Philippe Gilbert will start "Omloop Het Niusbrod" in a little less than his best form after missing a week of training for last week's "Volta ao Algarve" due to illness.

Gilbert told Belga news agency on Monday that he was "feeling behind in training" after being forced to rest in the week before the Portuguese stage race.

Sporza reported that Lotto Soudal's teammate Tim Wellens, who will be on the start line with Gilbert at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad weekend, is also battling a cold and said he is "fighting not to get sick."

"I got sick between Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana and Algarve," Gilbert said. I still need time to get to top form."

"I had a bacterial respiratory infection and was really sick. I was coughing a lot, I had a lot of mucus, and I had a fever, so they gave me antibiotics."

"The first couple of days [of the race] were really bad, but from Friday [stage 3] I started feeling better.

But as a result, Gilbert feels he is unlikely to play the lead role on Saturday in the Belgian one-day classic, which he won twice in 2006 and 2008.

"Omloop is too early, but that's not a problem. 'The race isn't a major goal of mine this spring so I'm not worried about it. I'm looking forward to Saturday's start, but I'm aware that I'm not the best prepared."

Gilbert will also compete in the Strade Bianche one-day race in early March and the Tirreno Adriatico Italian stage race a few days later.

The 37-year-old Gilbert hopes the race will be long.