attacks that look peculiarly old-fashioned compared with the cal-culated tactics of the modern sport. Fans love it. Ally his champion’s charisma to an outspoken opposition to a doping culture that still shadows the sport (he appeared in an anti-doping advert for Walloon sports organisation Adeps this year), and Gilbert is blowing like a gale through cycling.

It all started by playing truant at school. He told UK maga-zine Procycling that he used to skip classes to watch the finale of La Flèche Wallonne or tail the professionals on their recon-naissance rides of the L-B-L course. Cycling wasn’t a pastime, it was an obsession, and it’s just as well genetics gave him the innate physical talent he needed to turn pro.

That progression happened in 2002, aged 20. He eschewed overtures from the two biggest teams in Belgium in favour of a small French squad called La Française des Jeux. In his first race against the professionals – the day after his trainee con-tract started – he finished seventh. Joining the team was the making of him. It was – still is – overseen by the charismatic boss, Marc Madiot, who espoused an old-fashioned attacking style of racing and railed against doping. Madiot moulded Gilbert into the rider he is today. “He’s a winner, a killer who just wants to raise his arms,” Madiot said.

Gilbert’s breakthrough came in 2006. He won the opening race of the Belgian Classics season, Omloop Het Volk, with a solo attack 20km from the line. He had already become the poster boy for raw, aggressive cycling but at Omloop he proved he could win big, too.

In late 2008, his contract came to an end and teams were circling for his signature. Madiot couldn’t find the extra budget to retain Gilbert so he opted to return ‘home’ to a Belgian squad, Silence-Lotto (now Omega Pharma-Lotto). The move represented Gilbert’s arrival at the pinnacle of the

sport and he ended 2009 with six big wins, including victory at the Tour of Lombardy, a race on a par with L-B-L.

Away from the travelling circus of professional cycling, he married Patricia Zeevaert, 21 at the time, in a ceremony in Aywaille, Liège prov-ince, in August last year. He delayed their honeymoon until the season ended.

But it is his 2011 results that will leave an indelible mark on cycling:

15 victories and still counting. There hasn’t been a season-long domination of the racing calendar like this since Laurent Jalabert rampaged through the 1995 season.

It’s likely he will change teams next year and, as a man who knows his worth – his fee for a newspaper diary at last year’s world championships in Australia was €5,000 – not many can afford his services.

But he’s one of the most bankable stars in the sport. When he won the first stage of this year’s Tour de France, race direc-tor Christian Prudhomme summed up Gilbert’s place in the cycling firmament: “I was happy he won the first yellow jersey. We need more riders like him – he’s got panache and charisma and he is always accessible. He’s a big champion.”

There hasn’t been a

season-long domination

of the calendar like this

since Jalabert rampaged

through the 1995 season

Man of the moment: Philippe Gilbert is a cyclist in demand

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32 - June 2009

the big picture

wab

AP A4 AWEX.indd 2 4/10/07 11:11:01