Greg Van Avermaet considering transfer as CCC Team lose main sponsor
The Classics star hopes the team can find a new backer, but says other teams are interested

Greg Van Avermaet is considering a transfer as CCC Team are due to lose their main sponsor at the end of the year.
Polish shoe company CCC has been plunged into financial uncertainty due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, forcing the boss to announce that there wasn’t enough money to fund a WorldTour cycling team.
CCC joined cycling’s top tier as a sponsor in 2019, stepping in to take over the former BMC Racing team run by Jim Ochowicz.
But the planned three-year sponsorship deal has been cut short due to the global crisis, leaving Ochowicz searching for a new backer.
The team’s star rider, Greg Van Avermaet, says he hopes the team can be saved, but added that he is open to a transfer.
Van Avermaet, winner of the 2017 Paris-Roubaix, told cycling news website Wielerflits: “I hope Ochowicz finds a new sponsor, but I am also open to a transfer.
“There are many teams that are interested. My performance is still there and I was the best one-day rider in the UCI ranking last season. That reassures me for next year.”
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When asked if he might consider a transfer to a Belgian WorldTour team, particularly one with a mighty reputation in the Classics, he added: “I will certainly ride for a good team. Many teams are interested.”
Van Avermaet and Ochowicz have worked together since 2011, when the Belgian star transferred to BMC Racing from Omega Pharma-Lotto.
The 35-year-old had his biggest successes with BMC, including a Tour de France stage victory in 2015 and his biggest career win, Paris-Roubaix.
After the death of team owner Andy Rihs in 2018, CCC stepped in as the main sponsor for 2019.
The change of ownership saw a number of star riders leave the team, including Richie Porte and Rohan Dennis, with Van Avermaet staying on as CCC Team’s main leader.
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Van Avermaet, whose contract is up at the end of 2020, says he’s not looking to leave the team immediately as he hopes a new sponsor will turn up.
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Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers. Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.