Greg Van Avermaet attacks in the 2016 Dwars door Vlaanderen. Photo: Graham Watson
Belgian Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing) made such a jump in quality over the last year that he says he will no longer be happy finishing second in the Tour of Flanders on Sunday.
Van Avermaet took his biggest win yet when he won the 13th stage of the Tour de France last year ahead of Peter Sagan (Tinkoff). He returned in 2016 to win the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad cobbled classic, and a stage and the overall title in the Tirreno-Adriatico. The step up in quality has made the nearly-man a five-star favourite for both Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
-
Lionel Messi could be launching a custom bike priced over €10,000 in 2025The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will reportedly collaborate with an unnamed pro to launch the new bike
-
'It's actually happening' - Matthew Richardson set for GB debut after nationality swap25-year-old will race under British flag for first time at UCI Track Champions League
-
Elisa Longo Borghini pips Kasia Niewiadoma on the line to win second Tour of FlandersIn-form Italian praises Lidl-Trek team after repeating feat she achieved in 2015
-
'It's one of the hardest races I've ever done' - Mathieu van der Poel on his historic Tour of Flanders victoryWorld champion becomes seventh man in history to win the race three times
-
Mathieu van der Poel wins record-equalling third Tour of Flanders with 45km attackDutchman pulls off audacious long-range coup to claim Monument victory
-
Wout van Aert’s Classics dreams go up in smoke, but all is not lost for Visma-Lease a BikeAttention turns to another promising squad member after their talisman is ruled out of Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and Amstel-Gold Race with 'several fractures'
-
Wout van Aert 'in a good place' ahead of Tour of Flanders despite Visma-Lease a Bike illness and injury crisisLoss of Christophe Laporte and Dylan van Baarle 'a big blow' says DS Grischa Niermann as team builds for Monument double header
-
Five things to look out for ahead of the Tour of FlandersLidl-Trek's impressive form and Mathieu van der Poel's explosive start to the Classics season could make for quite the contest this weekend
-
Wout van Aert gears towards career-defining fortnight in new, enlightened mindsetBelgian admits pressure has weighed heavily on his shoulders in the past as the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix come around once more
-
Tour of Flanders, Giro d'Italia, Paris-Roubaix Femmes: Cycling Weekly's races of the year for 2023Our writers pick their best moments from an enthralling 2023, what do you think?
