Rider Profile
Greg Van Avermaet
AG2R Citroën Team
Personal Details:
Teams history:
- 2023 - AG2R Citroën Team
- 2022 - AG2R Citroën Team
- 2021 - AG2R Citroën Team
- 2020 - CCC Team
- 2019 - CCC Team
- 2018 - BMC Racing Team
- 2017 - BMC Racing Team
- 2016 - BMC Racing Team
- 2015 - BMC Racing Team
- 2014 - BMC Racing Team
- 2013 - BMC Racing Team
- 2012 - BMC Racing Team
- 2011 - BMC Racing Team
- 2010 - Omega Pharma-Lotto
- 2009 - Silence - Lotto
- 2008 - Silence - Lotto
- 2007 - Predictor - Lotto
- 2006 - Bodysol- Win for Life - Jong Vlaanderen
Biography:
Over a 17-year pro road career, Greg Van Avermaet accumulated 42 victories, the defining win coming in 2016 with the gold medal at the Rio Olympic Games in the elite men’s road race. Over the following seasons Van Avermaet was recognisable in the peloton with his golden helmet, signifying his forever-title as Olympic champion.
He began racing as a junior in 2004 and then won the Belgian title in the junior men’s road race in 2006. His first four pro seasons, 2007-2010, were with the Lotto team and he went on to race for only two other programmes during his illustrious career, 10 years with BMC Racing turned CCC and three years with AG2R Citroën.
In his early years on the WorldTour, Van Avermaet won a stage at the 2008 Vuelta a España, the 2011 Paris-Tours and twice won the overall at the Tour de Wallonie (2011 and 2013). In 2015 he made his first impressions at the Tour de France, winning the 198.5km stage 13 in Rodez and riding as part of BMC squad’s TTT victory on stage 9. The next year he won the second Tour stage of his career. With a large haul of top 5s in other years of the Tour, he also racked up 11 days in the yellow jersey at the 2016 and 2018 Tours.
It was in 2017 that the Belgian strongman had his best season in the Classics, winning Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, E3 Harelbeke and Gent-Wevelgem before sprinting home from a group of five riders to earn his rock trophy at Paris-Roubaix.
In 2022 he turned his Classics abilities to off-road pursuits and finished fourth overall at the inaugural UCI Gravel World Championships, finishing one second off the podium behind third-placed Mathieu van der Poel (Netherlands).
Across his final season on the road at the age of 38, Van Avermaet erased a three-year victory drought with an emotional win at the one-day 2023 Boucles de l'Aulne.
"Winning the title changed my life,” the Belgian told Cyclingnews about his Olympic Games victory. “Since that win I've been reminded every day about the win. You meet other Olympic champions, and they want a photo. And it connects more than just the cycling world. It's been amazing to achieve that in my career."
Key Results
2023
🥇 Boucles de L’Aulne
2019
🥇 Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
2018
🥉 E3 Harelbeke (also 2008)
2017
🥇 Paris-Roubaix
🥇 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
🥇 E3 Harelbeke
🥇 Gent-Wevelgem
🥇 Tour de Luxembourg
🥈 Strade Bianche (also 2015)
🥈 Tour of Flanders (also 2014)
🥈 Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
2016
🥇 Olympic Games Road Race
🥇 Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
🥇 Tour de France stage
🥇 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
🥇 Tirreno–Adriatico
🥈 Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
2015
🥇 Tour de France stage
🥇 Tour of Belgium
🥉 Tour of Flanders
🥉 Paris–Roubaix
More
🥇 stage at Vuelta a España 2008
🥇 points classification at Vuelta a España 2008
🥇 Tour de Wallonie 2011, 2013
🥇 Paris–Tours 2011
🥇 Memorial Rik Van Steenbergen 2007
🥈 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad 2014
🥈 Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec 2012
Related Articles
'We'll be ready to race as soon as we have green light' says Van Avermaet
By Cyclingnews last updated
News CCC teammate Trentin stays optimistic that races can be held
Greg Van Avermaet: My focus is on my team, on survival
By Cyclingnews published
News 'It is important that we are strong together' says CCC Team leader
Digital Swiss 5: Greg Van Avermaet, Filippo Ganna headline race 2 start list
By Cyclingnews published
News Virtual race attracts a strong line-up across the board
Van Avermaet suffers knee injury during lockdown
By Cyclingnews published
News Imperfect mountain-bike position leads to tendon problem
Greg Van Avermaet: It's good to get some race dates in our heads
By Cyclingnews published
News CCC Team leader takes aim at rescheduled Tour de France and Monuments
Greg Van Avermaet: On top of the world
By Edward Pickering published
Procycling Talking Monuments with the Belgian Classics star in 2017
Greg Van Avermaet to ride brand new Giant TCR Disc at World Championships
By Josh Croxton last updated
Tech Belgian rode a new version of the Giant TCR at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal and is set to use the new bike in Yorkshire on Sunday
Greg Van Avermaet's golden Giant TCR Disc - Gallery
By Aaron Borrill last updated
Pro Bike Van Avermaet rides the brand new Giant TCR Disc at Opening Weekend's 200km Omloop Het Nieuwsblad race in Belgium
Blogs
-
'Untapped gold' in store for inaugural RADL GRVL in South Australia
Nathan Haas calls gravel course 'raw, fast, exciting' after pre-ride with co-founder Valtteri Bottas -
UCI Gravel Worlds - new course, same criticisms cast doubt on event
Nathan Haas hears feedback from fellow riders on course elevation being 'selective without being stupid' -
Nathan Haas blog: We need to talk about the Unbound mud pit
Was it wrong to not re-route the course? -
Ellen van Dijk - Leading by example
'I have the chance to show the world how normal it should be to perform at a top level as a mother' -
Rukhsar Habibzai - The day I left home
'It is a story shared by thousands of Afghans. It is the day we left home, left our souls and left Afghanistan'