Greg Van Avermaet says Amstel Gold Race is ‘last chance’ in Classics campaign

Greg Van Avermaet says Amstel Gold Race is his “last chance” to go for Classics glory this season.

CCC Team rider Van Avermaet has been in form this spring but missed out on his chances of a win.

The Belgian will now look to Amstel Gold as his last opportunity for a big one-day victory this year.

Van Avermaet said: “Amstel Gold Race is my last chance to get a good result this spring.

“I was really disappointed after Paris-Roubaix, knowing that I had the legs for a better result so I am motivated to line up at Amstel Gold Race and turn things around.

“I have had good legs throughout the Classics and although I am missing a big result, I think I have consistently showed that my form is good.”

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The 33-year-old opened his season strongly with a stage win at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, then placed second at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in the opening Classics weekend.

Van Avermaet took sixth in Strade Bianche, third in the E3 BinckBank Classic, 10th in the Tour of Flanders and 12th in Paris-Roubaix.

But despite this brilliant consistency, he has missed out on the victory his team need.

He added: “Amstel Gold Race is a different kind of race to the cobbled Classics of course, but out of all the Ardennes Classics it is the one that suits me the best.

“Unlike the cobbled Classics, I don’t think there is any pressure on us to control the race, so we will see how the race develops and hopefully we’ll be able to race aggressively.”

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Van Avermaet will skip the remaining Ardennes Classics after Amstel Gold, returning to defend his Tour de Yorkshire title before focussing on the Tour de Suisse and the Tour de France.