Van Avermaet: I know I've got it in me to win a classic

Greg Van Avermaet's aims for his first Tour of Qatar in 2007 were typical of any young rider in his first professional race; he wanted to survive each day in the peloton and avoid bringing down any of the big names in a crash. The Belgian would do that and more, of course, marking an auspicious beginning to his career by sprinting to victory on the penultimate stage.

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Barry Ryan
Head of Features

Barry Ryan is Head of Features at Cyclingnews. He has covered professional cycling since 2010, reporting from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and events from Argentina to Japan. His writing has appeared in The Independent, Procycling and Cycling Plus. He is the author of The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish Cycling’s Golden Generation, published by Gill Books.