Greg Van Avermaet
Nationality: Belgian
Date of birth: 17/5/1985
From: Lokeren
Height: 1.81cm
Weight: 74kg
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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‘I’m still scared of the distance’ - former Roubaix champion Greg van Avermaet on racing Unbound Gravel and life as a gravel pro
Former Paris-Roubaix champion Greg van Avermaet on conquering Unbound Gravel and life as a gravel pro
By Anne-Marije Rook Published
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Olympic champion and Roubaix winner Greg van Avermaet to race Unbound Gravel in June
Unbound Gravel contestants will be joined by a gravel newcomer of note this year as former Olympic champion and Roubaix winner Greg van Avermaet enters the fray
By Anne-Marije Rook Published
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Greg Van Avermaet, Olympic champion, Roubaix winner, to retire from cycling at the end of 2023
The Belgian says he has "no regrets" as he will head out of the peloton aged 38
By Adam Becket Published
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Eight riders to watch in the men's Strade Bianche 2023
Wout van Aert sits out due to illness, opening the door for a potentially new winner in the Piazza del Campo
By Tom Thewlis Published
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Adam Blythe unveils 24 carat gold Genesis bike
24 carat gold leaf bike design a collaboration between Genesis, Fat Creations and Blythe
By Tom Thewlis Published
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Tour de Yorkshire to be replaced with new look cycling event in 2024
Tour de Yorkshire not due to return to north of England, although initial plans announced for new cycling event in area
By Tom Thewlis Last updated
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'Things didn't go the way I wanted': Greg Van Avermaet decides to delay Covid-19 booster, blaming end of season results on vaccine
The World Health Organisation says 'more serious or long-lasting side effects to COVID-19 vaccines are possible but extremely rare'
By Ryan Dabbs Published
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Greg Van Avermaet looking for redemption at Paris-Roubaix after omission from Belgian Worlds squad
The Belgian has represented his national team at the World Championships every year since 2007
By Tim Bonville-Ginn Published
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'In my own country, I'm not part of the team': Philippe Gilbert and Greg Van Avermaet not selected for home World Championships
There were a few surprise names left off the list for the Flanders 2021 Worlds
By Tim Bonville-Ginn Published
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Transfer rumours: Porte, Van Avermaet, Van Aert & others close to new 2019 teams
The latest updates on who could be heading where in 2019
By Gregor Brown Published
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Zdenek Stybar wins Strade Bianche
Etixx-Quick-Step's Zdenek Stybar executes a patient strategy to edge out Greg van Avermaet and Alejandro Valverde at Strade Bianche
By Stuart Clarke Published
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Sagan and Van Avermaet top of Trek's shopping list to replace retiring Cancellara
With Fabian Cancellara retiring at the end of 2016, Trek-Segafredo manager Luca Guercilena has already started writing his shopping list of replacements
By Stuart Clarke Published
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Greg Van Avermaet sprints ahead of Peter Sagan to win Tirreno-Adriatico stage six
Greg van Avermaet sprinted from a select front group to pip Peter Sagan to the line on stage six of Tirreno-Adriatico
By Richard Windsor Published
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Greg Van Avermaet targeting Tour of California comeback
Greg Van Avermaet will not defend his Belgium Tour title in May, instead making his comeback at the Amgen Tour of California
By Stuart Clarke Published
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Boonen: Four leaders is too many for Belgium at World Championships
Tom Boonen, Greg Van Avermaet, Sep Vanmarcke and Philippe Gilbert are all fighting it out to lead Belgium at the UCI Road World Championships
By Stuart Clarke Published
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Greg Van Avermaet 'not afraid' of key Worlds rivals Peter Sagan and Michael Matthews
The Olympic road race champion says the Bergen course is ideal to his riding style
By Gregor Brown Published
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New BMC/CCC WorldTour team reveals name for 2019 season
The merged BMC/CCC have confirmed their name for the 2019 season.
By Alex Ballinger Published
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Chris Froome's first win of 2017 puts him sixth in new WorldTour ranking
Tour de France winner Chris Froome makes his first appearance in the UCI WorldTour ranking top 10 for 2017, as Greg Van Avermaet retains overall lead
By Nigel Wynn Published
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Check out the huge power numbers from the pros during the virtual Tour of Flanders
The virtual Tour of Flanders was guaranteed to split opinion, as a handful of pros raced from the comfort of their homes during the coronavirus crisis.
By Alex Ballinger Published
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Greg Van Avermaet said he ‘hoped to be better’ but content with podium finish in Tour of Flanders
Greg Van Avermaet said he’d hoped to be “just a little better” in the Tour of Flanders, but settled for a podium finish.
By Alex Ballinger Published
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Greg Van Avermaet delighted to prove pundits wrong and claim Olympic gold
The three medallists in the men's Olympic road race at Rio 2016 gave their thoughts on the race soon after crossing the finish line
By Jack Elton-Walters Published
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Team Sky top UCI WorldTour ranking after Froome's Vuelta a España victory
British squad Team Sky moves to the top of the UCI's WorldTour ranking after the Vuelta a España as Chris Froome moves to second place in the rider ranking behind Greg Van Avermaet
By Nigel Wynn Published
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Greg Van Avermaet pips Peter Sagan to win Tour de France stage 13
Overall contenders scrap for position in the uphill finish on stage 13 of the 2015 Tour de France, but all come home at the same time with Chris Froome retaining his lead
By Nigel Wynn Published
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Greg Van Avermaet battles with Philippe Gilbert and Oliver Naesen to win E3 Harelbeke
The three Belgians reached the finishing straight together and sprinted it out for victory at E3 Harelbeke
By Richard Windsor Published
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Greg Van Avermaet's Ghent-Wevelgem Strava file shows his devastating speed
See what it took to win the 2017 edition of Ghent-Wevelgem with Greg Van Avermaet's Strava stats
By Nigel Wynn Published
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Team of the Week: Peter Sagan, Greg Van Avermaet, Rui Costa, and more
After a frantic weekend of racing in Belgium and the Abu Dhabi Tour in the Middle East, we pick out seven riders for places in our team of the week.
By Stephen Puddicombe Published
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Greg Van Avermaet: I'm a clean rider
BMC's Van Avermaet will have a hearing before Belgian Cycling Federation over connections with Dr Chris Mertens, who is under investigation for providing ozone treatment to athletes
By Richard Windsor Published
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Greg van Avermaet goes head over heels at E3 Harelbeke (video)
The Belgian appears to take a corner too wide, before being forced to brake hard
By Jack Elton-Walters Published
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Peter Sagan berates Niki Terpstra for not working in Ghent-Wevelgem
After losing out in Ghent-Wevelgem to classics rival Greg Van Avermaet, Peter Sagan says he has added motivation to do well in the Tour of Flanders
By Gregor Brown Published