Greg Van Avermaet

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Nationality: Belgian

Team: Team CCC

Greg Van Avermaet burst onto the cycling scene in 2007, winning a stage of the Tour of Qatar for his new team Predictor-Lotto. The following season, Van Avermaet built on that success with a stage victory in the Vuelta a España and the points classification.

In the following seasons, Van Avermaet forged a name for himself as a rider who is always in the mix in the final selection of tough races, most notably in his home nation of Belgium. His prowess was on show at the 2017 Paris Roubaix where he took his first monument race after becoming the Olympic champion the year before.

His 2017 season has been his most successful so far with wins at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, E3 Harelbeke, Gent-Wevelgem, Paris Roubaix and the overall at the Tour de Luxembourg.

Van Avermaet took his second Grand Tour stage win in 2015 after a gap of eight years, claiming stage 13 of the Tour de France.

In May 2015, Van Avermaet was cleared of doping charges by the Belgian Cycling disciplinary committee after being accused of taking cortisone and Vaminolact in 2012. Van Avermaet proclaimed his innocence throughout the proceedings.

Although the victories have been few, the number of top 10 and podium finishes that Van Avermaet has achieved is astonishing. In 2015 alone, he finished on the podium in Paris-Roubaix (third), the Tour of Flanders (third), Strade Bianche (second), Eneco Tour (second) and Paris-Tour (third) - as well as winning stages of the Tour de France, Tirreno-Adriatico and a stage and the overall of the Tour of Belgium.

Van Avermaet evidently has the power and tactical brain to get himself into the final selection of the biggest races, but he has perhaps lacked the ruthless finish to secure the top spot at some of the major classics.

In 2018 he won the Tour of Yorkshire and finished 3rd at the World Road Race Championships at Innsbruck. As BMC gave up their sponsorship spot in 2019 following the death of team owner Andy Rihs, Poland shoe retailer CCC became the new title sponsor.

2019 was an average season, with several podium positions in the classics.

 

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